French Guiana
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{{distinguish|Guyana|French Guinea}}
{{redirect|GUF}}
{{Infobox French region
| native_name = Région Guyane
| common_name = Guyane
| image_flag = GuyaneFlag.jpg
| image_flag_size = 130px
| image_logo = GuyaneLogo1.png
| image_logo_size = 100px
| flag = [[Flag of French Guiana|Region flag]]
| logo = [[Coat of arms of French Guiana|Region logo]]
| capital = [[Cayenne]]
| area = 83,534
| area_scale = 10
| Regional president = [[Antoine Karam]]<br>([[Guianese Socialist Party|PSG]]) (since 1992)
| population_rank = 26th
| population_census = 157,213
| population_census_year = 1999
| population_estimate = 209,000
| population_estimate_year = 2007
| population_density = 2.5
| population_density_year = 2007
| arrondissements = 2
| cantons = 19
| communes = 22
| departments = Guyane
| image_map = Location-Guyane-France.png
| image_map_size = 280px
| latitude = 3.842332
| longitude = -53.184814
| footnotes =
}}
'''French Guiana''' ([[French language|French]]: ''Guyane française'', officially ''Guyane'') is an [[overseas department]] (French: ''[[overseas department|département d'outre-mer]], or DOM'') of [[France]], located on the northern coast of [[South America]]. Like the other DOMs, French Guiana is also an [[overseas region]] of France, one of the 26 [[regions of France]]. It is an integral part of France, and its currency is the [[euro]].
==History==
{{main|History of French Guiana}}
French Guiana was originally inhabited by a number of indigenous American peoples. Settled by the French during the 17th century, it was the site of [[Penal colony|penal]] settlements from 1852 until 1951, which were known in the English-speaking world as [[Devil's Island]]. A border dispute with Brazil arose in the late nineteenth century over a vast area of jungle, leading to the short-lived pro-French independent state of [[Republic of Independent Guyana|Counani]] in the disputed territory and some fighting between settlers, before the dispute was resolved largely in favour of Brazil by the arbitration of the [[Switzerland|Swiss]] government. In 1946, French Guiana became an [[overseas department]] of France. The 1970s saw the settlement of [[Hmong people|Hmong]] refugees from [[Laos]]. A movement for increased autonomy from France gained momentum in the 1970s and 1980s. Protests by those calling for more autonomy have become increasingly vocal; demonstrations in 1996, 1997 and 2000 all ended in violence.
==Politics==
{{main|Politics of French Guiana}}
French Guiana, as part of France, is part of the [[European Union]], the largest part in an area outside [[Europe]], with one of the longest EU external boundaries. Along with the Spanish enclaves in Africa of [[Ceuta]] and [[Melilla]], it is one of only three [[Special member state territories and the European Union|European Union territories outside Europe]] that are not an island. Its [[head of state]] is the [[President of France|President of the French Republic]], who appoints a [[Prefect (France)|Prefect]] (resident at the [[Prefectures in France|Prefecture building]] in Cayenne) as his representative. There are two legislative bodies: the 19-member General Council and the 34-member Regional Council, both elected.
French Guiana sends two [[Member of Parliament|deputies]] to the [[National Assembly of France|French National Assembly]], one representing the [[Communes of France|commune]] (municipality) of [[Cayenne]] and the commune of [[Macouria]], and the other representing the rest of French Guiana. This latter constituency is the largest in the French Republic by land area. French Guiana also sends one senator to the [[Senate of France|French Senate]].
French Guiana has traditionally been conservative, though the socialist party has been increasingly successful in recent years. Though many would like to see more autonomy for the region, support for complete independence is very low.{{Fact|date=July 2007}}
A chronic issue affecting French Guiana is the influx of illegal immigrants and clandestine [[gold prospecting|gold prospectors]] from [[Brazil]] and [[Suriname]]. The border between the department and Suriname is formed by the [[Maroni River]], which flows through rain forest and is difficult for the [[Gendarmerie Nationale (France)|Gendarmerie]] and the [[French Foreign Legion]] to patrol. The border line with Suriname is disputed.
== Administrative divisions ==
French Guiana is divided into 2 [[Arrondissements of France|departmental arrondissements]], 19 [[cantons of France|cantons]] (not shown here), and 22 [[communes of France|communes]]:
[[Image:Guyane administrative.PNG|350px|right]]
<table>
<tr>
<th width="50%">[[Arrondissement of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni|Arrondissement of<br>Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni]]</th>
<th width="50%">[[Arrondissement of Cayenne|Arrondissement of<br>Cayenne]]</th>
</tr>
<td valign="top">
#[[Awala-Yalimapo]]
#[[Mana, French Guiana|Mana]]
#[[Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni]]
#[[Apatou]]
#[[Grand-Santi]]
#[[Papaïchton]]
#[[Saül]]
#[[Maripasoula]]
</td>
<td valign="top">
<ol start=9>
<li>[[Camopi]]
<li>[[Saint-Georges, French Guiana|Saint-Georges]]
<li>[[Ouanary]]
<li>[[Régina]]
<li>[[Roura]]
<li>[[Saint-Élie]]
<li>[[Iracoubo]]
<li>[[Sinnamary]]
<li>[[Kourou]]
<li>[[Macouria]]
<li>[[Montsinéry-Tonnegrande]]
<li>[[Matoury]]
<li>[[Cayenne]]
<li>[[Remire-Montjoly]]
</td>
</tr>
</table>
See also:
* [[Arrondissements of the Guyane department|Arrondissements of Guyane (French Guiana)]]
* [[Cantons of the Guyane department|Cantons of Guyane (French Guiana)]]
* [[Communes of the Guyane department|Communes of Guyane (Cities of French Guiana)]]
== Geography ==
[[Image:French Guiana CIA.gif|right|Map Of French Guiana]]
{{main article|Geography of French Guiana}}
Though sharing cultural affinities with the [[French language|French]]-speaking territories of the [[Caribbean]], French Guiana cannot be considered to be part of that geographic region, with the Caribbean Sea actually being located several hundred kilometres to the west, beyond the arc of the [[Lesser Antilles]].
French Guiana consists of two main geographical regions: a coastal strip where the majority of the people live, and dense, near-inaccessible [[rainforest]] which gradually rises to the modest peaks of the [[Tumac-Humac mountains]] along the Brazilian frontier. French Guiana's highest peak is [[Bellevue de l'Inini]] (851 m). Other mountains include [[Mont Machalou]] (782 m), [[Pic Coudreau]] (711 m) and [[Mont St Marcel]] (635 m), [[Mont Favard]] (200 m) and [[Montagne du Mahury]] (156 m). Several small islands are found off the coast, the three [[Iles du Salut]] Salvation Islands which includes [[Devil's Island]] and the isolated [[Iles du Connétable]] bird sanctuary further along the coast towards Brazil.
The [[Barrage de Petit-Saut]] hydroelectric dam in the north of French Guiana forms an artificial lake and provides [[hydroelectricity]]. There are many rivers in French Guiana.
== Economy ==
{{main|Economy of French Guiana}}
French Guiana is heavily dependent on [[France]] for subsidies, trade, and goods. The main industries are fishing (accounting for three-quarters of foreign exports), [[gold]] mining and [[timber]]. In addition, the [[Guiana Space Center]] at [[Kourou]] accounts for 25% of the GDP and employs about 1700 people. There is very little manufacturing, and agriculture is largely undeveloped. Tourism, especially [[ecotourism|eco-tourism]], is growing. Unemployment is a major problem, running at about 20% to 30%.
In 2006 the [[GDP per capita]] of French Guiana at market exchange rates, not at [[Purchasing power parity|PPP]], was 13,800 [[euro]]s (US$17,336),<ref>{{fr_icon}} {{cite web|url=http://prod-afd.afd.zeni.fr/jahia/webdav/site/cerom/users/admin_cerom/public/Pdf/CR2006_guy.pdf|title=Les comptes économiques de la Guyane en 2006 : premiers résultats|author=[[INSEE]]-CEROM|accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> which was 48% of [[Metropolitan France]]'s average GDP per capita that year.<ref>{{fr_icon}} {{cite web|url=http://www.insee.fr/fr/ffc/docs_ffc/PIB_reg.xls|title=Produits Intérieurs Bruts Régionaux en euros par habitant|author=[[INSEE]]|accessdate=2008-01-13}}</ref>
==Transport==
{{main|Transport in French Guiana}}
[[Image:PlaceSchoelcher1.JPG|thumb|right|300px|[[Cayenne]]]]
French Guiana's main international airport is [[Cayenne-Rochambeau Airport]], located in the [[communes of France|commune]] of [[Matoury]], a southern suburb of [[Cayenne]]. There is one flight a day to [[Paris]] ([[Orly Airport (Paris)|Orly Airport]]), and one flight a day arriving from Paris. The flight time from Cayenne to Paris is 8 hours and 25 minutes, and from Paris to Cayenne it is 9 hours and 10 minutes. There are also flights to [[Fort-de-France]], [[Pointe-à-Pitre]], [[Port-au-Prince]], [[Miami]], [[Macapá]], [[Belém]], and [[Fortaleza]].
French Guiana's main seaport is the port of [[Dégrad des Cannes]], located on the [[estuary]] of the [[Mahury River]], in the commune of [[Remire-Montjoly]], a south-eastern suburb of Cayenne. Almost all of French Guiana's imports and exports pass through the port of Dégrad des Cannes. Built in 1969, it replaced the old harbour of Cayenne which was congested and couldn't cope with modern traffic.
An [[Pavement (material)#Asphalt paving|asphalted]] road from [[Régina]] to [[Saint-Georges de l'Oyapock]] (a town by the [[Brazil]]ian border) was opened in 2004, completing the road from Cayenne to the Brazilian border. It is now possible to drive on a fully paved road from [[Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni]] on the [[Suriname]]se border to Saint-Georges de l'Oyapock on the Brazilian border. Following an international treaty between France and Brazil signed in July 2005, a bridge over the [[Oyapock River]] (marking the border with Brazil) is currently being built and is due to open in 2010. This bridge will be the first land crossing ever opened between France and Brazil, and indeed between French Guiana and the rest of the world (there exists no other bridge crossing the Oyapock River, and no bridge crossing the [[Maroni River]] marking the border with Suriname - there is a [[ferry]] crossing to [[Albina, Suriname]].). When the bridge is opened, it will be possible to drive uninterrupted from Cayenne to [[Macapá]], the capital of the state of [[Amapá]] in Brazil.
== Demographics ==
{{main|Demographics of French Guiana}}
French Guiana's population of 209,000 (January 2007 est.),<ref>{{fr icon}} {{cite web| url=http://www.insee.fr/fr/recensement/nouv_recens/resultats/resultats-regionaux.htm| title="Estimations de population régionale au 1er janvier 2007"| first=Government of France| last=[[INSEE]]| accessdate=2008-01-15}}</ref> most of whom live along the coast, is very ethnically diverse. At the 1999 census, 54.4% of the inhabitants of French Guiana were born in French Guiana, 11.8% were born in [[Metropolitan France]], 5.2% were born in the French [[Caribbean]] ''[[departments of France|départements]]'' ([[Guadeloupe]] and [[Martinique]]), and 28.6% were born in foreign countries (primarily [[Brazil]], [[Suriname]], and [[Haiti]]).<ref>{{fr icon}} {{cite web| url=http://www.recensement.insee.fr/FR/ST_ANA/D9C/MIGTABMIG1DOMMIG1DOMAD9CFR.html| title="Migrations (caractéristiques démographiques selon le lieu de naissance)"| first=Government of France| last=INSEE| accessdate=2007-05-04}}</ref>
Estimates of the percentages of French Guiana ethnic composition vary, a situation compounded by the large numbers of immigrants (about 20,000).
Guianese Creoles (people of primarily African heritage mixed with some French ancestry) are the largest ethnic group, though estimates vary as to the exact percentage, depending upon whether the large [[Haiti]]an community is included as well. Generally the Creole population is judged at about 60% to 70% of the total population with Haitians (comprising roughly one-third of Creoles) and 30% to 50% without. Roughly 14% are Europeans, the vast majority of whom are [[French people|French]].
The main Asian communities are the [[Hmong people|Hmong]] from [[Laos]] (1.5%) and [[Overseas Chinese|Chinese]] (3.2%, primarily from [[Hong Kong]] and [[Zhejiang|Zhejiang province]]). There are also smaller groups from various [[Caribbean]] islands, mainly [[Saint Lucia]]. The main groups living in the interior are the [[Maroon (people)|Maroons]] (also called Bush Negroes) and [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Amerindians]].
The [[Maroon (people)|Maroons]], descendants of escaped African slaves, live primarily along the [[Maroni River]]. The main Maroon groups are the [[Paramacca]], [[Aucan]] (both of whom also live in [[Suriname]]) and the [[Boni (people)|Boni]] (Aluku).
The main Amerindian groups (forming about 3%-4% of the population) are the [[Arawak]], [[Carib]], [[Emerillon]], [[Galibi]] (now called the [[Kaliña]]), [[Palikur|Palikour]], [[Wayampi]] and [[Wayana]].
The most practised religion in this region is [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholicism]]; the Maroons and some Amerindian peoples maintain their own religions. The Hmong people are also mainly Catholic owing to the influence of Catholic missionaries who helped bring them to French Guiana.<ref>{{cite book|title=South America |author= Danny Palmerlee|year= 2007|publisher=[[Lonely Planet]]|id=ISBN 174104443X|url= http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN174104443X&id=zeUwp50DR9EC&pg=PA746&lpg=PA746&dq=%22French+Guiana%22+date:2000-2007&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html&sig=Gmy65FICYCisCQwh8XgOF9h0rmo}}</ref>
The [[Bahá'í]] Religion is also present.
{| align="center" rules="all" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="border: 1px solid #999; border-right: 2px solid #999; border-bottom:2px solid #999; background: #f3fff3"
|+ style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0.5em"| Historical population
! 1790<br>estimate !! 1839<br>estimate !! 1857<br>estimate !! 1891<br>estimate !! 1946<br>census !! 1954<br>census !! 1961<br>census !! 1967<br>census !! 1974<br>census !! 1982<br>census !! 1990<br>census !! 1999<br>census !! 2007<br>estimate
|-
| align=center| 14,520 || align=center| 20,940 || align=center| 25,561 || align=center| 33,500 || align=center| 25,499 || align=center| 27,863|| align=center| 33,505 || align=center| 44,392 || align=center| 55,125 || align=center| 73,022 || align=center| 114,678 || align=center| 157,213 || align=center| 209,000
|-
| colspan=13 align=center| <small>Official figures from past censuses and [[INSEE]] estimates.
|}
== Notable natives and residents ==
* [[Florent Malouda]], French international football player who plays for [[Chelsea Football Club]]
* [[Henri Charrière]], an escaped French convict, imprisoned in and around French Guiana from 1933 to 1945.
* [[Christiane Taubira]], Politician of Parti Radical de Gauche (France)
* [[Malia Metella]], French swimmer, SC European Championships 2004: 1st 100m free.
* [[Bernard Lama]], former French international [[Football (soccer)|football]] player.
* [[Cyrille Regis]], former [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] and [[England]] player.
* [[Léon Damas]], Francophone poet widely notated for his influence on the literary movement known as la [[négritude]]
* [[Henri Salvador]], famous singer, one of the inspiration sources for the [[Bossa nova]] movement.
* [[Jean-Claude Darcheville]], [[football (soccer)|football]] [[striker]] who joined [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]] from [[FC Girondins de Bordeaux]] in the summer of 2007.
* [[Marc-Antoine Fortuné]], football striker who joined [[AS Nancy]] in the winter of 2006
== Bibliography ==
* ''France's Overseas Frontier : Départements et territoires d'outre-mer'' Robert Aldrich and John Connell. Cambridge University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-521-03036-6
* ''Dry guillotine: Fifteen years among the living dead'' René Belbenoit, 1938, Reprint: Berkley (1975). ISBN 0-425-02950-6
* ''Hell on Trial'' René Belbenoit, 1940, Translated from the Original French Manuscript by Preston Rambo. E. P Dutton & Co. Reprint by Blue Ribbon Books, New York, 194 p. Reprint: Bantam Books, 1971
*''Papillon'' [[Henri Charrière]] Reprints: Hart-Davis Macgibbon Ltd. 1970. ISBN 0-246-63987-3 (hbk); Perennial, 2001. ISBN 0-06-093479-4 (sbk)
* ''Space in the Tropics: From Convicts to Rockets in French Guiana'' Peter Redfield. ISBN 0-520-21985-6
== See also ==
*[[Flag of French Guiana]]
*[[Dry Guillotine]]
*[[Guiana Space Centre]]
*[[Guiana Shield]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
{{commons|Category:French Guiana|French Guiana}}
;General information
*[http://www.cr-guyane.fr/ Conseil régional de Guyane] Official website {{fr icon}}
*[http://www.guyane.pref.gouv.fr/ Préfecture de Guyane] Official website {{fr icon}}
*[http://www.geocities.com/kouroufrenchguiana/index.html Gabe's French Guiana] with information and many photos
*{{dmoz|Regional/South_America/French_Guiana/}}
*[http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1117.html US Consular Information Sheet]
;Other
*[http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=French+Guiana Ethnologue French Guiana page]
*[http://kourou.cirad.fr/ Silvolab Guyanae - scientific interest group in French Guiana]
*[http://www.luxner.com/cgi-bin/view_article.cgi?articleID=661 Article on separatism in French Guiana]
*[http://gosouthamerica.about.com/cs/frenchguiana/ About.com French Guiana travel site]
*[http://rainforests.mongabay.com/20frenchg.htm Status of Forests in French Guiana]
*[http://r.douzal.free.fr/FM-Guyana-01.htm French Guiana photo gallery]
*[http://www.horizo.com/guyane/guyane_photos.htm French Guiana image gallery]
*[http://www.galenfrysinger.com/cayenne.htm Photo gallery]
*[http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/travel/dg/maps/7a/750x750_frenchguiana_m.gif Map of French Guiana]
*[http://www.infos-guyane.com/documents/english/ Officials reports, thesis, scientific papers about French Guiana (en|fr)]
*[http://www.cayenne.ird.fr/aublet2/aublet2_uk.php3 The IRD's database AUBLET2 stores information about botanical specimens collected in the Guianas, mainly in French Guiana]
<!--Templates-->
{{French overseas departments and territories}}
{{Regions of France|state=autocollapse}}
{{La Francophonie}}
{{Countries of South America}}
{{Outlying territories of European countries}}
{{French overseas empire}}
[[Category:French Guiana| ]]
[[Category:Outermost regions of the European Union]]
[[Category:Divided regions|Guiana, French]]
[[af:Frans-Guyana]]
[[ar:جويانا الفرنسية]]
[[an:Guayana Franzesa]]
[[frp:Guyana francêsa]]
[[ast:Guayana Francesa]]
[[az:Fransa Qvianası]]
[[zh-min-nan:Guyane]]
[[be-x-old:Француская Ґвіяна]]
[[bs:Francuska Gvajana]]
[[br:Gwiana c'hall]]
[[bg:Френска Гвиана]]
[[ca:Guaiana Francesa]]
[[ceb:Guyane]]
[[cs:Francouzská Guyana]]
[[cy:Guyane]]
[[da:Fransk Guyana]]
[[de:Französisch-Guayana]]
[[dv:ފަރަންސޭސި ގީނާ]]
[[dsb:Francojska Guyana]]
[[et:Prantsuse Guajaana]]
[[el:Γαλλική Γουιάνα]]
[[es:Guayana Francesa]]
[[eo:Franca Gvajanio]]
[[eu:Frantziar Guyana]]
[[fr:Guyane]]
[[ga:Guáin na Fraince]]
[[gd:Guiana Fhrangach]]
[[gl:Güiana Francesa - Guyane française]]
[[ko:프랑스령 기아나]]
[[hr:Francuska Gvajana]]
[[bpy:ফ্যাঞ্চ গায়ানা]]
[[id:Guyana Perancis]]
[[is:Franska Gvæjana]]
[[it:Guyana Francese]]
[[he:גיאנה הצרפתית]]
[[jv:Guyana Prancis]]
[[kw:Gwayana Frynkek]]
[[sw:Guyana ya Kifaransa]]
[[ht:Giyàn franse]]
[[ku:Guayanaya Fransî]]
[[la:Guiana Francica]]
[[lv:Franču Gviāna]]
[[lb:Guyane]]
[[lt:Prancūzijos Gviana]]
[[lij:Guayana Françèise]]
[[hu:Francia Guyana]]
[[mk:Француска Гвајана]]
[[ms:Guiana Perancis]]
[[nl:Frans-Guyana]]
[[ja:フランス領ギアナ]]
[[no:Fransk Guyana]]
[[nn:Fransk Guyana]]
[[nov:Fransi Giyana]]
[[oc:Guaiana]]
[[pms:Gujan-a Fransèisa]]
[[nds:Franzöösch-Guayana]]
[[pl:Gujana Francuska]]
[[pt:Guiana Francesa]]
[[ro:Guiana Franceză]]
[[ru:Французская Гвиана]]
[[se:Frankriikka Guayana]]
[[sq:Guiana Franceze]]
[[simple:French Guiana]]
[[sk:Francúzska Guyana]]
[[sl:Francoska Gvajana]]
[[sr:Француска Гвајана]]
[[sh:Francuska Gvajana]]
[[fi:Ranskan Guayana]]
[[sv:Franska Guyana]]
[[ta:பிரெஞ்சு கயானா]]
[[th:เฟรนช์เกียนา]]
[[vi:Guyane thuộc Pháp]]
[[tr:Fransız Guyanası]]
[[uk:Французька Гвіана]]
[[vec:Guyana franzséxe]]
[[wo:Guyaana gu Faraas]]
[[bat-smg:Prancūzėjės Gviana]]
[[zh:法屬圭亞那]]