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: est. 209,000 (January 1, 2007)
- 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 Carriere were chronicled in his memoir Papillon.
