(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 who was appointed by
the French Ministry of Interior
head of government: President of the General Council Stephan
PHINERA-HORTH (since March 1994)

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council and a unicameral
Regional Council
General Council: elections last held NA March 1994 (next to be held
NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (19 total) PSG
8, RPR 2, UDF 1, other right 1, other 7
Regional Council: elections last held 22 March 1992 (next to be held
NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (31 total) PSG
16, FDG 10, RPR 2, independents 3
French Senate: elections last held 24 September 1989 (next to be
held September 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats -
(1 total) PSG 1
French National Assembly: elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993
(next to be held NA 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (2 total) RPR 1, independent 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeals (highest local court based in
Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French
Guiana)

Political parties and leaders: Guianese Socialist Party (PSG),
Raymond TRACY; Conservative Union for the Republic (UPR), Leon
BERTRAND; Rally for the Center Right (URC); Rally for the Republic
(RPR); Guyana Democratic Front (FDG), Georges OTHILY; Walwari
Committee, Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON; Socialist Party (PS), Jean
BART; Union for French Democracy (UDF), R. CHOW-CHINE

International organization participation: FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in US: none (overseas department of
France)

US diplomatic representation: none (overseas department of France)

Flag: the flag of France is used

Economy
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Economic overview: The economy is tied closely to that of France
through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at
Kourou, fishing and forestry are the most important economic
activities, with exports of fish and fish products (mostly shrimp)
accounting for more than 60% of total revenue in 1992. The large
reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an
expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs f