STATISTICS: French Guiana


French Guiana

91.8% —or about 8,063,000 hectares—of French Guiana is forested. Of this, 95.5% —or roughly 7,701,000 hectares—is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse form of forest.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2000, French Guiana lost an average of 2,800 hectares of forest per year. The amounts to an average annual deforestation rate of 0.03%. Between 2000 and 2005, the rate of forest change decreased by 100.0% to 0.00% per annum. In total, between 1990 and 2005, French Guiana lost 0.4% of its forest cover, or around 28,000 hectares. French Guiana lost -208,000 hectares—0—of its primary forest cover during that time. Deforestation rates of primary cover have decreased 2.6% since the close of the 1990s. Measuring the total rate of habitat conversion (defined as change in forest area plus change in woodland area minus net plantation expansion) for the 1990-2005 interval, French Guiana lost 0.4% of its forest and woodland habitat.

Biodiversity and Protected Areas: French Guiana has some 1064 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 1.1% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 1.9% are threatened. French Guiana is home to at least 5625 species of vascular plants, of which 2.6% are endemic. 15.4% of French Guiana is protected under IUCN categories I-V.

French Guiana Environmental profile






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French Guiana: Forest Cover, 2005
Total Land Area (ha)8,787,000
Total Forest Area (ha)8,063,000
Percent Forest Cover91.76%
Primary Forest Cover (ha)7,701,000
Primary Forest, % total forest95.51%
Primary Forest, % total land87.64%
Other wooded land (ha)-


French Guiana : Forest types
Tropical (% forest area)100%
Subtropical (% forest area)0%
Temperate (% forest area)0%
Boreal/polar (% forest area)0%


French Guiana: Breakdown of forest types, 2005
Primary forest (ha | %)7,701,00095.5%
Modified natural (ha | %)361,0004.5%
Semi-natural (ha | %)-0.0%
Production plantation (ha | %)1,0000.0%
Production plantation (ha | %)-0.0%


French Guiana: Change in Forest Cover
TOTAL FOREST COVER
Forest 1990 (ha)8,091,000
Forest 2000 (ha)8,063,000
Forest 2005 (ha)8,063,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)(2,800)-0.03%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)-0.00%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)(28,000)-0.35%
Change in rate (%)-100.00%
PRIMARY FOREST COVER
Primary 1990 (ha)7,909,000
Primary 2000 (ha)7,761,000
Primary 2005 (ha)7,701,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)(14,800)-0.19%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)(12,000)-0.15%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)(208,000)-2.63%
Change in rate (%)-17.37%
OTHER WOODED LAND
Other 1990 (ha)-
Other 2000 (ha)-
Other 2005 (ha)-
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)-#DIV/0!
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)-#DIV/0!
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)-#DIV/0!
Change in rate (%)#DIV/0!
PLANTATIONS
Other 1990 (ha)1,000
Other 2000 (ha)1,000
Other 2005 (ha)1,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)-0.00%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)-0.00%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)-0.00%
Change in rate (%)#DIV/0!
TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION
Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations
Other 1990 (ha)8,090,000
Other 2000 (ha)8,062,000
Other 2005 (ha)8,062,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)(2,800)-0.03%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)-0.00%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)(28,000)-0.35%
Change in rate (%)-100.00%


French Guiana: Primary
Primary or "old-growth" vegetation
Primary Forest 2005 (ha)7,701,000
Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha)0
Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha)7,701,000
Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area)87.64%


French Guiana: Forest designation
Ownership of forest land, 2000
Public (%)99.8%
Private (%)0.2%
Other (%)0.0%
Ownership of other wooded land, 2000
Public (%)-
Private (%)-
Other (%)-
Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005
Production (%)0.0%
Protection (%)0.0%
Conservation (%)4.0%
Social Services (%)0.0%
Multiple Services (%)31.5%
None of Unknown (%)64.4%


French Guiana: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000
Forest Area annually affected by
Fire (%)0.00%
Insects (ha)0.00%
Diseases (ha)0.00%
Other (ha)0.00%


French Guiana: Protected areas
Protected areas
Biosphere reserves, 2005
Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 20050
World Heritage sites, 20040
Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, percent of total land15.4%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent, percent of total land3.18%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, percent of total land, 200411.17%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other, percent of total land, 20042.11%


French Guiana: Biodiversity - Wildlife
Amphibians
total species90
endemic species4
threatened species3
Birds
total species644
endemic species1
threatened species0
Mammals
total species198
endemic species4
threatened species10
Reptiles
total species132
endemic species3
threatened species7
Wildlife diversity
total species1064
endemic species12
threatened species20


French Guiana: Biodiversity - Plants
Growing stock composition
3 most common species
% of total growing stock
30.90%
Growing stock composition
3 most common species
% of total growing stock
48.40%
Number of Native tree species
Native tree species1,200
Number of tree species in IUCN red list
Critically Endangered3
Endangered2
Vulnerable11
Vascular Plant Species, 2004
Total5625
Number endemic144
Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004
Species threatened16


French Guiana: Value of forests
Biomass stock in forest, 2005
Above-ground biomass (M t)-
Below-ground biomass (M t)-
Dead wood (M t)-
Total (M t)-
Carbon stock in forest, 2005
Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t)-
Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t)-
Carbon in dead wood (M t)-
Carbon in litter (M t)-
Soil carbon (M t)-
Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005
Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr)
1990-2000-1,000
2000-20050
Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005
Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr)
1990-2000n.s.
2000-20050
Wood removal 2005
Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m)70
Wood fuel (1000 cubic m)-
Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m)70
Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock)n.s.
Plant products 2005
Food (t)-
Fodder (t)-
Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t)-
Raw material for colorants and dyes (t)-
Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t)-
Ornamental plants (t)-
Exudates (t)-
Other plant products (t)-
Animal products 2005
Living animals (units)-
Hides, skins and trophies (units)-
Wild honey and bee-wax (t)-
Bush meat (t)400
Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t)-
Raw material for colorants and dyes (t)-
Other edible animal products (t)-
Other non-edible animal products (t)-
Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005
Industrial roundwood (US$)$2,716,000
Wood fuel (US$)-
Non-wood forest products (US$)$4,099,000
Total value (US$)$6,815,000
Total value ($USD/ha)$1
Employment in forestry 2000
Total people employedn.s.


French Guiana : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002
Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production84
Imports-
Exports-
Consumption84
Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production60
Imports1
Exports2
Consumption59
Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production15
Imports1
Exports4
Consumption12
Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production0
Imports3
Exports0
Consumption3
Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002
Production-
Imports0
Exports-
Consumption0
Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002
Production-
Imports0
Exports0
Consumption0
French Guiana: Environment
Environment - current issuesNA
Environment - international agreementshigh frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding


French Guiana: Land use / Resources
Land use (%)arable land: 0.14%
permanent crops: 0.05%
other: 99.81% (90% forest, 10% other) (2001)
Natural resourcesbauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), petroleum, kaolin, fish, niobium, tantalum, clay


French Guiana: Economy
Economy - overview:The economy is tied closely to the much larger French economy through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou (which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% of the country. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and manioc are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers.
GDP - per capita$8,300 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate (%)NA%
Agriculture - productscorn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry
GDP - composition by sector (%)agriculture: NA%, industry: NA%, services: NA% (2001 est.)
Industries construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Economic aid - recipientNA
Debt - external$1.2 billion (1988)
Population below poverty line (%)NA
Labor force - by occupation (%)agriculture 18.2%, industry 21.2%, services, government, and commerce 60.6% (1980)


French Guiana: Population / Demographics
Population (July 2005)195,506
Population growth rate (%) (2005)2.10%
Population density (people/sq km) (2005)2.2
Percent rural (2003)24.6%
Median age (years)total: 28.45 years
Total fertility rate (children born/woman)3.01 (2005 est.)
Ethnic groups (%)black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%


[an error occurred while processing this directive] French Guiana: Infrastructure
Telephones - main lines in use51,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular138,200 (2002)
Roadways (km)total: 817 km (1998)


French Guiana: Health
Life expectancy at birth (years)total population: 77.09 years
male: 73.77 years
female: 80.58 years (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate12.07 deaths/1,000 live births
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%)NA%

French Guiana : References & Data Sources


 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
 Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)
 Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
 Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
 RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
 World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
 The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
 Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
 With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com



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