French Guiana

Europe in the Amazon – France’s Tropical Frontier in South America

French Guiana is a unique overseas region and department of France, located on the northeastern coast of South America, bordered by Brazil, Suriname, and the Atlantic Ocean. It is the only territory in mainland South America governed by a European country, blending Amazonian ecosystems with European institutions, and serving as a strategic spaceport hub for Europe.

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Formation and Historical Background

• Originally inhabited by indigenous peoples such as the Wayampi, Palikur, and Kali’na.

• Colonized by France in the 17th century; used as a penal colony (Devil’s Island) in the 19th–20th centuries.

• Became an overseas department of France in 1946, and a region in 1982.

• Today, it is part of France and the European Union, using the Euro and represented in the French Parliament.

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Administrative Information

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Religious Affiliation (Estimated)

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Government and Leadership

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Administrative Divisions (Arrondissements and Communes)

French Guiana is administratively organized into 2 arrondissements and 22 communes, functioning under the Territorial Collectivity of French Guiana. Each commune operates like a municipality under French law.

1. Arrondissement of Cayenne

(Capital: Cayenne – also the regional capital)

• Cayenne

• Macouria

• Matoury

• Montsinéry-Tonnegrande

• Remire-Montjoly

• Roura

• Régina

• Kourou

• Iracoubo

2. Arrondissement of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni

(Capital: Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni)

• Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni

• Mana

• Awala-Yalimapo

• Apatou

• Grand-Santi

• Papaïchton

• Maripasoula

• Saül

• Camopi

• Saint-Élie

• Ouanary

Note:

• Kourou is home to the Guiana Space Centre, a major aerospace hub for Europe.

• Maripasoula and Saül are located deep in the Amazon rainforest and are accessible mainly by river or air.

• Camopi and Papaïchton are indigenous zones with significant autonomy and cultural importance.

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Local Government Structure

• Governed by a single territorial collectivity, replacing separate regional and departmental councils since 2015

• Mayors and municipal councils govern individual communes

• French Guiana follows French administrative and legal frameworks

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Leadership & Governance

• Fully integrated into French and EU law

• Local leadership focuses on:

  • Infrastructure expansion

  • Indigenous rights protection

  • Social equity and decentralization

  • Support for space and scientific research sectors

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Law Enforcement & Safety

• Enforced by:

  • French National Gendarmerie

  • Police Nationale

• Challenges:

  • Illegal gold mining (garimpeiros) in the interior

  • Drug trafficking and border issues with Suriname and Brazil

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Economy & Industry

• Key sectors:

  • Aerospace: Home to the Guiana Space Centre (Centre Spatial Guyanais) in Kourou

  • Public sector: Large share of employment via French administration

  • Mining, fishing, agriculture

  • Growing eco-tourism and biodiversity research

• GDP (2024): Approx. USD 5.5 billion

• Currency: Euro (EUR)

• Challenges: High cost of living, unemployment, regional inequality

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Education & Institutions

• Part of the French national education system

• Free public education, French curriculum

• University of French Guiana based in Cayenne

• Focus on:

  • Reducing dropout rates

  • Supporting bilingual and intercultural education in indigenous areas

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Healthcare

• Healthcare under French national system (Sécurité Sociale)

• Major hospitals:

  • Centre Hospitalier de Cayenne (Andrée-Rosemon)

  • Regional medical centers in Saint-Laurent and Kourou

• Issues:

  • Limited specialist services in remote areas

  • Maternal care and infectious disease control in interior communes

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Transport & Connectivity

• Roads: Limited in interior; coastal roads well developed

• Airports:

  • Cayenne–Félix Eboué International Airport

• Rivers: Main transport method for Amazonian communities

• Ports: Degrad-des-Cannes (main commercial port)

• Telecom: 4G/5G in urban areas; satellite/radio services in remote zones

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Tourism & Attractions

Natural:

• Amazonian rainforest, Maroni and Oyapock rivers

• Guiana Amazonian Park – protected biodiversity and indigenous lands

• Beaches, wetlands, and turtle nesting sites

Scientific & Cultural:

• Guiana Space Centre (Kourou) – European space launch site

• Devil’s Island (Îles du Salut) – historic penal colony

• Cultural fusion: Creole, Maroon, Hmong, and Amerindian communities

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Culture & Lifestyle

• Ethnic diversity: Creole, Maroon, Indigenous (Amerindian), Hmong, Metropolitan French, Brazilian, Surinamese

• Languages: French (official), Guianese Creole, indigenous and migrant languages

• Cuisine: Calou, bouillon d’awara, fish curry, cassava bread

• Festivals: Carnival, cultural parades, traditional Maroon rituals

• Strong identity as a multicultural, tropical outpost of Europe

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Summary

French Guiana is a tropical region of France embedded within the Amazon basin, where space technology, ecological preservation, and cultural plurality converge. As of 2025, it plays a strategic role in global space exploration, while grappling with challenges of development, inclusion, and environmental protection.