Long-form name: Department of Guiana

Type: overseas department of France

Capital: Cayenne

Administrative divisions: none (overseas department of France)

Independence: none (overseas department of France)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French legal system

National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Executive branch: French president, commissioner of the republic

Legislative branch: unicameral General Council and a unicameral Regional Council

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

Leaders: Chief of State--President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); Head of Government--Commissioner of the Republic Jean-Francois DI CHIARA (since NA 1990)

Political parties and leaders: Guianese Socialist Party (PSG), Gerard HOLDER; Rally for the Republic (RPR), Paulin BRUNE; Guyanese Democratic Action (ADG), Andre Lecante; Union for French Democracy (UDF), Claude Ho A CHUCK; National Front (FN), Guy MALON; Popular and National Party of Guiana (PNPG), Claude ROBO; National Anti-Colonist Guianese Party (PANGA), Michel KAPEL

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Elections: Regional Council--last held 16 March 1986 (next to be held NA 1991); results--PSG 43%, RPR 27.7%, ADG 12.2%, UDF 8.9%, FN 3.7%, PNPG 1.4%, other 3.1%; seats--(31 total) PSG 15, RPR 9, ADG 4, UDF 3; French Senate--last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(1 total) PSG 1; French National Assembly--last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(2 total) PSG 1, RPR 1

Communists: Communist party membership negligible

Member of: FZ, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation: as an overseas department of France the interests of French Guiana are represented in the US by France

Flag: the flag of France is used

NOTE: The information regarding French Guiana on this page is re-published from the 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of French Guiana Government 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about French Guiana Government 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.