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FRENCH GUIANA

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French Guiana (Guyane Française) is a French overseas department located just north of the equator, in the northern part of South America, is washed to the north from the Atlantic Ocean, it borders to the west with Suriname, and to the south and to the east by Brazil. Cayenne, the capital and only city in the country, is situated along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. French Guiana territory consists of a flat coastal area covered with mangrove, savannahs and grasslands, in this area are the main towns.

 

The interior of the territory consists of a plateau covered from vast rainforest, in the middle of the country, between Maripasoula et Saül, there are the mountain of Inini-Camopiche attaining the height of 830 meters with Mount Bellevue, considered the highest point in the country. A little farther south the Sommet Tabulaire massif (Mont Itoupé) reaches also the 830 meters. To the south along the border with Brazil is the low mountain range of the Massif du Mitaraka (690 metres). Guyana is rich in water, there are many rivers that cross the country, to the east the Oyapock River marks the border with Brazil, while to the west Maroni, Lawa and Litani rivers mark the border with Suriname. The extensive forests, which provide valuable timber are among the most important economic resources of the country. Agriculture on the other hand is not very developed, with a very small part of the land used for cultivation, there are grown sugar cane, maize, rice, cassava, pineapple, potatoes and bananas. Fishing, particularly for shrimp, is expanding. Interesting also subsoil resources, are extracts bauxite, gold, clay and cinnabar. Of great importance for the country is the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, where the European Space Agency (ESA) has a space centre from which Ariane satellites are launched.

 

Area: 83 534 sqkm. (Arable 0,1%, Pastures 0,1%, Forests and Woodlands 91%, Uncultivated and Unproductive 8,8%)

Population: 202 000 (agg. 2006) (Creols (descendants of Africans and Europeans) 38%, Haitians 35%, Europeans 12%, Amerindians 5%, Asians 5%, Marrons (Africans) 5%).

State Capital: Cayenne.

Language: Official language is French. Spoken French Creole.

Religion: Catholic.

Currency: Euro (EUR).

Time: UTC -3 ore.

 

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