Guide Note:

French Guiana is one of the 26 regions of France and not a separate country in its own right, but is considered a French Overseas Department. Located on the northern coast of the continent of South America, French Guiana is bordered by the nations of Brazil and Suriname.

Fast Facts:

Capital: Cayenne
Government: Overseas Department
Population: January 1, 2007 est. 209,000
Currency: Euro
Calling Code: +594
Official Language: French

Geography

Most of the population of French Guiana lives on a long and thin coastal strip which includes the capital city of Cayenne. Most of the interior of the country is comprised of thick and inaccessible rainforest.

Brief History

In the 17th and 18th centuries, France made several failed attempts to establish a permanent colony in what is today French Guiana. The inhospitable nature of the terrain, climate, and natives made life for settlers in the territory difficult and in the 19th and 20th centuries France used Devil's Island off of the coast as a penal colony due to its remote location. Most of the prisoners sent to the area died soon after arrival, and the travails of prisoner Henri Carriére were chronicled in his memoir Papillon.

Categories

Geography | Travel | Countries

View Note History

French Guiana

Did You Mean: Guyana

The Mahalo Top 7

Wikipedia: French Guiana
BBC: Regions and territories: French Guiana
Portals to the World: French Guiana
CIA World Factbook: French Guiana
U.S Department of State: French Guiana
Lonely Planet: French Guiana Overview
Space Travel: Official Opening Of The Soyuz Launch Base In French Guiana (March 13, 2007)

French Guiana News

Google News: French Guiana
Inquirer.net: "6.8 magnitude quake strikes ocean east of French Guiana" (February 08, 2008)
MongaBay.com: "France blocks controversial rainforest gold mine in French Guiana" (February 06, 2008)
BBC News: "Space freighter given launch date" (February 06, 2008)

French Guiana Travel Information

Wikitravel: French Guiana travel guide
U.S. Department of State: French Guiana
Lonely Planet: French Guiana Travel Guide: Overview

French Guiana Politics

Wikipedia: Politics of French Guiana
Portals to the World: Government, Politics, Law : French Guiana
Travel Document Systems: French Guiana Government
Traveljournals.net: Government of French Guiana

French Guiana Facts and History

Wikipedia: History of French Guiana
European Space Agency: History of French Guiana
Countries and their Culture: History and Ethnic Relations
Guyane-Guide.com: French Guiana History
Lonely Planet: French Guiana History
World Infozone: French Guiana Facts

French Guiana Maps and Geography

World Statesmen.org: French Guiana
Wikipedia: Geography of French Guiana
WorldAtlas.com: Map of French Guiana
Global Geografia: French Guiana
HRW World Atlas: French Guiana

French Guiana Capital

Mahalo's page on Cayenne
Wikipedia: Cayenne
World 66: Cayenne travel guide
Weather Underground: Cayenne, French Guiana Forecast

French Guiana Major Cities

Mahalo's page on Matoury | Saint Laurent du Maroni
Wikipedia: Matoury
Wikipedia: Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
Official Tourism Site: Saint Laurent du Maroni

French Guiana Photos and Videos

YouTube & Google Video Search: French Guiana
Yahoo! Video Search: French Guiana
Dailymotion: French Guiana Videos
Google Image Search: French Guiana
Yahoo! Image Search: French Guiana
Live Search Images: French Guiana
Flickr: French Guiana Photos

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