|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Department of Guiana
conventional short form: French Guiana
local short form: Guyane
local long form: none
|
|
Dependency status:
|
overseas department of France
|
|
Government type:
|
NA
|
|
Capital:
|
Cayenne
|
|
Administrative divisions:
|
none (overseas department of France)
|
|
Independence:
|
none (overseas department of France)
|
|
National holiday:
|
Bastille Day, 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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31 July 2002)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils
head of government: President of the General Council Joseph HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992)
cabinet: NA
|
|
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 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7, other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%, various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6, independents 3, Walwari Committee 2
note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, Walwari Committee 1
|
|
Judicial branch:
|
Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)
|
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese Party or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Roland HO-WEN-SZE]; Socialist Party or PS [Pierre RIBARDIERE]; Walwari Committee [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]
|
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
NA
|
|
International organization participation:
|
FZ, WCL, WFTU
|
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
none (overseas department of France)
|
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
none (overseas department of France)
|
|
Flag description:
|
the flag of France is used
|
