French Guiana is a province of France in South America. It is called in its entirety in the old fashioned way, because Dutch and English Guiana were once nearby, which eventually became independent states. The French one remained. It was discovered by the Spaniards, well, they made a lot of discoveries in those days. It was open, but didn’t interest me at first. There were enough places more interesting and populated.

The French settled in Guiana and started plantations, but the local Indians categorically did not want to work for them. And if they were forced, they died completely in the absence of freedom, leading the planters to bewilderment. In addition, the relatives of the Indians were offended and came to shoot with poisonous arrows at night, which could not but have a negative impact on the health of the landowners. However, the French found a way out and began to import blacks, as this did not displease their freedom-loving nature. Then they simply declared blacks to be non-humans, and only then could they exploit them with a clear conscience.

However, it was not really possible to raise the economy with their help - slavery was abolished and it was necessary to encourage the arrival of workers who had to be paid. But they went to these places reluctantly. Nevertheless, when gold was found in French Guiana, those who wanted it were found, and they were found. They literally poured out. During the gold rush, about 40 thousand miners died here, which was a lot at that time. Yes, and in modern times this is a lot. For the entire area of ​​91 thousand square kilometers, only 220 thousand people live in Guiana.
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Since French Guiana is located near the equator, it is convenient to launch space rockets here, so a cosmodrome is equipped here. You can get to this province by plane; by ordering air tickets online you can start in Paris. Flights to the capital are daily. The flight takes only about 8 hours. Visas are required for Russians.

Cayenne is the capital of French Guiana, which is an overseas department of France. About fifty thousand residents live here.

The year of foundation is considered to be 1664. Cayenne is a famous export destination for cayenne pepper.

From the 18th to the 20th centuries it served as a place of political exile.

It was believed that here the exile had the least chance of survival due to the tropical climate and various diseases.

But today this place is very popular among a large number of tourists from almost all over the world.

Geography

The city is located on the banks of the Cayenne River, as well as directly on the Atlantic coast. The distance from Paris to Cayenne is 7,100 km.

The city is the main port of the country of Guiana, playing an important role in international trade with South and North America, as well as Europe. The area of ​​the capital Collery is industrial.

It houses all the most important processing and manufacturing enterprises in key sectors of the country's economy.
For example, here is produced:

  • leather and wood are processed,
  • shrimp production and fishing are developed, etc.

In the central areas of the capital there are a large number of service enterprises, a couple of markets, cafes, shops, hotels, restaurants.

Also located here are the offices of large banking institutions and international companies, for example, Air France, BNP Paribas bank.

Other important objects are concentrated in Cayenne, including the Regional Assembly of French Guiana, the Prefecture of French Guiana, and the Regional Council of French Guiana.

The President also lives and works in the capital.

Six cantons include Cayenne. The agglomeration is divided into several districts, including the City Center, Northern Suburbs, Southern Suburbs, Northern Periphery, Southwestern Quarters, and Southern Periphery.

The municipal council and the mayor govern the capital, and the councilor general is the first person in the cantons.

Cayenne has a tropical monsoon climate. It is characterized by very insignificant temperature changes throughout the year.

The average temperature is plus 26 degrees.

In the city, the dry season lasts very short - only a couple of months (September and October), and The rainy season is very long.

Cayenne has an international airport. Felix Eboue, which serves the capital. It is located 13 km southwest of it.

There are regular flights to:

  • the French capital,
  • Belen,
  • Pointe-à-Pitre,
  • Fort-de-France,
  • Santo Domingo,

as well as some other cities.

Attractions

Cayenne has quite a lot of attractions.

Hates Beach

For example, Hates Beach is a very beautiful place located on the Marconi River.

This area is home to giant leatherback turtles, which are on the endangered species list.

Their population has been rapidly declining recently.

Tourists from almost all over the world come to Hates Beach to see the incredible turtles in person, take pictures with them and simply enjoy the beauty of the area, swim in clean river water, and relax on clean beaches.

If you're lucky, you'll even be able to swim with turtles.

Gabriel Bay

Gabriel Bay is located near the city of Cayenne, about half an hour's walk.

The bay is located in a very picturesque place. It is part of the Gabriel River.

There are many tropical plants growing there, which formed a green labyrinth displayed on the mirror surface of the water.

It is unlikely that you will find a more suitable place for family walks than this bay.

There you can find the remains of old plantations, look at a large variety of bright butterflies, fluttering literally over the heads of tourists and thus putting on a real show.

Regional air monitoring center in Cayenne

The regional air monitoring center in Cayenne is something special.

There are various stations for monitoring air quality, Many presentations and seminars are organized that are devoted to environmental issues.

This place attracts many tourists because here you can find out a lot of useful and interesting information.

Forgasier Falls are incredibly beautiful cascading waterfalls located near the capital.


They represent mountain streams rushing over rocks.

This place is ideal for relaxation and picnics. You can get there by boat on the Orape River.

Tourists have the opportunity to spend the night in the jungle, for example, in a tent or hut.

Very beautiful scenery attracts many tourists.

Guiana Amazon National Park

The Guiana Amazon National Park is the largest national park in French Guiana.

You can get there by water or air transport.

The park territory is located in the tropical forest zone. There are about 5,800 different plant species there.

The park's fauna is also diverse.

It includes about 180 species of mammals, 480 species of freshwater fish, 300 species of amphibians and reptiles, and about 720 species of birds.

Tourists definitely have something to see in this place.

Departmental Franconi Museum

The Departmental Franconi Museum is a local history museum. There are a large number of interesting exhibits collected there.

It is located in the historical center of Cayenne, in the Franconi building. The house is of great value. The museum was opened in 1901.

It has several halls that are dedicated to ethnology, local history, natural history, fine arts, and archaeology.

Each room recreates the unique atmosphere of a particular historical era in Guiana.

The museum is definitely worth a visit if you happen to visit Cayenne.

Place de Grenoble

Place de Grenoble is located in the central part of Cayenne, where the city's main attractions are located.

It is from this square that an excellent view of the city hall opens, and Not far from this place there is a museum of Guiana culture and a botanical garden.

Also from here you can easily get to Plaza de Palmistes, located next door, with many cozy cafes and restaurants.

The beautiful landscapes of the city are unlikely to leave anyone indifferent.

Fort Seperu

Fort Seperu is the ancient ruins of an old defensive complex that operated in the city back in the 17th century.

The fortress was named after the Indian leader. It was designed by the famous architect Vauban.

Seperu Fort is located in the northern part of the capital.

It is one of the most picturesque places in the city because from there you can enjoy an unforgettable view of the vast expanses of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the entire city.

Thanks to its large number of interesting attractions, the city of Cayenne is of particular value to tourists.

It is for this reason that many people come here on vacation, which, by the way, can be quite varied.

You can simply relax on the local beaches, or you can enjoy the beautiful nature and visit historical places and nature reserves.


On the shores of the Atlantic Ocean there are several sandy beaches, for example Montjoly and Montabeau.

You can sunbathe on them, splash in the ocean and have a great time.

In general, tourism here is not yet very well developed, but nevertheless it’s worth coming here.

And it is better to do this during the dry season, when there is no rain.

There are not many hotels here, but finding a place to stay overnight is quite possible.
Entertainment:

    • On the ocean shores you can go surfing, windsurfing, as well as swimming.
    • The local rivers offer good conditions for rafting and canoeing.
    • There are several excellent hiking routes.
    • River and sea fishing are another interesting type of recreation. You can hunt predators, such as sharks.
  • Sport fishing for tarpon is also well developed.

Thus, we can say that Cayenne is more suitable for outdoor activities.

Video tour of French Guiana

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Guiana(more often “French Guiana” - French Guyane Française) is an overseas department of France, located in the northeast of the South American continent, almost at the equator. The department borders on the west (border length 510 km), on the south and east – on (675 km), in the northern and north-eastern 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), Dutch (now Suriname), Portuguese (now the northern region of Brazil) and, in fact, French.

The territory area 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 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).

Local legislative bodies - the General Council, consisting of 19 members, and the Regional Council, consisting of 34 members - are elected by the population. 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: The officially recognized language is French. 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 practice Hinduism, voodoo and their traditional religious cults.

Pages of history

Archaeological data prove that people settled between the Oipomaka and Maroni rivers back in the 5th century. BC. When these lands were first discovered by the Spaniards in 1499 (during the 3rd expedition), the Arawaks, Caribs and Palikur tribes lived here, in whose languages ​​the area was called “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 countless small rivers and streams. The Spaniards, however, were not particularly interested in the area. In 1604, the first French colonists settled here along the river banks and began growing coffee and sugar cane. The French transformed the unpronounceable name into Guyanne. In the XVII-XVIII centuries. The British and Dutch repeatedly tried to take possession of these territories. In 1817, French power was finally established over Guiana.

From the end of the 17th century, the French began to develop plantation farming in the country. However, work on the plantations required a lot of labor, and the Indians refused to bend their backs to the Europeans. Therefore, the French began to import black slaves from the African continent.

Mid-19th century for French Guiana was marked by 3 important events: the abolition of slavery (1848), the location of a place of exile on the territory of the department (1852) and the discovery of gold deposits (1855).

The abolition of slavery brought the plantation economy to the brink of collapse due to a severe labor shortage, forcing the French government to encourage immigration. From the middle of the 19th century. and in the first decades of the 20th century. The colony's population grew rapidly, largely 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 the influx of another wave of settlers into French Guiana: at the height of the “gold rush”, up to 40 thousand gold miners worked in the local jungle. Many miners died from tropical diseases, snake bites, attacks by wild animals and other dangers.

At the same time as the gold rush, territorial disputes between France and the Netherlands (Franco-Dutch) and Brazil (Franco-Brazilian) broke out. For some time, in the disputed territories, in an atmosphere of anarchy and anarchy, the self-proclaimed Kunani Republic (French Republique de la Guyane independante) existed.

According to a government decree, since 1852 the department was turned into a place of exile for “political” prisoners disliked by the French authorities. The first exiles were participants in the French Revolution of 1848, and in total from 1852 to 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 internal regions were separated from French Guiana into the colony of Inini (French Territoire de l’Inini) with its capital - the village of Saint-Elie (French Saint-Elie).

On March 19, 1946, freed from its status as 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 -. To guard the strategic site, the 3rd Infantry Regiment of the Foreign Legion was stationed there.

French Foreign Legion

The famous French Foreign Legion was created on March 9, 1831 by order of the French king Louis-Philippe I (French Louis-Philippe; 1773 - 1850). The detachment was formed from the remnants of 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 expel from the country the fighters who pose a danger to the political stability of the state.

Any nationality can join the French Foreign Legion, but these days the Legion is predominantly French.

After 3 years of continuous service, a legionnaire can obtain French citizenship. Previously, mercenaries took a pseudonym when entering the service, now they enter with a new surname. It is believed that with a change of name a person gains a second life - this rite is reminiscent of tonsure as a monk. After a year, the legionnaire can return to his previous surname.

In the past, the Legion had a poor reputation - it was believed that criminals served there. Today, those wishing to join the Legion are subjected to rigorous testing, both physical and social. Legionnaires receive a salary for their service.

After 5 years of service, a legionnaire receives 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 and he is in command rank.

The legionnaire's code of honor contains articles similar to the samurai's code of honor. As the legionnaires say, “you will not 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 reports only to the President of France.

Geographical and natural features

The entire territory of the department can be divided into 2 parts - forested areas and the coastal strip. The low-lying and marshy 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 Bellevue de l'Inini peak, whose height is about 851 m. The country's territory is crossed by many rapids rivers, the largest of which are the Maroni (French Maroni; 625 km) and Oyapock (French: 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, Sinnamary, as well as the Barrage de Petit-Saut reservoir.

Reservoir Barrage de Petit South

Forests occupy almost 90% of the country's territory. It is dominated by tropical rainforests, where valuable tree species such as mahogany (red), rose, teak, nutmeg, and mora grow, among others. There are also areas of deciduous forests. The coastal lowlands are dominated by tall grass savannas, while mangrove forests stretch along the Atlantic coast. Cultivated areas account for slightly more than 1% of the country's territory.

Pristine, inaccessible equatorial forests, wetlands and low plateaus provide ideal conditions for many species of animals, birds and reptiles. Among the local inhabitants, we should highlight large sea turtles, which, near the town of Mana (French Mana, 240 km from the capital Cayenne), have chosen places to lay eggs. In addition to many species of fish (including piranha), caimans are found in local rivers, toucans and flamingos find refuge in the Kau swamps, and monkeys, jaguars, tapirs and ocelots live in the unique mountain reserve “Animaliere Macurinn”.

Climate

Due to its geographical location, the climate in the country is tropical, hot and humid, with slightly varying temperatures, from +25°C to +28°C; in summer the air warms up to +35°C ... + 37°C. The rainy season with heavy rainfall occurs from January to mid-June.

Humidity in the region is extremely high all year round, even in the dry season (July to December) it reaches 100%. On the ocean coast of the country, the humidity is not as oppressive as in its interior regions, but it is also difficult for Europeans to tolerate.

There are no earthquakes here, hurricanes bypass the small country, but the local climate is unfavorable for human health, and there is a risk of contracting tropical diseases such as malaria and yellow fever.

The most favorable period to visit 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 interior regions, occupied by the equatorial jungle, are practically deserted.

The country's population consists of various nationalities, more than half of which are blacks and creoles (migrants from Haiti). About 12% are Europeans (mainly French and Portuguese), 15% are Brazilians and descendants of people from Asian countries (mainly India, China, Vietnam, Laos and Lebanon), only 3% are indigenous Indians.

The rapid population growth (almost doubling in 20 years) is explained by large immigration, mainly from Brazil and Haiti. The average life expectancy of the population is 76.5 years (80 women, 73 men). The literate population (from 15 years old) is 83%.

French Guiana: Education

In Cayenne, part of the University of the Antilles and Guiana is located, founded in 1982, uniting educational institutions located in the Overseas Department of France - in Guiana, Guadeloupe and Martinique.

Transport

The main international airport in French Guiana 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. From here there are two flights a day to Paris alone. There are also flights to Port-au-Prince (Haiti), Fort-de-France (West Indies), Miami (USA), (Brazil), etc.

Water transport is quite popular; many boats and boats await tourists at the piers every day, on which they can travel along the coastline. Degrad-des-Cannes is the main seaport, located at the mouth of the Mahury River in the south-eastern 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) runs from Cayenne to Saint-Georges-de-l'Oyapock, a town on the border with Brazil. The road is in excellent condition. The length of railway tracks is insignificant; they do not have a noticeable significance in the transport system. Cayenne is connected to all major cities by air.

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. Having an international driver's license, you can simply rent a car in cities.

Following an agreement signed between France and Brazil in July 2005, a bridge opened across the Oyapock River, which is the border with Brazil, at the end of 2013, which actually became the first link connecting the two countries.

Natural resources and economics

The republic's subsoil is rich in reserves of oil, bauxite, gold, tantalum, and niobium. Today, only bauxite and small quantities of gold and tantalum are mined (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 region (French Kourou) - a commune in Guiana, 60 km from Cayenne.

In the forests that cover more than 90% of the state's territory, many valuable trees grow, including red, rose, muscat, teak, mora, etc. It is clear that with such natural wealth, the state's economy is based on the export of wood. Expensive rosewood (also called “tulipwood”, 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 agriculture, so the department's main import item is food.

Sugar cane is grown on plantation farms, almost all of which is used to produce rum. Among the agricultural crops in the region, rice, citrus fruits, bananas, and cassava are cultivated. Livestock farming is very poorly developed here.

There is active fishing and shrimping off the Atlantic coast.

The main exported goods are timber, gold, bananas, cocoa, shrimp and rum.

Attractions

The main attractions of French Guiana include, first of all, the main city of the department - Cayenne, which is based on ancient buildings of the 18th century: the Town Hall, the Prefecture, a post office, several squares, museums of Guianan culture and ethnography, Fort Seperu, 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 Transportación).
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 waterfall valley you can spend the night in the jungle - in tents or huts.

In a not-so-developed country, against the backdrop of pristine nature, the most visited local attraction by tourists, 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 Cosmodrome

The village of Cacao (French Cacao) is a cozy place in Guiana, one of the important tourist centers of the department. The majority of the village's population are members of the Hmong ethnic group, who fled Laos in the 70s. XX century. On weekends, Cocoa hosts a traditional handicraft market. Here you can ride on the Comte River in boats or canoes and book an excursion to the surrounding jungle.

The notorious islands of Ile du Salut (French: Î les du Salut; “Islands of Salvation”), which includes 3 small islands (Ile Royal, Saint Joseph and Ile du Diable), which until 2000 housed prison colony. The islands housed administrative and prison buildings, as well as solitary confinement buildings. The unbearably hot climate and the surrounding shark-infested waters made staying here intolerable and escaping unthinkable. Over the 100 years of the colony’s existence, several tens of thousands of prisoners visited here, only a few of whom survived. The corpses of prisoners were dumped directly into the sea. The islands are now open to tourists; the house belonging to the head of the camp now houses a historical exhibition. The camp warden's house, church, hospital, punishment cell, guards' village, built by the hands of prisoners, are today included in the list of historical monuments of France.

On the island of 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 Manapany with a swimming pool created by nature in basalt rocks. Swimming enthusiasts love to relax on the Langevin River (French Riviere Langevin), and in the village of Vincendo there is a unique black sand beach that forms during the cyclone season.
The cascade Jacqueline Falls (French: Cascade Jacqueline), whose waters flow into the sea, also attracts tourists.

There are not many nature reserves in the country; the most popular are Murages, Tresor and Amana, as well as the Animaliere-Makurinn mountain reserve. It is better to go to admire the beauty of the local nature accompanied by a guide who can warn you against dangerous animals and poisonous plants.

Guyana's second largest nature reserve, Murages, is located 60 km. from Cayenne, in the northeast of the continent, is home to many species of animals and birds, including rare ones - more than 50% of all protected species in 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.

Tresor Nature Reserve (French la Reserve Naturelle de Tresor) is a wonderful corner of nature, which is located in the northeast, about 20 km. from the city of Ruhr (French Roura). It was created in 1995 on an area of ​​2.5 thousand hectares. Here you can see wild tropical forests, swamps and tropical savannas, 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 Nature Reserve of Oman (French: La Reserve Naturelle de l’Oman) is a unique place on the coast of the French department, between the Organabo and Maroni rivers. The reserve contains mangroves, salt lagoons, freshwater marshes and dry savannas, providing an ideal habitat for many rare species of plants and animals: about 290 species of birds and 92 species of reptiles live here. The reserve's beaches are the largest nesting sites for several unique species of sea turtles.

The Animaliere-Makurinn mountain reserve (8 km south of Cayenne) was created quite recently, at the end of 2006, in order to preserve unique mangrove forests, grassy savannas, swamps, as well as their inhabitants.

The closest beach from Cayenne is the beach in the village of Remire-Montjoly (French: Remire-Montjoly), 10 km. southeast of Cayenne, it is considered the most beautiful sandy beach in the department. Local residents and tourists relax here with great pleasure. It is very interesting to visit the “charapasha” beach, the ruins of the ancient fort Diamant (French: La Scalata al Diamante) or the old colonial sugar factory, which are located near the beach.

Holidays

The Guianese are very fond of holidays, especially popular among the people is such a widely celebrated event as the Mardi Gras festival (French Festival de Mardi Gras - an analogue of the Slavic Maslenitsa) - a costumed national festivities dedicated to seeing off winter and welcoming spring. This traditional European holiday is always accompanied by colorful processions, fiery dances, sweets distributed everywhere and the inevitable colored beads. Green, purple and gold are traditionally considered to be carnival colors; dresses, hats, faces, hair, nails and basically anything else are painted in a similar tricolor!

Mardi Gras always elects its own king and queen. Special dolls are made for the festival and 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 ride each other through the streets), more colored beads, and, most importantly, a special king cake with three-color icing and a 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 50 km shorter.
  • Although the official name of the department is “Guiana” (without “French”), local residents usually say: “Here in France...”
  • In a country where the government and police are French, the license plates on cars are French, the currency is the euro, and the vast majority of residents are black.
  • In a country where residents speak many dialects, they give their children French names.
  • There are no traces of beaches with idly sunbathing vacationers in coastal Guiana. The fact is that along the entire Atlantic coast of the country the water is thick brown due to the predominance of bauxite-clayey soils here. The picture is completed by rivers, carrying clay and silt into the coastal waters.
  • Locals say: “The closest blue water and clean beaches are in Trinidad and Tobago.”
  • But the air temperature here stays from +25°C to +30°C all year round. However, the humidity is also high - up to 100%! Washed clothes take 2 days to dry and never dry out!
  • The concept of "rainy season" in Guiana does not mean that it rains constantly! Most often it happens like this: a tropical downpour will sweep through and then the sun will return. True, on some days the showers begin to become frequent - it waters for 5 minutes every half hour.
  • French Guiana is the most expensive South American country. Prices here are the same as in France, if not higher. This is despite the fact that the quality (in particular, services) is significantly lower.
  • The population is friendly, smiling and non-conflicting. But still, it is categorically not recommended to leave your car unattended in the city.
  • The southern character of the Guyanese is manifested not only in their talkativeness and friendliness, but also in the colorfulness of their clothing, the brightness of their jewelry; local residents even paint their houses in bright blue or yellow colors.
  • What’s great here are the roads, practically everywhere. You understand this especially well only after entering 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 Guianese “works,” he does everything very slowly.
  • Expecting efficiency, agility and the desire to do something quickly from a local resident is a complete utopia.
  • Usually only extreme sports enthusiasts and ardent wildlife lovers go on excursions into the jungle - they have to sleep there in hammocks suspended from trees.
  • When a Guianian learns that a tourist is from Russia, he immediately begins to nod his head in understanding and say: “Union.” The fact is that the Russians have been building a launch pad for Soyuz in Kourou for many years and, apparently, will continue to build for a long time. Maybe Guiana 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, for Suriname it can be obtained in Cayenne 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 border Maroni River and drop you off anywhere. By the way, the police turn a blind eye to this.
  • Trees really like the humid equatorial climate, which is why most of Guiana's territory is occupied by lush forests. However, it is difficult for a person to exist here; it is not for nothing that this colony of France was previously called the “dry guillotine”, since from August to December there is a debilitating drought, which is then replaced by heavy rains. Such conditions are very favorable for the growth of bacteria, which is why severe fevers claimed many lives in colonial times.
  • Frankly, Cayenne is a big village. There is nothing special to do there, even in the souvenir shops there is nothing interesting - you can only buy refrigerator magnets.
  • In 1969, A. Charrière’s autobiographical novel “The Moth” (French Papillon) was published in France, which immediately became a bestseller (its circulation reached 1.5 million copies). The author, convicted of murder, spent 11 years in the local colony, the last 2 years of which were 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 “The Moth” was filmed in Hollywood, with S. McQueen playing the main role in the film.
  • K. M. 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 richest species of flora and fauna of French Germany.
  • The main souvenirs that tourists buy here are hand-woven baskets and wonderful hammocks.
  • Who should definitely visit Guiana are zoologists, ornithologists, entomologists and other “botanists”, because the living creatures here are visible and invisible!
  • In general, as experienced travelers say, French Guiana is the most “un-French” of all things French.

French Guiana or Guiana- the largest overseas region of France, located in the northeast of South America. It borders on the west with Suriname (border length 510 km), on the south and east with Brazil (673 km), and on the north and northeast by the Atlantic Ocean. The administrative center is the city of Cayenne. Area 86,504 km².

The official name is simply Guiana, the clarification “French” dates back to the time when there were three colonies called Guiana: British (now Guyana), Dutch (now Suriname) and French.

The coastline of Guiana is 378 km. The coast is low-lying and marshy, stretches in a strip approximately 20 km wide along the entire coast of the Atlantic Ocean, occupying about 6% of the territory. The rest of Guiana is a wooded plateau, with heights reaching 850 m. The highest point of the country: Bellevue de l'Inini - 851 m.

Climate in French Guiana

Climate in French Guiana- tropical, humid and hot, with almost constant temperatures, from +25 to +28°C. Precipitation falls about 2500-4000 mm per year, mainly from January to May-June.

Air humidity is extremely high all year round, even during the dry period from July-August to December it can reach 100%. On the Atlantic coast of Guiana, the humidity is not as oppressive as in the interior regions, but is still quite difficult for a European to bear.

The most optimal period to visit is from July-August to December.

Last changes: 04/28/2013

Population

The population of French Guiana is 209,000 people (2007). More than half of the population are mulattoes (Creoles). They are followed in number by whites (about 12% - mostly French), then Indians, Chinese, blacks and Indians.

The population is concentrated in a narrow coastal strip; the interior areas are almost deserted.

About 48% of the country's population are Catholics, 15% are Protestants, 1.3% are Jews and 4.5% are Muslims. Indians practice their own religious cults.

Official language: French, several varieties of Creole are widely used in oral communication.Official language: French, several varieties of Creole are widely used in oral communication.

Last changes: 04/28/2013

Currency

Monetary unit of French Guiana- euro (€ or EUR), 1 euro is 100 cents. There are banknotes in circulation in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, as well as coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents.

Banks are open from Monday to Friday, from 7.30 to 12.00 and from 14.30 to 17.30. Saturday, Sunday and holidays are usually non-working days. Currency exchange offices are open daily, except Saturdays, from 9.00 to 18.00.

You can exchange currency at banks and exchange offices, but in many of them the US dollar exchange rate is noticeably lower than the official one, so it is better to bring euros with you. It is not recommended to change currency on the street (there is a high risk of fraud), as well as in hotels, where the rate is usually much lower than in exchange offices or banks.

Credit cards are accepted in most restaurants, almost all hotels and many shops. ATMs are widespread.

Travel checks can be cashed in Cayenne and Kourou, where they are accepted in most hotels and large shops. In other cities their use is somewhat difficult. To avoid additional costs due to exchange rate fluctuations, it is recommended to take checks in euros with you.

Last changes: 04/28/2013

Communications

Calling code: 594

Internet domain: .gf

Telephone city codes

No area codes are used, all numbers are six-digit.

How to call

To call from Russia to French Guiana, you need to dial: 8 - dial tone - 10 - 594 - subscriber number.

To call from French Guiana to Russia, you need to dial: 00 - 7 - area code - subscriber number.

Landline communications

Payphones operate using telephone cards, which are sold at post offices, newspaper shops and tobacco kiosks. Many telephones in the capital and Kourou accept credit cards for international calls.

mobile connection

Cellular communication standard GSM 900/1800. The local operator is Digicel (digicel.fr).

Last changes: 04/10/2017

Shopping

Shops are usually open from Monday to Saturday, from 08.00 to 13.00 and from 16.00 to 18.30, on Sundays from 09.00 to 12.30. On Wednesdays and Fridays, many stores have reduced opening hours, and during Carnival and other national holidays, almost all stores are closed.

The most popular souvenirs are local rum and wood crafts.

Last changes: 04/28/2013

History of French Guiana

Guiana was discovered by the Spaniards in 1499, but did not attract their interest. In 1604, the first French colonists settled in Guiana. In the 17th-18th centuries, the Dutch and the British repeatedly tried to take possession of this territory. French power over Guiana was finally established in 1817.

Since the end of the 17th century, the French have been developing plantation farming in Guiana. Since the Indians refused to work on the plantations, the French began to import black slaves from Africa.

The mid-19th century was marked by three important events for French Guiana: 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 an acute labor shortage 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 the plantations.

The discovery of gold deposits in French Guiana attracted thousands of people there. At the height of the gold rush, up to 40 thousand miners worked in the jungles of French Guiana, most of whom died from disease, snakes, wild animals and other difficulties.

By government decree, in 1852, French Guiana became a place of exile for “undesirable 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 World War II, French Guiana ceased to be a place of exile.

In 1964, Guiana, due to its proximity to the equator, was chosen by France as the site for the construction of a space launch complex (Kourou spaceport). To protect it, the 3rd Infantry Regiment of the Foreign Legion is stationed there.

Last changes: 04/28/2013

Tap water in large cities is usually chlorinated and safe to drink, but bottled water is recommended. Drinking water outside the main settlements is mostly contaminated and is not recommended for consumption.

Typical local hazards include very high levels of solar radiation (protective creams, wide-brimmed hats and light clothing made from natural fabrics are recommended).

French Guiana is home to a large number of dangerous animals and insects, so hiking through the forests and jungles is strongly recommended with an experienced guide.

Last changes: 04/28/2013

How to get to French Guiana

There are no direct flights between and. The most convenient way to get here from Russia is through.

Airlines flying from Paris to French Guiana include:

Flight duration: Moscow (Sheremetyevo) - Paris (Charles de Gaulle) - about 4 hours.

Flight duration: Paris (Orly) - Cayenne (Rochambeau) - about 9 hours.

The cost of a flight on the route “Moscow - Paris - Cayenne” is on average about 1200-1400 euros (in both directions).

Last changes: 04/28/2013

brief information

The main riches of French Guiana are untouched tropical forests, a large number of original peoples, nature reserves with toucans, flamingos, jaguars and sea turtles, and, of course, magnificent beaches with golden sand near the Atlantic Ocean.

Tourists in French Guiana can watch sea turtles being born, watch rare exotic birds, visit a former prison where enemies of the French Revolution were exiled, take a canoe trip, or even take part in gold mining.

Note that the standard of living in French Guiana is the most expensive in all of South America. Sometimes prices there are somewhat comparable to prices in France, the metropolis of French Guiana.

Geography of French Guiana

French Guiana, an overseas department of France, is located on the northern coast of South America. French Guiana borders Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west. In the north and northeast, the country is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The total area, including the islands, is 91 square meters. km., and the total length of the border is 1,183 km.

Geographically, French Guiana consists of two regions - the coastal strip, where the majority of the population lives, and the almost impenetrable rainforest with small peaks, located closer to the border with Brazil. The highest local peak is Mount Montagne-Magnetic, whose height reaches 851 meters.

Many rivers flow through the territory of French Guiana. The largest of them are Oyapok, Maroni and Kuru. The Petite South Dam in the north forms a large artificial lake and supplies electricity to the entire country.

Official language

There is only one official language – French.

Climate and weather

The climate is tropical, hot and humid. The average annual air temperature is +28C. The rainy season lasts from January to June (peak rainfall is in May). The dry season is from July to December. Tropical storm season is from December to July.

The best time to visit French Guiana is from July to December.

Culture

The population of French Guiana consists of three large communities - mulattoes, creoles and the Haitian community. Of course, they are greatly influenced by French culture and Catholicism. The result was the multicultural society of French Guiana.

Residents of this country celebrate a large number of different holidays, many of them are associated with France (for example, Bastille Day and Labor Day) and Catholicism (Christmas).

The biggest local holiday is Carnival, which begins annually at the end of February and lasts for two whole months. Traditionally, the most colorful events of the Carnival can be seen in Cayenne.

Kitchen

The cuisine of French Guiana was influenced by the culinary traditions of France, West Africa, East Asia and Brazil. Traditional foods include corn, beans, rice, meat (pork), vegetables, fruits, cheeses, and, of course, fish and seafood. Many herbs and spices are used when preparing dishes.

Tourists are recommended to try “Feijao” (red or black bean dish), “Bacalhau” (salted or dried cod), “Blaff” (fish cooked in spicy sauce), “d"awara” broth (smoked fish, crab, shrimp , chicken and vegetables), “Gibier de bois” (wild game meat), “Couac” (dried cassava, serves as a side dish for many dishes), “Columbo” (meat stewed in tomato with curry, mango and spices).

Traditional soft drinks are “mauby” (made from tree bark), “sorrel” (from vegetable juice), and fruit juices.

Traditional alcoholic drinks are rum and ginger beer.

Sights of French Guiana

In Cayenne, attractions include the ancient Lusso Canal, the French Fort Seperu (unfortunately, only ruins remain), the Museum of Guiana Culture and the Place de Grenoble.

Near the city of Kourou, about 15 kilometers from the coast, is the island of Ile du Salus (Islands of Salvation). Once upon a time there was a French prison there that housed about 2,000 prisoners. This prison was closed in the middle of the 20th century. Now the island of Ile du Salut has become a museum.

Local national parks and reserves, which cover vast areas of tropical forest, are of great interest to tourists, often simply impenetrable. The most popular and largest of them are the Murages reserve with toucans and flamingos, the Mahuri mountain reserve with jaguars and ocelots, the Tresor reserve in the south of the country, and the Amana National Reserve in the north along the Atlantic coast.

Cities and resorts

The largest city is Cayenne, which is the administrative center of French Guiana. Cayenne, founded by the French in 1664, is now home to about 100 thousand people.

In the north and northeast, the country is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The length of the coast is 378 km. The average annual water temperature near the shore is +26C. Almost the entire coastline is one long beach with golden sand. One of the best local beaches, called Montjoly, is located about 10 km southeast of Cayenne.

The country has excellent conditions for water recreation, including surfing, windsurfing, scuba diving, canoeing, fishing, etc.