Cayenne
497311
225871141
2008-07-15T20:06:11Z
Skeetidot
2787411
/* History */
{{otheruses4|the capital of French Guiana}}
{{French commune|
nomcommune=Cayenne<br>[[Image:MairiedeCayenne.JPG|300px]]<br><small>Town hall of Cayenne</small>|
map_size=220px|
adjustable_map =cayenne.PNG|
mapcaption=Location of the commune (in red) within French Guiana|
lat_long=|
région=[[French Guiana|Guyane]] (''[[Prefectures in France|préfecture]]'')|
département=[[French Guiana|Guyane]] |
arrondissement=Cayenne|
canton=Chief town of 6 cantons |
insee=97302|
cp= 97300|
maire= Rodolphe Alexandre ([[Guianese Socialist Party|PSG]])|
mandat= |
intercomm= [[Communauté de communes du Centre Littoral|Communauté<br>de communes<br>du Centre Littoral]]|
longitude=-52.3269 |
latitude=4.9227 |
alt moy= |
alt mini= |
alt maxi= |
hectares= 2,360 |
km²= 23.60|
sans= 50,594 |
date-sans=1999 census|
dens=2,144|date-dens=1999|
}}
[[Image:Blason Cayenne.jpg|249px|thumb|Cayenne's coat of arms on a municipal sign.]]
'''Cayenne''' is the [[capital]] of [[French Guiana]], an [[overseas region|overseas ''région'']] and [[Overseas department|''département'']] of [[France]] located in [[South America]]. The city stands on a former island at the mouth of the [[Cayenne River]] on the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] coast.
At the [[1999]] census, there were 66,149 inhabitants in the urban area of Cayenne (as defined by [[INSEE]]), 50,594 of whom lived in the city ([[communes of France|commune]]) of Cayenne proper, and the remainder in the neighbouring commune of [[Remire-Montjoly]]. The commune of [[Matoury]] (18,032 inhabitants in 1999), where the [[Cayenne-Rochambeau Airport]] is located, is also a suburb of Cayenne, but it wasn't included in the official definition of the urban area by INSEE in 1999. Including Matoury, the whole conurbation had 84,181 inhabitants in 1999. By 2007 the area's population may have exceeded 100,000.
== History ==
{{see also|History of French Guiana}}
Ignored by [[Spain|Spanish]] explorers, who found the region too hot and poor to be claimed, the region was not colonized until [[1604]], when a French settlement was founded. However, it was soon destroyed by the [[Portugal|Portuguese]], who were determined to enforce the provisions of the [[Treaty of Tordesillas]]. French colonists returned in [[1643]] and founded Cayenne, but were forced to leave once more following [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Amerindian]] attacks. In [[1664]], France finally succeeded at establishing a permanent settlement at Cayenne. Over the next decade the colony changed hands between the French, [[Netherlands|Dutch]] and [[Kingdom of England|English]], before being restored to France. It was used as a French penal settlement from [[1854]] to [[1938]].
The city's population has recently grown dramatically, owing to high levels of immigration (chiefly from the [[West Indies]] and [[Brazil]]) as well as a high birthrate.
== Economy ==
Cayenne is an important industrial centre for the [[shrimp]] industry. The city formerly also contained [[sugar refinery|sugar refineries]].
== Culture ==
Cayenne is very ethnically diverse, with Creole, [[Haiti]]an, [[Brazil]]ian, [[Europe]]an, and [[Hmong]] and other [[Asian people|Asian]] communities. It is famous for its annual [[carnival]] which starts with the arrival of ''Vaval'' (the Carnival King) on the first Sunday after [[New Year's Day]] and continues with very popular all-night costume balls and Sunday afternoon parades every weekend until [[Mardi Gras]].
==Points of interest==
Cayenne centres on its main commercial street, the Avenue Général de Gaulle. At the east end of the avenue near the coast is the Place de Palmistes and the Place de Grenoble (also known as the Place Léopold Héder). Most of the official buildings are located in this area: the Hôtel de Ville (the town hall) built by [[Jesuits]] in the 1890s, the Post Office, the Préfecture, residence of French Guiana's Préfect, and the Musée Départmental Franconie. To the west of this area lies Fort Cépérou, built in the 17th century, though now mostly in ruins. To the south lie the Place du Coq and Place Victor Schoelcher (named in honour of the anti-slavery activist) and a market.
To the south of this compact region is the Village Chinois (known as Chicago), separated from the rest of Cayenne by the Canal Laussat. It has a reputation for being a dangerous area.
Other buildings in the city include the [[Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur de Cayenne]], municipal library, the municipal museum and a museum of French Guianese Culture (Musée des Cultures Guyanaise) and a scientific research institute (IRD or Institut de recherche pour le développement, formerly Orstom).
There are some beaches along the coast, like [[Montjoly]] and [[Montabo]], and several [[promontory|promontories]], though the waters contain [[shark]]s.
== Travel ==
Cayenne is served by the [[Cayenne-Rochambeau Airport]], which is located in the neighbouring [[communes of France|commune]] of [[Matoury]].
There are many hotels in the city: Central Hotel, La Bodéga, Hôtel Ajoupa, Hôtel Amazonia, Hôtel les Amandiers, Hôtel Neptima, Hôtel Novotel and Ket-Tai.
== Administration ==
[[Image:PlaceSchoelcher1.JPG|right|300px]]
Cayenne is the chief town of six [[canton in France|cantons]]:
* The first canton (North West) has 3,935 inhabitants;
* The second canton (North East) has 5,730 inhabitants;
* The third canton (South West) has 8,017 inhabitants;
* The fourth canton (Centre) has 5,955 inhabitants;
* The fifth canton (South) has 9,750 inhabitants;
* The sixth canton (South East) has 17,207 inhabitants
==Cayenne in popular culture==
The French folk song ''Cayenne'' (named after the main city of French Guiana) tells the story of a [[pimp]] who shoots a well-to-do client who grossly disrespected a prostitute, and is then convicted and transferred to the infamous penitentiary. The song has been covered in recent years by rock/punk groups such as [[Parabellum (band)|Parabellum]].
In [[The Hardy Boys]] #12: [[Footprints under the Window]], The Hardys' investigations take them to Cayenne.
[[Porsche]] called its first SUV the [[Porsche Cayenne]].
== External links ==
{{commonscat|Cayenne}}
* [http://www.guyane.pref.gouv.fr/ Préfecture de Guyane] Official website
* [http://www.galenfrysinger.com/cayenne.htm Images of Cayenne and French Guiana]
* [http://973.online.fr/IMAGES/CAYENNE/page_01.htm Cayenne photo gallery]
* [http://www.guyane-guide.com/pages/carte_cay_tourisme.htm Clickable map]
{{Guyane communes}}
{{Préfectures of départements of France}}
{{South American capitals}}
[[Category:Capitals in South America]]
[[Category:Communes of Guyane]]
[[Category:Prefectures in France]]
[[Category:Port cities in South America]]
[[Category:Settlements established in 1664]]
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