arouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature
variation

Terrain: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small
mountains
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m

Natural resources: bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered),
cinnabar, kaolin, fish

Land use:
arable land: NEGL%
permanent crops: NEGL%
meadows and pastures: NEGL%
forest and woodland: 88%
other: 12% (1992)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: high frequency of heavy showers and severe
thunderstorms; flooding
international agreements: NA

Geographic note: mostly an unsettled wilderness

People
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Population: 151,187 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 24,447; female 23,378)
15-64 years: 63% (male 52,061; female 43,726)
65 years and over: 5% (male 3,784; female 3,791) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.86% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 24.68 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 4.59 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 18.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.13 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 14.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.79 years
male: 72.55 years
female: 79.19 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.42 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

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

Religions: Roman Catholic

Languages: French

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

Government
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Name of country:
conventional long form: Department of Guiana
conventional short form: French Guiana
local long form: none
local short form: Guyane

Data code: FG

Type of government: overseas department of France

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