GUYANE - Economy
GDP per inhabitant, at 54% of the national average, is close to that of Guadeloupe. On the national scale French Guiana accounted for 0.1% of France?s GDP in 1997.
Space: the economic driving force
The space industry, centred on Kourou, is a driving force for the economy of French Guiana. Suppliers and subcontractors have developed around it. Many sectors of activity are concerned, from the capital goods industry, to services to enterprises, distributive trades, and the hotel and catering sector.
Market services generate 40% of French Guiana?s GDP. However the contribution of non-market services in terms of value added is very high in French Guiana (34%). It confers to the economy of French Guiana a predominately tertiary profile.
Accounting for 10% of value added, the construction sector is definitely important, but not more so that in Guadeloupe, where demographic growth is much less. Still compared to 1995 the share of the construction industry in French Guiana?s GDP has grown (7.5% of value-added in 1995).
In 1997 industry accounted for 10.5% of French Guiana ?s value-added. The region's industry mainly consists of small and medium-sized firms involved in gold mining and the production of building materials. The proportion of small businesses (employing between 20 and 49 people) accounted for 77% of all establishments working in industry, and employed 41% of the industrial workforce of Guadeloupe.
The rate of creation of businesses (14% of the total number of enterprises operating in 2001) is higher than the national average (11%). 74% of these are business start-ups; this share is much higher than the national average (65%).
In addition to the natural heritage and ethnic interest of French Guiana, the satellite launches are a major attraction for the growing tourist industry. In 1999 French Guiana had an estimated 28 hotels in 1999, with a capacity of 1 228 bedrooms. In terms of air passenger traffic, French Guiana had 423 000 passengers departing and arriving in 2001. The air cargo handled in French Guiana amounted to 5 500 tons in 2001, and sea freight amounted to 698 000 tons in 2000.
Agriculture accounts for 5.7% of value-added
- The almost total lack of lines of communication between the coastal strip and the interior hinders the exploitation of the region's natural resources and the diversification of its agriculture. The natural resources of the region are in part exploited: gold accounted for half of French Guiana?s exports in 2000, timber is mostly exported to the Antilles. With 89% of the land covered in forest, the proportion of land used for agriculture is very small: 0.4% in 2000. The region is not yet self-sufficient in agricultural products, though progress has led to a more regular supply of fresh produce and to rice exports. Rice growing, prawn rearing and fishing offer fairly good productions. French Guiana is the only French département where the number of farms has markedly increased over the last decade. In 2000 there were only 5 318 farm holdings. The vast majority of these are small, with 91% of farms covering less than 5ha. Citrus fruits cover 6.2% of the agricultural land, and other fruits cover 7.5%. In 1997 agriculture accounted for 5.7% of French Guiana?s GDP.
|
|