French Guiana was discovered by the Spanish in 1496, who established a few settlements in 1503 and 1504. The French first moved in a century later. Under the 1667 Treaty of Breda, the Dutch, who had also shown an interest in the area, were forced out. Numerous changes in control followed over the next 200 years, alternating between France, Britain, the Netherlands and Portugal, until the territory was finally confirmed as French in 1817. The colony enjoyed a brief period of prosperity in the 1850s when gold was discovered, but afterwards went into a decline from which it has never fully recovered.
French Guiana was finally given French Overseas Department status in 1946, under which the territory effectively became an integral part of the French nation. However, the territory was largely neglected by Paris and continued to deteriorate until civil unrest broke out in the 1970s. After a security crackdown, the central government promised various improvements. These failed to materialize until the Mitterrand presidency, under which a series of reforms was introduced in 1982-83. Some decentralization also took place: local affairs are now dealt with by the Regional Council.
The President of the Regional Council since March 1992, Antoine Karam, is French Guiana’s single representative in the French Senate. Karam is a member of the Parti Socialiste Guyanais (PSG), which has long been the strongest political party and is allied to its French namesake. The Socialists’ principal rivals are the Forces Démocratiques Guyanaises (FDG). The PSG is the largest party on the Regional Council following the most recent election in March 1998 but, lacking an overall majority, relies on the support of other left-wing parties. A new non-aligned party, the Walwaries, has made something of an impact on French Guianese politics in recent years; the Gaullist Rassemblement pour la République (RPR) also has a small presence.
The political complexion of the territory was last tested at the 2002 French presidential election, where Jacques Chirac won a handsome majority (see France section). The domestic political agenda has been generally dominated by peated complaints over the territory’s relatively poor social and economic conditions compared to those in France. The alternatives to being an integral part of the French state are self-government and independence. However, enthusiasm for either is lacking and the small independence movement has made little headway in recent years. Paris has also made it clear that it will not countenance any change in French Guiana’s status for the time being.
Government As an Overseas Department, French Guiana is represented by one member of the Senate and one member of the National Assembly in France. Locally, there is a 19-member General Council which assists an appointed Prefect, and the 31-member Regional Council. Both are elected for a six-year term by universal adult suffrage.
Economy French Guiana’s economy is heavily dependent on that of France. Thanks to the French social security system and subsidies from Paris, the population enjoys one of the highest standards of living on the South American continent.
Besides the French Space Center at Kourou, fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities, occupying most of the workforce. Vegetables and rice are the principal crops, most of which are consumed domestically.
Exploitation of French Guiana’s mineral resources, which, in addition to timber from the country’s extensive forests, include gold, bauxite and kaolin, is steadily growing. Gold production continues to flourish, with actual production levels and sales suspected to be far higher than official estimates. Exploration expanded in the mid 1990s, following the construction of a major new road allowing access to the interior.
Development of the service sector, particularly tourism (and the promising field of ecotourism), had previously been hampered by poor infrastructure. The country’s other notable economic asset, acquired by virtue of its position close to the equator, is the European Space Agency’s satellite launch facility at Kourou. The French Space Center accounts for a quarter of GDP.
French Guiana runs a huge trade deficit, with exports less than 10% of imports. In common with most French Overseas Territories, French Guiana has a high unemployment level, of about 22%.
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