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Country Guide > South America > French Guiana | |
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General Information Area 83,534 sq km (32,253 sq miles). Population 156,790 (1999). Population Density 1.9 per sq km. Capital Cayenne. Population: 50,594 (1999). Geography French Guiana is situated on the northeast coast of South America and is bordered by Brazil to the south and the east and by Surinam to the west. The southern Serra Tumucumaque Mountains are part of the eastern frontier, whilst the rest is formed by the River Oyapock. Surinam is to the west along the rivers Maroni-Itani and to the north is the Atlantic coastline. Along the coast runs a belt of flat marshy land behind which the land rises to higher slopes and plains or savannah. The interior is comprised of equatorial jungle. Off the rugged coast lie the Iles du Salut and Devil’s Island. Cayenne, the capital and chief port, is on the island of the same name at the mouth of the Cayenne River. Government French Guiana is an Overseas Department of France and, as such, is an integral part of the French Republic. Head of State: President Jacques Chirac since 1995, represented locally by Prefect Ange Mancini since 2002. Language The official language is French, though most of the population speak a Creole patois. English is also widely spoken. Religion Roman Catholic majority, although there are other Christian churches. Time GMT - 3. Electricity 220/127 volts AC, 50Hz. Communications Telephone IDD available. Country code: 594. Outgoing international code: 00. Mobile telephone GSM 900 network is operated by France Caraïbe Mobiles, and covers coastal areas and some of the interior. Handsets can be hired locally. Fax Facilities are widely available, including in hotels. Internet Local ISPs include Wanadoo (website: www.wanadoo.fr). There are Internet cafes in Cayenne. Telegram Telegrams can be sent locally. A Telex service links Cayenne and Europe. Post Postal services are reliable in Cayenne (where the central post office is located on route Baduel); post takes around seven days to reach western Europe. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0730-1330. Press The daily newspapers include France-Guyane and La Presse de Guyane. There are no English-language newspapers. Radio BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online. |