The country’s agriculture is base don sugarcane, coffee, cacao, fishing, cassava, vegetables and rice. At the same time, the nation produces gold and aluminum. The growing of rice, bananas and plantains are similarly important.
The country is a top producer and exporter of sugar. Other major exports are diamonds and assembly-line equipment and refrigerators. The sugar industry controls all operations in this market and guarantees quotas to the European Union and the US, with $133 million worth of shippable products. Gold –second only to sugar- is another major export, controlled by the Omai Minen Co. that’s made up of two Canadian firms (Cambior with 70 percent of all stakes, and Golden Star holding a quarter of shares). The Guyanese government controls 5 percent of the stocks. The total value of exports is in the neighborhood of $100 million annually.
The country import approximately $625 million worth of food grains, processed meats, machinery, transportation equipment and chemicals, as well as foodstuffs, refined oil, cement and metals. The nation also imports some 10,000 tons of cereals every year.
Construction and shrimp-processing plants are the nation’s top industries, as well as some factories that turn log into wood, others that make rum and sugar, and others that deal with mining.
Fishing accounts for 12 percent of the nation’s GDP. Right now, the importance of this economic activity has accrued, especially the catch of shrimps for exportation.
French Guyana’s economy depends on France, the Kourou Eueopean Center, the fishing industry and logging. These activities take up a considerable chunk of the nation’s workforce. Vegetables and rice are by far the two main crops. The exploitation of mineral resources is focused on kaolin, gold and bauxite. Gold outputs are particularly rewarding, posting numbers far greater than most official estimates. All in all, French Guyana suffers from poor infrastructure, a situation that has barred travel and tourism from further flourishing. Officials are mapping out plans in a bid to improve that infrastructure now that perspectives for the advance of the hospitality industry in the country are looking good, especially in the field of ecotourism.
The country has 727 kilometers of paved roads, several rivers suitable for navigation and 11 airports scattered all across the country.
