Infant mortality rate: 14 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population : 76.06 years
male: 72.84 years
female : 79.45 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.38 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)
adjective: French Guianese

Ethnic groups: black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese,
Amerindian 12%, other 10%

Religions: Roman Catholic

Languages: French

Literacy:
definition : age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83%
male: 84%
female: 82% (1982 est.)

@French Guiana:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Guiana
conventional short form: French Guiana
local long form: none
local short form : Guyane

Data code: FG

Dependency status: overseas department of France

Government type: NA

National capital: Cayenne

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French legal system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Pierre DARTOUT (since NA)
head of government: President of the General Council Stephan PHINERA
(since NA March 1994)
cabinet : NA
elections: representative of the French Government appointed by the
president of France on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior;
presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the
members of those councils, who vote on party lines

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held NA March 1994 (next to be held
NA 2000); Regional Council - last held 22 March 1992 (next to be held
NA 1998)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - PSG 8, FDP 4, RPR 1, other left 2, other right 2,
other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PSG 16, FDG 10, RPR 2, independents 3
note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 24 September 1989
(next to be