Guiana population. French Guiana. Regional Air Monitoring Center in Cayenne
- land
- water
89 150
1850
- Total population
- Density
237 549 people (- census)
2.6 people/km²
Etymology
In the late 10s - early 20s of the 19th century, an attempt was made to create tea plantations in the town of Kav, for which 27 Chinese arrived here. The plantation manager was to be a young Chinese merchant Kang Gao, whose personality aroused considerable interest in France (“Kang Gao, a Chinese from Cayenne” - a painting by Pierre-Louis Delaval). The experiment ended in failure: of the 27 who arrived, only two turned out to be peasants, another 33 never arrived in Guiana, Kang Gao became disillusioned with his mission and died returning to Asia. [ ]
The middle of the 19th century was marked for French Guiana by three important events: the abolition of slavery (in 1848), the transformation of the territory into a place of exile (from 1852), and the discovery of gold deposits (in 1855).
The abolition of slavery led to a severe shortage of labor in the plantation economy, which forced the French authorities to resort to a policy of encouraging immigration. In the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the population of the colony increased mainly due to the immigration of Creoles from the French Antilles and Indians and Chinese recruited to work on plantations.
The discovery of gold deposits in French Guiana attracted thousands of people there. At the height of the Gold Rush, up to 40,000 prospectors worked in the jungles of French Guiana, most of whom died from disease, snakes, wild animals, and other hardships.
By government decree in 1852, French Guiana became a place of exile for "objectionable political elements." The first exiles were participants in the French Revolution of 1848. In total, about 70 thousand were exiled from 1852 to 1939. After the Second World War, French Guiana ceased to be a place of exile.
Simultaneously with the gold rush, French territorial disputes broke out with the Netherlands (French-Dutch territorial dispute in Guiana) and Brazil (Franco-Brazilian territorial dispute). For some time in the disputed territories, in an atmosphere of anarchy and anarchy, the self-proclaimed republic of Kunan also existed.
Political structure
At the local level of government - the General Council (19 members) and the Regional Council (34 members), elected by the people of French Guiana.
Main political parties:
- Guiana Socialist Party (PCG), founded in 1956, leader - M. C. Verdan, close to the French Socialist Party and RLP;
- Guiana Democratic Forces (FDG), founded in 1989, leader - J. Otili, close to the "Modern Left";
- Movement for decolonization and social emancipation, founded in 1991, leader - F. Kanavi, extreme left party for independence;
- Valvari, founded in 1993, leader - K. Tobira, close to RLP;
- Guiana Democratic Action (ADG), leader - A. Lekante;
- Rally for the Republic (RPR), local chapters;
- Union of French Political Parties for French Democracy (UDF).
Administrative division
French Guiana is divided into 2 districts, which consist of 22 communes:
| No. on the map | Communes (Russian) | Communes (French) | Square, km² |
Population, people (2011) |
Density, person/km² |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parish of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni | |||||
| 1 | Avala Yalimapo | Awala-Yalimapo | 187,4 | 1305 | 6,96 |
| 2 | mana | Mana | 6333 | 9081 | 1,43 |
| 3 | Saint Laurent du Maroni | Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni | 4830 | 40 462 | 8,38 |
| 4 | Apatou | Apatou | 2020 | 6975 | 3,45 |
| 5 | Grand Santi | Grand Santi | 2123 | 5526 | 2,60 |
| 6 | Papaishton | Papaichton | 2628 | 5860 | 2,23 |
| 7 | Sayul | Saul | 4475 | 153 | 0,03 |
| 8 | Maripasula | Maripasoula | 18 360 | 9487 | 0,52 |
| Cayenne County | |||||
| 9 | Camopi | Camopi | 10 030 | 1645 | 0,16 |
| 10 | Saint Georges de Luapoc | Saint-Georges-de-l'Oyapock | 2320 | 3946 | 1,70 |
| 11 | Huanari | Ouanary | 1080 | 109 | 0,10 |
| 12 | Regina | Regina | 12 130 | 904 | 0,07 |
| 13 | Ruhr | Roura | 3903 | 2609 | 0,67 |
| 14 | Saint Eli | Saint Elie | 5680 | 420 | 0,07 |
| 15 | irakubo | iracoubo | 2762 | 1943 | 0,70 |
| 16 | Sinnamari | Sinnamary | 1340 | 3165 | 2,36 |
| 17 | Kuru | Kouro | 2160 | 25 260 | 11,69 |
| 18 | Makuria | Macouria | 378 | 9995 | 26,44 |
| 19 | Moncineri-Tonnegrande | Montsinery-Tonnegrande | 737 | 2346 | 3,18 |
| 20 | Maturi | Matoury | 137 | 29 235 | 213,39 |
| 21 | cayenne | Cayenne | 23,6 | 57 229 | 2424,96 |
| 22 | Remire-Montjoly | Remire-Montjoly | 46 | 19 894 | 432,48 |
| Total | 83 683 | 237 549 | 2,84 | ||
General information
Official name - Guiana, often also referred to as French Guiana. The state is located in the northeast of South America. The area is 91 thousand km 2. Population - 230 thousand people. (as of 2010). The official language is French. The capital is Cayenne. Monetary unit - euro.
Guiana is the largest overseas region and at the same time an overseas department. It borders Suriname to the west, Brazil to the south and east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the north and northeast.
The climate is hot and humid. Average monthly temperatures fluctuate between +25+28°C, while in summer the values are not uncommon in the range of +34+37°C. Precipitation falls mainly from January to May-June. Humidity is extremely high throughout the year, even during the dry season from July-August to December. The average annual precipitation exceeds 2,500 mm.
Story
Archaeological research has proven that people settled in the area between the Oipomak and Maroni rivers as early as the 5th millennium BC. But when the Spaniards discovered Guiana, during the third expedition of Christopher Columbus in 1498, the Arawak, Palicour and Carib tribes lived here. In their languages, this area was called "Land of Waters", the French transformed this name, which was difficult for them to pronounce, into Guyanne. There are indeed many rivers in Guiana, more than twenty of them carry their waters to the Atlantic Ocean, and there are countless small rivers.
French this part of Guiana began to be called later; along with it also existed British Guiana (now) and Dutch Guiana (now). The first Europeans who undertook to settle on the coast of Guiana in 1503 were the French and Spaniards, but the French gradually began to predominate. In 1604, their settlement already existed in Cayenne. The Indians burned and ravaged it, but the French rebuilt it in 1634 in the same place and did not surrender it to the enemy. After the Paris Treaty of 1763, which ended the Seven Years' War, between Great Britain and Portugal, on the one hand, and France and Spain, on the other, the colonial possessions of all these countries were redistributed. Guiana remained among other possessions of France behind her, and soon, almost at the same time, almost 12 thousand new colonists arrived in the port of Cayenne. Not without the intention of finding the mythical country of Eldorado: this dream was then obsessed with many colonists from Europe. But in the local humid and hot climate, which is also saturated with the evaporation of marshes, the Europeans, pampered by civilization, for the most part, could not resist malaria and tropical fever. Of the thousands of aliens, only a few hundred survived. The Indians also died, having been infected by Europeans and the African slaves they brought with them, diseases unknown in South America until then. The French rushed to a small archipelago visible from the coast, calling it lies du Salut (Islands of Salvation). But, in a cruel twist of fate, soon the smallest of these islands - lie du Diable (Devil's Island) - was destined to become an island not of salvation, but of imprisonment. In 1848, slavery was abolished, and a shortage of workers became noticeable. Then the French government conceived a multi-way combination. From 1852 until the end of the Second World War, French Guiana became a place of exile for "objectionable political elements." In addition, in 1885, the French Parliament passed a law according to which any person, whether male or female, convicted of theft three times, is sent to Guiana to spend six months in prison, and then become a colonist without the right to return to his homeland.
It didn't work. People with criminal inclinations could not leave their craft, continued to steal, not work, and returned to Devil's Island for life imprisonment. Most of those who escaped this fate still died of starvation and disease. But there were also those who took the same mind and began to do business, they became planters. By that time, sugar cane had become the main agricultural crop of Guiana. More and more hands were required to work on the plantations, and these hands were brought from Africa. Formally, the Africans were free, but in fact they found themselves in the position of disenfranchised slaves. Gradually Guiana became more and more "black".
On March 19, 1946, Guiana ceased to be a colony of France and became its overseas department of French Guiana. It was also decided to close the prison on Devil's Island, but the prisoners remained there until 1951, according to some reports, a small part of them in one of the blocks until 1954, quietly going crazy.
Attractions Guiana
cayenne- not only the largest city, but also the main port of the country. Cayenne is a highly developed political and transport center, and it is rightfully considered the most colorful and expressive city in the country.
The oldest area of the city is the square. Place de Grenoble located in the western part of Cayenne. On all sides, the square is surrounded by public buildings: the city hall, the post office, the prefecture, the Lusso Canal and magnificent botanical gardens. Closer to the center of the capital, there are various museums such as the Museum of Guianan Culture, the Departmental Fransoni, and the Felix Ebo.
The main market of the city is market located on Place-Victor-Scholscher. No less successful place for shopping is the Village Chino. It sells the most diverse Asian food and local spices, often arranged fish auctions.
The best beach in Cayenne is the beach located in the area Remy-Montjoly. In this area, you can also appreciate the sights of the country: the old colonial sugar factory, and the famous turtle beach, and the ruins of Fort Diamant.
Area Kau took up his position in the southeast of Cayenne. It is here that you can admire all the delights of the exotic nature of the country. This area has a significant number of diverse forest trails and paths. In Cau, you can meet many unique species of birds that can sing unusually beautifully. The abundance of fish in these parts can be so interesting that you can quite suddenly meet with caimans - the owners of the area.
The most visited place by tourists in the country is considered to be Kuru. Thanks to the diligence of the European Space Agency, Kourou has been able to become one of the most important spaceports in the world. The Guiana Space Center is located on the western side of Kourou and occupies a strip of about 20 by 60 kilometers. It is only 500 km from the equator. Thanks to the annual launch of the rocket (up to ten times a year), the spaceport is able to provide about 15 percent of all economic activity in French Guiana. In Kourou there is the Space Museum, where you can learn the history of the formation of the cosmodrome.
On the way to Kourou from Saint Laurent you can visit transit camp, where criminals were exiled from France since the 1830s. The prisoners lived in these very barracks, and every day they went out from here to work in the city, or on plantations, including in private houses for a symbolic payment. Given that slavery was abolished in 1837, French Guiana was the first place on earth where whites performed the role of servants in Black Guianan homes.
The smallest and northernmost of the three islands of the Île du Salut is Devil's Island. Today, the ruins of prison buildings are considered the main attraction of this island. However, this is not the only attraction of the island. There is a unique wildlife, rich in various types of palms, as well as a large population of agoutis, macaws and sea turtles.
Guiana Cuisine
The cuisine of French Guiana is defined by a mixture of French, Spanish, Portuguese and Caribbean traditions.
Rice is the staple of the local cuisine. The reason for this is both the wide distribution of this cereal in the local economy, and the great influence of the culinary traditions of the countries of Southeast Asia, in the first place and, natives of which have been making an important contribution to local gastronomy for more than a century and a half. Moreover, rice is served both as a side dish, and as an independent simple dish with all kinds of spices (primarily with curry), and as the basis for various sweets and pastries. Traditionally, rice is served with local shellfish, fish and other seafood and rivers, replacing beef, which is quite expensive by local standards. The most traditional dish of this type here is the broth " d "avara", prepared from smoked fish, seafood (primarily crabs and shrimp), poultry meat, "avara" or "auora" fruits, and vegetables.
Pork and poultry meat are more common, as well as game (mainly poultry, peccaries, tapir and paca), which is the basis for both haute cuisine and everyday snacks like fricassee (finely chopped meat in sauce). Meat is traditionally used in stewed and fried form - mostly simple ("charcoal") or complex dishes prepared from several varieties of vegetables, root crops and meat products. A wide variety of vegetables are used for these purposes, from cassava, taro, legumes, bananas, traditional for the countries of the region, to potatoes, coconuts, mangoes, papaya, pineapples and rambutan, combined in all sorts of ways. And the most common dish with meat here is the traditional South Asian "roti" made of meat or vegetables, richly seasoned with curry and wrapped in a flat cake.
Local fruit drinks are always served at the table, deserving special attention. Freshly squeezed juices of guava, anona, passion fruit, mandarin and sugar cane are famous for their excellent quality. Coffee and herbal tea "mate" are also popular.
The national drink of Guiana is rum, which is brewed here in almost every locality. However, almost no one drinks it pure, but the traditional “tee-punch” made from rum, sugar cane juice and lemon is used in huge quantities (it is interesting that smoked or fresh cod rolls and black pudding are considered a common snack).
In the capital and Kourou, imported wines (primarily French and Chilean) and strong alcoholic drinks can be found in abundance, but local beer is very mediocre, and imported varieties are usually preferred to it.
Guiana (France) on the map
6 033In the eastern part of South America, there is an overseas department (administrative-territorial unit) of France - Guiana. In our article, we will focus on this particular place. Previously, this territory, which now covers an area of 90 thousand km², was called "French Guiana".
The reason for this clarification was that there were once five colonies under the common name "Guiana": Spanish, British, Dutch, Portuguese and French. After a certain time, the Spanish colony became the east of Venezuela. Since 1966, British Guiana has been transformed into an independent state of Guyana.
The Netherlands is now officially called the Republic of Suriname. And Portuguese in our time is the north of Brazil.
Geographic location of the country
French Guiana is located in such a way that it is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean from the north. And its mainland is located between Brazil and Suriname.
Story
The first Europeans to land on the territory of the future overseas department of the French Republic were Spanish navigators in 1499. After 105 years, French settlers began to settle in it. In 1635, a fortification was founded, around which an administrative center was formed - the city of Cayenne.
Beginning in the 17th century and for the next hundred years, Guiana was under the rule of Great Britain and the Netherlands. At the beginning of the 19th century (1817), France officially secured this territory.
As a result of the unfavorable tropical climate, there were few people willing to move to South America. Therefore, France began to massively import black slaves from the African continent.
During the years of the French Revolution and in subsequent years, a struggle began on the territory of Guiana to abolish the working and living conditions of slaves as for the main part of the population. According to the documents, such work was officially abolished in the department in 1848. From the end of the 18th century until the end of hostilities in World War II, the French government used Guiana as a place of forced hard labor for state political criminals. Since 1946, Guiana has become an overseas department of France.
Capital - Cayenne
What is the name of the capital of French Guiana? Why is she interesting? More on this later in the article. The city of Cayenne, which is over 350 years old, is considered the capital of French Guiana. About 50 thousand people of the indigenous population (mostly blacks and mulattos) live there.
The settlement is located on a small peninsula between the Cayenne River (a river 50 km long) and the main reservoir - Makhuri, more than 170 km long.
The main attractions are located on the territory of the main city of the French department. Place de Grenoble, which is located in the western part of the capital, is very popular with tourists from Guiana. The peculiarity of this area of the city is that it contains the main attractions of the city.
Channel Lusso
In the central part of the city of Cayenne, not far from the fish market, there is the Lusso Canal - the city's main waterway.
Construction began in 1777. For four years it was dug by hand by Guiana prisoners.
Now the canal, built according to the project of the architect Sirdei, is a favorite vacation spot for residents and guests of the city.
On the banks of the Lusso Canal, tourists pay attention to the house in which the family of the philanthropist (a person involved in charity) Alexander Franconi lived.
The building now houses the Museum of the Departmental Franconi. It was founded in 1901. Tourists can see expositions related to the history of the department, household items of past centuries and other diverse museum expositions.
Plaza de Palmistes
The main square of the capital and the pride of the indigenous people is de Palmistes. It got its name due to the large number of palm trees planted throughout its territory. Previously, this place was a pasture for livestock.
In the middle of the 19th century, by decision of the city leadership, palm trees were planted around the entire perimeter of the future city square. At the same time, the construction of urban infrastructure buildings began. In 1957, a majestic arch was erected. It was built in honor of the first governor of Cayenne - Felix Eboue.
Now tourists can visit a variety of cafes and restaurants surrounded by 25-meter palm trees and taste national cuisine.
Museum of Guiana Culture
In 1998, a museum of Guianan culture was opened on Madame Payet Street, where guests of the city can see expositions related to the culture of different ethnic groups that once inhabited the territory of Guiana. Visitors are given the opportunity to see household items of those times, national costumes and various exhibits related to religious rites. The museum has a garden. There you can see all kinds of medicinal plants that grow in South America.
Beach areas of Cayenne
In addition to visiting the main attractions, tourists can pay attention to a beach holiday on the Atlantic coast.
In the village of Remy-Montjoly (10 km from Cayenne) is, according to the guests of the city, the most beautiful area. Here, in addition to active recreation among palm trees, you can see the ruins of a small fort of the XVIII century and an old cane sugar factory.
On the Marconi River (commune Avala-Yalimapo) is the beach of Hates. Tourists from many countries of the world tend to visit this zone. Hates has become popular thanks to the leatherback turtles living in the area, which are over two meters long and weigh 400 kg. They are considered the largest of all living sea turtles. Vacationers can swim in the clear river water. They also have the opportunity to swim with these peaceful turtles that appeared on the planet 200 million years ago.
At a distance of 50 km from Cayenne between the cities of Sinnamari and Kourou, there is a landmark of the late 20th century. It bears the official name "Guiana Space Center".
In 1964, the government was given fourteen projects for the location of the cosmodrome. Then it was decided to start construction near the city of Kourou (French Guiana).
This is explained by the fact that this area is located at a distance of 500 km from the conditional line of the section of the earth's surface by a plane passing through the center of the Earth (equator).
Therefore, this territory is beneficial for launching satellites into orbit and launch vehicles. At the same time, they develop additional speed, making it easier for them to push off the Earth.
Thus, in French Guiana, the spaceport, built in 1968, has become one of the most versatile centers. It attracts to cooperation all space centers of other countries of the world.
In 1975, the International Space Agency (ESA) was formed. Then the government suggested using the launch pads of the Guiana Spaceport at Kourou in French Guiana. Now the main sites that are used for launching spacecraft are the property of ESA.
Since 2007, in collaboration with Russian specialists, the construction of a launch pad for Soyuz-2 rockets has begun on the territory of the cosmodrome, which occupies an area of 20x60 km. The first launch of the Russian apparatus took place in October 2011. In 2017, Russia launched the Soyuz ST-A carrier rocket with the SES-15 spacecraft from the Guiana cosmodrome.
The sparsely populated territory of Guiana (more than 90% of the territory is covered with forests), the absence of hurricanes and earthquakes are an important factor in launch safety.
Flag of Guiana
The overseas department of Guiana belongs to the French Republic. Therefore, it is officially used as the state symbol of the country.
In some cases, another one is used. This flag of French Guiana is approved by the legislature. It is a rectangular panel, where there is a five-pointed yellow star in blue and green areas located on two wavy lines.
Each color has its own specific symbolism. Blue symbolizes the emergence of modern technology in the territory of the department. Green symbolizes the vegetation and richness of the forests of the region, while yellow symbolizes valuable minerals and natural gold reserves. Two are a symbol of a large number of rivers.
Now consider some facts about this overseas department:
- The territory of French Guiana has many minerals. But only gold, tantalum and bauxite are mined here.
- French Guiana is the only non-European territory that is part of the European Union.
- The main agricultural crop is rice, from which rum and rice essence are made.
- French Guiana is officially a department of France. But, despite this, here the Schengen visa is an invalid document. A tourist from Russia needs to get a separate one. For a visa to French Guiana, you should contact the consulate.
- When entering the territory of Guiana, it is necessary to present a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever at the customs office.
Conclusion
Tourists traveling around French Guiana note that this territory is amazing in its beauty and originality. And the goodwill and sincerity of the people make you want to come back here again.
Like other regions of the Americas, the history of French Guiana is quite complex, rich and impressive. The country, or rather the overseas department of France, has experienced a lot in its lifetime. Various diseases, slavery, internecine disputes endangered the territory, but it survived and showed its power.
How did the history of French Guiana develop?
The Spaniards were the first to discover this territory in 1499. After 105 years, the first colonists of France appeared here. In the XVII-XVIII centuries, the land was attacked by the Dutch and the British. But herself history of french guiana began in 1817, when the territory came under the authority of the country. Slavery was introduced to work on the plantations, but later it was abolished. Due to labor shortages, Chinese and Indians were recruited. Local residents at that time were seized by the "gold rush". Story mentions that many of them died from diseases, snake bites and rodents, but still did not leave their occupation.
Only in 1946 officially french guiana became a department of France. In addition, due to its proximity to the equator in 1964, the construction of a launch space complex, in other words, the Kuru cosmodrome, was launched here.
As such capital of french guiana absent. All administrative buildings, main attractions and the power of the department are concentrated in the city of Cayenne.
The interior of the earth is practically deserted, and the main population of french guiana concentrated on the coastline. In total, 237,549 people live here. They are mostly blacks, mulattos, there is a small part of Europeans and Brazilians. Since the population is quite different, French Guiana culture will be mixed.
All State of French Guiana is divided into 2 large districts (small Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni and slightly larger Cayenne), which in turn are divided into 22 communes.
Actually French Guiana politics depends on France. The president of the European state chooses the prefect, who actually manages the territory. The Prefect is also assisted by the Regional Council and the General. Residents themselves elect a senator in local elections, as well as the French Parliament.
French Guiana language
Officially recognized is, of course, French. But the locals speak different dialects (Maroon, Hmong-Njua, Amerindian), as well as other languages (English, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, Haitian Creole).
Guiana(more often “French Guiana” - French Guyane Française) is an overseas department of France, located in the northeast of the South American continent, almost on the equator itself. The department in the west borders on (the length of the border is 510 km), in the south and east - on (675 km), in the northern and northeastern parts it is washed by the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. The length of the coastline is about 378 km.
The official name of the country is simply Guiana (French Guyane), adjective " french”Goes back to that historical period when under the name “Guiana” there were 5 different colonies: British (now), Spanish (now the eastern region), the Netherlands (now Suriname), Portuguese (now the northern region of Brazil) and, in fact, French.
The area of the territory is 91,000 km², the population is about 250 thousand people.
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general information
State structure: French Guiana is part of France and is part of the European Union , occupying the largest territory outside of Europe. The head of the republic is the French President, and the head of government is the Prime Minister of France. The department is managed by the Prefect, who is appointed by the President of France (the Prefecture is located in Cayenne).
The local legislatures - the 19-member General Council and the 34-member Regional Council - are elected by the people. Local residents by universal suffrage elect 2 deputies of the National Assembly - to the French Parliament and 1 senator - to the French Senate.
In terms of administrative division, the country is divided into 2 districts, consisting of 19 cantons and 22 communes.
State. language : French is the official language. In everyday communication, many dialects are spoken here: varieties of the Creole language are widely used, about 6 American Indian languages, 4 Maroon dialects and Taki-Taki (also called "sranan" or "saran-tonga") - a Creole language based on lies English.
Also spoken languages are Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Hakka.
Currency: Official currency: euro (€ or EUR) = 100 cents. In circulation are:
- banknotes in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 €; - coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 cents.
Religion: The official religion in the country is Catholicism. Almost half of the believing population (48%) are Catholics, 15% are Protestants, 4.5% are Muslims, and about 1.3% are Jews. Indians profess Hinduism, voodoo and their traditional religious cults.
History pages
Archaeological evidence proves that people settled between the Oipomaka and Maroni rivers as early as the 5th century. BC. When in 1499 (during the 3rd expedition) these lands were first discovered by the Spaniards, the Arawak, Carib and Palicur tribes lived here, in whose languages the area was called the "Land of Waters". There are really a lot of rivers in the country, more than 20 of them flow into the Atlantic Ocean, and there are not many small rivers and streams. The Spaniards, however, were not particularly interested in the area. In 1604, the first French colonists settled here along the banks of the rivers, who started growing coffee and sugar cane. The French have transformed the unpronounceable name into Guyanne. In the XVII-XVIII centuries. these territories were repeatedly tried to take possession of the British and the Dutch. In 1817, the power of France finally established itself over Guiana.
From the end of the 17th century, the French began to develop a plantation economy in the country. However, the work on the plantations required a lot of labor, and the Indians refused to turn their backs on the Europeans. Therefore, the French began to import black slaves from the African continent.
Mid 19th century for French Guiana, it was marked by 3 important events: the abolition of slavery (1848), the placement of a place of exile on the territory of the department (1852) and the discovery of gold deposits (1855).
The abolition of slavery led to the fact that the plantation economy was on the verge of collapse due to an acute shortage of labor, which forced the French government to resort to encouraging immigration. From the middle of the XIX century. and in the first decades of the 20th century. The population of the colony increased rapidly, mainly due to the immigration of French Creoles, as well as Chinese and Indians recruited to work on the plantations.
The discovery of gold deposits caused another wave of immigrants to flow into French Guiana: at the height of the "gold rush" up to 40 thousand gold miners worked in the local jungle. Many prospectors died from tropical diseases, snake bites, attacks by wild animals, and other dangers.
Simultaneously with the “gold rush”, territorial disputes broke out between France and the Netherlands (Franco-Dutch) and Brazil (Franco-Brazilian). For some time in the disputed territories, in an atmosphere of anarchy and anarchy, there was a self-proclaimed republic of Kunan (fr. Republique de la Guyane independante).
According to a government decree, since 1852 the department was turned into a place of exile for "political" prisoners objectionable to the French authorities. The first exiles were participants in the French Revolution of 1848, and in total in the period 1852-1939. almost 70 thousand people were exiled here. French Guiana ceased to be a point of exile only after World War II.
In 1930-1946. the interior regions separated from French Guiana into the colony of Inini (fr. Territoire de l'Inini) with the capital - the village of Saint-Elie (fr. Saint-Elie).
On March 19, 1946, freed from the status of a colony for the exile of political prisoners, the country officially became an overseas department of France - the largest overseas department in the world.
In 1964, the territory of the country, lying close to the equator, was chosen by France to host the Space Launch Complex -. The 3rd Infantry Regiment of the Foreign Legion was deployed there to protect the strategic facility.
French Foreign Legion
The famous French Foreign Legion was created on 03/09/1831 by order of the French king Louis-Philippe-I (fr. Louis-Philippe; 1773 - 1850). The detachment was formed from the remnants of the Napoleonic regiments in order to send it to North Africa to strengthen and expand the sphere of influence of France. However, the most important thing was to send fighters out of the country who pose a threat to the political stability of the state.
A representative of any nationality can enter the service in the French Foreign Legion, but today the Legion is mainly French.
After 3 years of continuous service, a legionnaire can obtain French citizenship. Previously, mercenaries took a pseudonym when they entered the service, now they come with a new surname. It is believed that with a change of name, a person gains a second life - this rite resembles being tonsured a monk. A year later, a legionnaire can return to his former surname.
In the past, the Legion had a poor reputation for being run by criminals. Today, those who wish to join the Legion are subjected to rigorous scrutiny, both physical and social. Legionnaires receive a salary for their service.
After 5 years of service, a legionary gets the right to wear civilian clothes outside the garrison and have a personal car. A legionnaire can marry, provided that his real surname is returned to him and he is in a command rank.
The legionnaire's code of honor has articles similar to the samurai's code of honor. As the Legionnaires say, "You won't become a real Legionnaire until you fill your boots with blood."
Over the years of its existence, the French Legion has defended the interests of France in different countries, but today it is used to protect the political interests of France within NATO and the European Union.
In Guiana, legionnaires guard the Kourou spaceport, officially known as the "Guiana Space Center" (French Center spatial guyanais) and track underground gold miners. The French Foreign Legion is subordinate only to the President of France.
Geographical and natural features
The entire territory of the department can be divided into 2 parts - wooded areas and the coastal strip. The low-lying and swampy coast stretches in a strip up to 20 km wide along the Atlantic coast, occupying almost 6% of the country's territory. The rest of the department is occupied by a low wooded plateau. There are no high mountains here, which can be seen in other South American countries: the highest point is the peak of Bellevue de l'Inini, whose height is about 851 m. The territory of the country is crossed by many rapids, the largest of which is Maroni (fr. Maroni; 625 km) and Oyapock (fr. Oyapock; 425 km). The rivers are navigable only in some areas.
There are many lakes in the country, the largest of which are: Cayenne, Mana, Sinnamari, as well as the Barrage de Petit-Saut reservoir (Fr. Barrage de Petit-Saut).
Barrages de Petit South Reservoir
Forests occupy almost 90% of the country's territory. Rainforests dominate here, where, among others, valuable tree species grow, such as mahogany (red), pink, teak, nutmeg, mora. There are also areas of deciduous forests. Tall-grass savannahs predominate on the coastal lowlands, and mangrove forests stretch along the Atlantic coast. Cultivated areas account for slightly more than 1% of the country's territory.
Untouched hard-to-reach equatorial forests, wetlands and low plateaus create ideal conditions for many species of animals, birds and reptiles to live. Among the local inhabitants, large sea turtles should be singled out, which, not far from the town of Mana (fr. Mana, 240 km from the capital of Cayenne), have chosen places for laying eggs. In the local rivers, in addition to many varieties of fish (including piranhas), caimans are found, toucans and flamingos have found shelter in the Cau swamps, and monkeys, jaguars, tapirs and ocelots live in the unique Animaliere-Makurinn mountain reserve.
Climate
Due to the geographical location, the climate in the country is tropical, hot and humid, with little changing temperatures, from +25°C to +28°C, in summer the air warms up to +35°C ... + 37°C. The rainy season with heavy rainfall falls on the period January - mid-June.
The air humidity in the region is extremely high all year round, even in the dry season (from July to December) it reaches 100%. On the ocean coast of the country, the humidity is not as oppressive as in its inland regions, but it is also difficult for Europeans to tolerate.
Earthquakes do not happen here, hurricanes bypass the small country, but the local climate is unfavorable for human health, there is a risk of contracting tropical diseases such as malaria and yellow fever.
The most favorable period for visiting French Guiana is from late July to December.
Population
The entire population of just over 250 thousand people is concentrated on a narrow coastal strip, and the inland areas occupied by the equatorial jungle are practically deserted.
The population of the country consists of various nationalities, more than half of which are Negroes and Creoles (migrants from Haiti). About 12% are Europeans (mainly French and Portuguese), 15% are Brazilians and descendants of immigrants from Asian countries (mainly India, China, Vietnam, Laos and Lebanon), only 3% are native Indians.
The rapid growth of the population (almost 2 times in 20 years) is due to numerous immigration, mainly from Brazil and Haiti. The average life expectancy of the population is 76.5 years (women - 80, men - 73). The literate population (from 15 years old) - 83%.
Education in French Guiana
In Cayenne, there is a part of the University of the Antilles and Guiana (Eng. University of the Antilles and Guiana), founded in 1982, uniting educational institutions located in the Overseas Department of France - in Guiana, Guadeloupe and Martinique.
Transport
French Guiana's main international airport is Cayenne Airport. Felix Eboue (French L’ aeroport international de Cayenne - Felix Eboue), founded in 1943, is located in Matoury, a southern suburb of the capital. There are two flights a day from here to Paris alone. There are also flights to Port-au-Prince (Haiti), Fort-de-France (West Indies), Miami (USA), (Brazil) and others.
Water transport is quite popular. Every day, a lot of boats and boats await tourists at the piers, on which you can travel along the coastline. "Degrad-des-Cannes" - the main seaport, located at the mouth of the Mahury River in the southeastern suburbs of Cayenne. Almost all of the country's imports and exports pass through this port, built in 1969.
Guiana's only paved highway along the coast (2004) leads from Cayenne to Saint-Georges-de-l'Oyapock, a city on the border with Brazil. The road is in excellent condition. The length of railway tracks is negligible; in the transport system, they do not have a noticeable significance. Air transport connects Cayenne with all major cities.
Public transport, which is scarce in Guiana, is mainly represented by buses and minibuses, in some cities there are none at all. The most convenient (but also the most expensive) transport is a taxi. With an international driver's license, you can simply rent a car in cities.
After an agreement signed between France and Brazil in July 2005, a bridge was opened across the Oyapock River (fr. Oyapock), which is the border with Brazil, at the end of 2013, which actually became the first jumper connecting the two countries.
Natural resources and economics
The bowels of the republic are rich in oil, bauxite, gold, tantalum, niobium. To date, only bauxites are mined, and gold and tantalum are mined in small quantities (by private miners). In addition, the country has little explored deposits of platinum, diamonds, silver, copper, manganese and uranium.
Of great economic importance in the department (up to 25% of GDP) is the activity of the French Center for Space Research, located on the Atlantic coast, in the area (fr. Kourou) - a commune in Guiana, 60 km from Cayenne.
In the forests, which cover more than 90% of the territory of the state, many trees of valuable species grow, including red, pink, nutmeg, teak, mora, etc. It is clear that with such natural wealth, the state's economy rests on the export of wood. Expensive rosewood (also called “tulip”, from which musical instruments are made), as well as the oil of this tree, which is used for fragrances, are exported abroad.
The department has developed woodworking and food (mainly rum production) industries.
Only 1% of the local land is suitable for agricultural land, so food is the main import of the department.
Sugar cane is grown in plantation farms, almost all of which goes to the production of rum. Of the agricultural crops in the region, rice, citrus fruits, bananas, and cassava are cultivated. Animal husbandry is very poorly developed here.
Fishing and active shrimp fishing is carried out off the Atlantic coast.
The main exported commodities are timber, gold, bananas, cocoa, shrimp and rum.
Attractions
The main attractions of French Guiana, first of all, include the main city of the department - Cayenne, which is based on ancient buildings of the 18th century: the Town Hall, the Prefecture, the post office, several squares, museums of Guianan culture and ethnography, Seperu Fort, the Palace of Justice, the Center for the Study of Tropical diseases and a traditional colorful market.
It is interesting to visit the town with well-preserved colonial buildings, as well as the Museum of Prison Life on the territory of the former transit camp (Camp de la Transportation).
Near the city of Saint Laurent, on the Maroni River, there is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the country - Walter Falls (French Cascade de Walter; height 35 m). In the valley of the waterfall, you can spend the night in the jungle - in tents or huts.
In a not very developed country, against the backdrop of pristine nature, the most visited by tourists local attraction Kourou (fr. Kourou) looks a little unusual - one of the most important spaceports on the planet, from where spaceships of the European and French Space Agencies launch.
Kourou Spaceport
Cacao Village (fr. Cacao) is a cozy place in Guiana, one of the important tourist centers of the department. The majority of the population of the village are representatives of the Hmong ethnic group, who fled from Laos in the 70s. XX century. On weekends, there is a traditional handicraft market in Cacao, here you can ride boats or canoes along the Comte River (fr. Comte) and book an excursion to the surrounding jungle.
The infamous islands of Ile du Salut (fr. Î les du Salut; "Islands of Salvation"), which includes 3 small islands (Ile Royale, Saint-Joseph and Ile-du-Diable), which until 2000 hosted prison colony. The islands housed administrative and prison buildings, as well as solitary confinement buildings. Because of the unbearably stuffy climate and the surrounding waters teeming with sharks, staying here was unbearable, and escape was unthinkable. Over the 100 years of the existence of the colony, several tens of thousands of prisoners have been here, of which only a few survived. The corpses of prisoners were dumped directly into the sea. Now the islands are open to tourists, in the house belonging to the head of the camp, today there is a historical exposition. The house of the head of the camp, the church, the hospital, the punishment cell, the village of guards, built by the hands of prisoners, are today included in the lists of historical monuments of France.
On the island of Saint Joseph (fr. Saint Joseph), which, by the way, is the southernmost point of the European Union, the attention of tourists is attracted by the small village of Manapani (fr. Manapany) with a pool created by nature in basalt rocks. Swimmers love to relax on the Langevin River (fr. Riviere Langevin), and in the village of Vincendo (fr. Vincendo) there is a unique black sand beach that forms during the cyclone season.
Attracts tourists and the cascading Jacqueline waterfall (fr. Сascade Jacqueline), whose waters flow into the sea.
There are not many nature reserves in the country, the most popular being Murages, Tresor and Amana, as well as the Animaliere-Makurinn mountain reserve. It is better to go to admire the beauties of the local nature, accompanied by a guide who can warn against dangerous animals and poisonous plants.
The second largest reserve in Guyana, Murages, located 60 km. from Cayenne, in the northeast of the continent, is a habitat for many species of animals and birds, including rare ones - more than 50% of all protected species of the region live here. There are about 100 species of mammals, up to 550 species of birds, 74 species of amphibians and reptiles in the reserve.
The Tresor Reserve (fr. La Reserve Naturelle de Tresor) is a wonderful corner of nature, which is located in the northeast, about 20 km. from the city of Rura (fr.Roura). It was created in 1995 on an area of 2.5 thousand hectares. Here you can see wild tropical forests, swamps and tropical savannahs, in which more than 1.1 thousand species of plants, more than 320 species of birds, more than 100 species of mammals, about 70 species of reptiles, 50 species of amphibians and more than 100 species of ants grow. This is far from the limit, because every year new representatives of flora and fauna, unknown to science, are discovered here.
The State Reserve of Oman (fr. La Reserve Naturelle de l'Oman) is a unique place on the coast of the French department, between the Organabo and Maroni rivers. Mangroves, salt lagoons, freshwater swamps and dry savannahs are located on the territory of the reserve, which are an ideal habitat for many rare plant and animal species: about 290 species of birds and 92 species of reptiles live here. The beaches of the reserve are the largest nesting sites for several unique species of sea turtles.
The Animaliere-Macurinn Mountain Reserve (8 km south of Cayenne) was created quite recently, at the end of 2006, in order to preserve the unique mangrove forests, grassy savannahs, swamps, as well as their inhabitants.
The nearest beach from Cayenne is the beach in the village of Remire-Montjoly (fr. Remire-Montjoly), 10 km. southeast of Cayenne, considered the most beautiful sandy beach in the department. Local residents and tourists enjoy their holidays here. It is very interesting to visit the "charapashiy" beach, the ruins of the ancient fort Diamant (fr. La Scalata al Diamante) or the old colonial sugar factory, which are located near the beach.
Holidays
The Guianans are very fond of holidays, especially among the people such a widely celebrated event as the Mardi Gras festival (French Festival de Mardi Gras is an analogue of the Slavic Maslenitsa) is a popular folk festival dedicated to seeing off winter and welcoming spring. This traditional European holiday is always accompanied by colorful processions, incendiary dances, sweets and indispensable colored beads distributed everywhere. Carnival colors are traditionally considered green, purple and gold, dresses, hats, faces, hair, nails and anything else are painted in a similar tricolor!
On "Mardi Gras" their king and queen are necessarily elected. For the festival, special dolls are made, which are burned at the end of the festivities. Residents are preparing for the holiday in advance, because it is necessary to prepare masks for all family members, bright costumes, a cheerfully decorated cart (in which you can roll each other through the streets), more colored beads, and, most importantly, a special royal cake with tricolor icing and plastic baby doll inside.
- France has its longest land border (about 673 km) with Brazil, thanks to the South American department - Guiana. For example, the next longest Franco-Spanish border is shorter by 50 km.
- Although the official name of the department is "Guiana" (without "French"), locals usually say: "We have in France ..."
- In a country where the government and the police are French, license plates on cars are French, the currency is the euro, the vast majority of the inhabitants are black.
- In a country where people speak many dialects, French names give their children.
- There are no beaches with idly sunbathing vacationers in coastal Guiana. The fact is that along the entire Atlantic coast of the country, the water is of a deep brown color due to the predominance of bauxite-clay soils here. Rivers complete the picture, carrying clay and silt into coastal waters.
- Locals say: "The nearest blue water and clean beaches are in Trinidad and Tobago."
- But the air temperature here keeps from +25°С to +30°С all year round. However, the humidity is too high - up to 100%! Washed clothes dry for 2 days and do not dry out!
- The concept of "rainy season" in Guiana does not mean that it rains all the time! Most often it happens like this: a tropical downpour will sweep through and again - the sun. True, on some days the showers begin to “part” - it is watered for 5 minutes every half hour.
- French Guiana is the most expensive South American country. Here the prices are the same as in France, if not higher. This is despite the fact that the quality (in particular, services) is much lower.
- The population is friendly, smiling and non-confrontational. But still, leaving a car unattended in the city is categorically not advised here.
- The southern character of the Guyanese is manifested not only in talkativeness and friendliness, but also in the variegation of clothes, the brightness of jewelry, even local residents paint their houses in bright blue or yellow colors.
- What is great here is the roads, almost everywhere. You understand this especially well only when you enter Suriname.
- And the lifestyle in Guyana is not at all European: here from 12:00 to 16:00 there is a mandatory siesta, and no one works. However, even when the Guianan "works", he does everything very slowly.
- Expecting promptness, agility and a desire to do something quickly from a local resident is a complete utopia.
- Only extreme and ardent lovers of wildlife usually go on an excursion to the jungle - they have to sleep there in hammocks suspended from trees.
- When the Guianan finds out that the tourist is from Russia, he immediately begins to nod his head in understanding and say: “Soyuz”. The fact is that the Russians have been building a launch pad for the Soyuz in Kourou for many years and, apparently, will continue to build for a long time to come. Maybe Guianan sluggishness is transmitted by airborne droplets? :)
- From the country it is very easy to get to Brazil and Suriname: a visa is not required for Brazil, it can be issued in Cayenne in Suriname in 2-3 days. Although, why this visa is needed is not entirely clear - any black man with a boat will transport you in 10 minutes (and for 4 euros, of course) to the other side of the Maroni border river and drop you off anywhere. By the way, the police look at it through their fingers.
- The humid equatorial climate really "likes" the trees, so most of the territory of Guiana is occupied by lush forests. However, it is difficult for a person to exist here, it was not in vain that this colony of France was previously called the “dry guillotine”, since from August to December there is an exhausting drought, which is then replaced by heavy rains. Such conditions are very favorable for the reproduction of bacteria, therefore, during colonial times, severe fevers claimed many human lives.
- Frankly, Cayenne is a big village. There is nothing special to do there, even in souvenir shops there is nothing interesting - you can only buy fridge magnets.
- In 1969, A. Charrière's autobiographical novel The Moth (Fr. Papillon) was published in France, which immediately became a bestseller (its circulation reached 1.5 million copies). The author, convicted of a murder he did not commit, spent 11 years in the local colony, of which the last 2 years were spent in solitary confinement on Devil's Island (French: Ile du Diable). This work is about despair, hopelessness and hope that does not leave a person even in the most unbearable circumstances. In 1973, the novel "Moth" was filmed in Hollywood, the main role in the film was played by S. McQueen
- KM Elsky (1837-1896), a Belarusian scientist, geographer and biologist, lived in Guiana for almost 4 years. Yelsky worked in one of the Cayenne pharmacies, devoting all his free time to travel. He took Indians as guides, ate palm fruits and monkey meat. The scientist described and systematized most of the species of the richest flora and fauna of the French G. +4 points, 2 ratings)