Home >> Regional >> South America >> French Guiana


  Business and Economy
Maps and Views
  Science and Environment
Society and Culture
  Travel and Tourism
Weather


French Guiana (French: Guyane française, officially Guyane) is an overseas département (''département d'outre-mer, or DOM) of France, located on the Caribbean coast of South America and part of Caribbean South America. Such as the more DOMs, French Guiana is likewise a région (région d'outre-mer) of France. These are a little political unit on the South Western mainland (Suriname is the smallest independent South Western united states). It borders a Atlantic Ocean to the north, Brazil to the east & south, and Suriname to the west (section of the southern border sustaining Suriname is disputed).

History
Independent article: History of French Guiana''

1st settled per French around 1604, French Guiana was the places of infamous penal settlements (understand Devil's Island) until 1951.

Politics
Independent article: Politics of French Guiana

As an integral a share of France, French Guiana is section of the European Union, the big section around region outside Europe and a just section outside Europe that is non an island (differently the Spanish exclaves around Morocco). a Head of State is the French President world health organization appoints a Préfet (resident at the Prefecture building within Cayenne) when his/her representative. There are ii legislative bodies: a 19-member General Council & a 34-member Regional Council, each elective. French Guiana has 1 seat at a National Assembly around Paris. French Guiana has traditionally been conservative, though a socialist person has been progressively successful inside recent years. Though several would rather to watch additional autonomy for the region, trend lines for complete independence is very online.

Geography
Independent article: Geography of French Guiana

French Guiana consists of triplet independent geographical regions: a coastal strip in which the majority of the humans survive, so heavy, touching-inaccessible rainforest, which gradually rises to the mild peaks of the Tumac-Humac mountains along the Brazilian frontier.

French Guiana's greatest peak is Bellevue de l'Inini (851 m). More mountains include Mont Machalou (782 m), Pic Coudreau (711 m) and Mont St Marcel (635 m), Mont Favard (200 m) and Montare du Mahury (156 m).

A Barrage de Petit-Saut in the north of French Guianthe is an artificial flow of any stream created by a dam sequentially to provide hydroelectricity. There are several streams, lakes, and wells throughout inside French Guiana.

There are occasionally little islands off a coast, including a Iles du Salut (Salvation Islands), containing Devils Island.

The chronic issue is the inflow of illegal immigrants & illegal gold prospectors from Brazil and Suriname. A borders between French Guiana & victims countries lie along a Maroni River in the rainforest, which are then hard to patrol for French Gendarmerie forces. (A border line sustaining Suriname is disputed.) Illegal gold prospection generates a lot of pollution, especially by mercury, and is too the vector for alcoholism and sexually-transmitted diseases.

View likewise: Communes of the Guyane département and List of cities in French Guiana

Economy
Independent Article: Economy of French Guiana

French Guiana is heavy dependant on France for subsidies and goods. A independent industries come camping (accounting for 3/4 of foreign exportation), gold and bauxite mining and timber. Additionally a space centre at Kourou accounts for 25% of the GDP and employs astir 1700 population. There exists super little manufacturing & agriculture is largely undeveloped (except among a Hmong population). Touristry, especially eco-tourism, is growing. Unemployment occurs as major condition, going at all about 20%-30%.

Map Of French Guiana

Demographics
Independent article: Demographics of French Guiana

French Guiana's people of 195,506 (July 2005 eastern standard time.), virtually all of whom survive along a coast, is very ethnically diverse. Estimates of the percentages of French Guianthe ethnic compostition change, a condition compounded per big many legal & illegal immigrants (all about 20,000). Creoles (black & mixed black and white) come a big ethnic class action, though estimates change when to a precise percentage hinge upon whether the big Haitian community is included too. Typically a Creole people is estimated at just about 60%-70% by owning Haitians (about 1/3) & 30%-50% while forgoing. About 10% come Europeans, a huge majority of whom come French. There are little groups of population from either neighboring states, attracted by French Guiana's proportional wealth. One just about 8% come Brazilian, 4% Surinamese and Deuce.5% Guyanese. A independent Asian communities come a Hmong from Laos (1.5%) & Chinese (primarily from Hong Kong; 3.2%). There are besides very much little many population from either various Caribbean islands. A independent groups sleep in a interior come the Maroons (also called Bush Blackamoor) & Amerindians. A Maroons, descendant of at large African slaves, survive primarilly along a Maroni River. A independent Brownish-red groups come a Paramacca, Aucan (two of whom as well sleep in Suriname and the Boni. A independent Amerindian groups (forming all about 3%-4% of a people) come the Arawak, Emerillon, Galibi, Palikour, Wayampi (also referred to as Oyampi) & Wayana.

A predominant religion in the united states is Roman Catholicism, though the Maroons & occasionally Amerindian peoples however practice their have religions. A Hmong humans come too in the main Catholic owing to the influence of Catholic missionaries world health organization 'helped' bring the babies to French Guiana.

A WorldRover Guide
French Guiana facts, maps, and travel guides.

All About French Guiana
Travel planning, accommodations, sightseeing, geography, sports, space, art and entertainment.

French Guiana in the World Factbook
Country profile prepared by the United States Central Intelligence Agency.






© 2005 GeneralAnswers.org