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French Guiana flag

French Guiana

Guyane

Capital:Cayenne
Population:199,509
Currency:Euro (EUR)
Language:French

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Quick Look Factsheet

A multi-page overview of French Guiana.

French Guiana Factsheet

Customs and Culture

Cultural Attributes

French Guiana occupies a unique cultural space that reflects its layered colonial history, indigenous heritage, and contemporary status as an overseas department of France. The territory's population of approximately 300,000 people is among the most ethnically diverse in South America, producing a cultural identity that blends European, African, Amerindian, Asian, and Caribbean influences in ways found nowhere else on the continent. The Creole people, descended largely from enslaved Africans brought during the colonial era, form the largest single cultural group and have shaped much of the territory's language, music, cuisine, and social traditions. Creole, a French-based creole language, serves as the most widely spoken vernacular, even though French remains the official language and the medium of education and government. Several Maroon communities — descendants of escaped enslaved people who established free settlements in the interior rainforest — maintain distinct cultural traditions, including intricate woodcarving, textile arts, and oral storytelling practices that have survived for centuries largely intact. The Saramaka, Aluku, and Ndjuka are among the most prominent Maroon groups. Six indigenous Amerindian peoples, including the Wayampi and Teko, inhabit the remote interior and continue to practice traditional ways of life based on subsistence agriculture, fishing, and forest knowledge. Their languages and spiritual practices remain living traditions, though increasing contact with the coastal economy has brought challenges to cultural continuity. French Guiana's coastal towns, particularly the capital Cayenne, reflect a distinctly French administrative and architectural character overlaid with Caribbean color and informality. Cuisine combines influences from all these communities — dishes such as bouillon d'awara, a rich palm fruit stew prepared during Easter celebrations, represent the Creole tradition, while roti and dhalpuri reflect the significant Hmong and South Asian communities that settled in the territory during the 20th century. Carnival in Cayenne and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni is among the most vibrant in the French-speaking world, featuring weeks of parades, elaborate costumes, and music that draws on African rhythms and European masquerade traditions simultaneously.

The Space Port of the Equator

Greetings, Gestures & Visiting

A friendly greeting of salut! (hello) or Comment allez vous? (how are you) is common. Many children are given French names. Many girls names end in ette which means little.

People enjoy social visits and family occasions are important.

Western style of clothing is worn with women in Cayenne being quite fashion conscious following the french style of clothing adapted to a warm climate.

Diet

As a result of their ethnic backgrounds there is a wide variety of foods especially Indian and Chinese. Seafood dishes with rice are popular . The hot pepper cayenne takes its name from the French Guiana's capital. One of the more traditional meals in Guyana is The Metemgie. El The

Metemgie or Metemgee. It consists of a thick soup or stew made with

coconut, fish, meat, cassava, and sweet rolls. Also, crab soup

and homemade bread are popular in Guyana.

As a result of their ethnic backgrounds there is a wide variety of foods especially Indian and Chinese. Seafood dishes with rice are popular . The hot pepper cayenne takes its name from the French Guiana's capital. One of the more traditional meals in Guyana is The Metemgie. El The

Metemgie or Metemgee. It consists of a thick soup or stew made with

coconut, fish, meat, cassava, and sweet rolls. Also, crab soup

and homemade bread are popular in Guyana.

Family

Family ties are important due to the historic Catholic influence. Families in the cities enjoy modern conveniences while those who live in the jungles survive on the basic needs.

Recreation

Water sports are popular including fishing and swimming. A favorite past time is going to the beaches for picnics as a family. In Cayenne young people enjoy theaters and dance clubs.

Holidays

  • Bastille Day

    7/14

    Other

Dates of Interest

  • July 14th

How do people greet each other in FrenchGuiana?

A friendly greeting of salut! (hello) or Comment allez vous? (how are you) is common.

Good to know

  • Many children are given French names
  • Many girls' names end in 'ette,' meaning 'little'

What is dining like in FrenchGuiana?

Thanks to diverse ethnic backgrounds, there's a wide variety of foods, especially Indian and Chinese, with seafood and rice dishes popular.

Good to know

  • Try Metemgie, a thick stew of coconut, fish, meat, cassava, and sweet rolls
  • Crab soup and homemade bread are also popular
  • The hot pepper cayenne takes its name from the capital

How should I dress in FrenchGuiana?

Western-style clothing is worn, with women in Cayenne being quite fashion conscious.

Good to know

  • Cayenne women follow French style adapted to a warm climate

What role does family play in FrenchGuiana?

Family ties are important, influenced historically by Catholicism, and family occasions are valued.

Good to know

  • City families enjoy modern conveniences, while those in the jungles live on basic needs

What do people do for fun in FrenchGuiana?

Water sports such as fishing and swimming are popular, and families enjoy going to the beach for picnics.

Good to know

  • In Cayenne, young people enjoy theaters and dance clubs

Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Sources: CountryReports

Travel and Tourism

Travel Alert Status
Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
Currency
euro (EUR)
Climate
Tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Airports
11
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Recipes

Featured Dish

Metemgee

Main Dish

Browse all 3 recipes

History

Historical Eras

  1. Indigenous Period

    10000 BCE – 1604

    The territory now known as French Guiana was inhabited for millennia by Amerindian peoples including the Arawak, Carib, Teko, and Wayampi. These communities developed distinct cultures along the coast and interior rivers, subsisting through fishing, hunting, and shifting cultivation. European contact beginning in the late 15th century brought disease and disruption to these populations before formal colonization commenced.

  2. Early Colonial Era

    1604 – 1763

    France established its first settlement in 1604, though the colony changed hands repeatedly among France, the Netherlands, and Portugal over the following century. The territory proved difficult to develop due to disease, hostile interior terrain, and limited agricultural success. The catastrophic Kourou colonization scheme of 1763, which killed thousands of European settlers within months of arrival, marked the definitive failure of early large-scale settlement ambitions.

  3. Penal Colony Period

    1763 – 1946

    France increasingly used French Guiana as a destination for transported convicts, culminating in the formal penal colony system established in 1852 under Napoleon III. The complex of prisons collectively known as Devil's Island became internationally notorious for brutal conditions; political prisoners including Captain Alfred Dreyfus, convicted of treason in 1894, were among its most famous inmates. The penal institutions shaped the colony's economy, demographics, and global reputation for over a century.

  4. Overseas Department

    1946 – 1968

    French Guiana was transformed from a colony into an overseas department of France in 1946, granting its inhabitants full French citizenship and integration into French administrative, legal, and social systems. The last convicts were repatriated and the penal settlements formally closed by 1951. This period saw gradual modernization of infrastructure but continued economic underdevelopment and significant demographic challenges as the territory adjusted to its new constitutional status.

  5. Space Age & Modern Era

    1968 – present

    The establishment of the Guiana Space Centre at Kourou in 1968 transformed French Guiana into one of the world's premier launch sites, later serving the European Space Agency for missions including the first lunar mission from South American soil in 2003. The territory remains an overseas region of France and the only mainland South American land under European sovereignty. Tensions between economic modernization, Creole and Amerindian rights movements, and environmental concerns over the vast Amazon rainforest interior continue to define its contemporary politics.

Overview

First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of notorious penal settlements (collectively known as Devil’s Island) until 1951. The European Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou. It is the only portion of mainland South America still governed by an overseas nation.

Timeline of Key Events

  1. 1749

    Jean Godin, French geographer became stranded in French Guiana.

    Jean Godin, French geographer, left Quito, part of the Viceroyalty of Peru (later Ecuador), in an attempt to reach France to settle his family estate. He traveled by an eastern route across South America and became stranded in French Guiana for over 20 years. In 2004 Robert Whitaker authored “The Mapmaker’s Wife: A True Tale of Love, Murder, and Survival in the Amazon.” It was an account of Jean Godin (d.1792), French mapmaker, and his wife, Isabel Godin. They managed to reunite in 1770.

  2. 1894

    A French spy discovered an unsigned note in a wastebasket describing secret tests.

    A French spy, working as a cleaning woman at the office of the German military attache in Paris, discovered an unsigned note in a wastebasket describing secret tests of new French artillery guns. French intelligence soon accused Capt. Alfred Dreyfus, the only Jewish officer who had access to the secret information. It later was found that the note had been written by Major Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazy.

  3. 1895

    French Capt. Alfred Dreyfus, convicted of treason,

    French Capt. Alfred Dreyfus, convicted of treason, was publicly stripped of his rank. He was ultimately vindicated. Dreyfus, a Jew falsely accused of spying for the Germans, was imprisoned alone on Devil’s Island.

  4. 1899

    French Capt. Alfred Dreyfus, convicted of treason,

    French Capt. Alfred Dreyfus won a pardon after a retrial was forced by public opinion. He was soon released from Devil’s Island in French Guiana.

  5. 2003

    Europe’s first mission to the moon blasted off from French Guiana.

    Europe’s first mission to the moon blasted off aboard a European Ariane rocket from French Guiana. The SMART-1 probe made it to within 3,100 miles of the moon on Nov 15, 2004, and proceeded to move into an elliptical orbit. The spacecraft ended its mission Sep 3, 2006, when it crashed into the lunar surface.

  6. 2009

    A French rocket carrying the largest space telescope ever was launched into space.

    A French rocket carrying the largest space telescope ever was launched into space on a mission that European scientists hope will help unravel the mystery of the universe’s creation. The Ariane-5 rocket was loaded with the Herschel space telescope and the Planck spacecraft, carrying a payload of 5.3 tons (4.81 metric tons) when it launched from the city of Kourou near the jungles of French Guiana.

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Interesting Facts

  • The coastal town of Kourou, just north of Cayenne, is home to the European Ariane Space Program, which employs over 20,000 foreigners and launches over half of the world’s satellites.

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Geography and Environment

Terrain
low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Natural Hazards
high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
Current Environmental Issues
NA
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People & Demographics

Religion

Languages Spoken

French

  • French

Population

Population
199,509
Nationality Noun
French Guianese (singular and plural)
Ethnic Groups
Black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%

Education

Literacy Definition
Age 15 and over can read and write
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Government & Politics

Country Identity

Country Name
FrenchGuiana
Full Country Name
Department of Guiana
Local - Short
Guyane

Government Structure

Government Type
NA
Legal System
French legal system
Executive Branch
chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON of France (since 14 May 2017), represented by Prefect Thierry QUEFFELEC (since 2022) head of government: President of the Departmental Council Gabriel SERVILLE (since April 2021); President of the Regional Council Gabriel SERVILLE (since April 2021), who holds both roles following the merger of the two councils under French Guiana's unique institutional status as a single territorial collectivity cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; the president of the Territorial Collectivity Assembly is elected by the members of that assembly. Note: since 2015, French Guiana has operated as a single territorial collectivity, replacing the former separate General Council and Regional Council with a unified Territorial Assembly.
Legislative Branch
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council - last held in March 2000 (next to be held March 2006); Regional Council - last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2010) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7, other 2; Regional Council - (second election results) percent of vote by party - PS 37.24%, UMP 31.58%, FDG/Walwari 31.18%; seats by party - PS 17, UMP 7, FDG/Walwari 7 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, Walwari Committee 1
Judicial Branch
Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Constitution
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Independence
none (overseas department of France)
National Holiday
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Capital City

Capital Name
Cayenne

Embassy / Diplomatic Mission

U.S. Embassy Paramaribo

Drs. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo, Suriname

Telephone: (597)-472-900

Emergency after-hours telephone: (597)-0710-1112

Facsimile: (597)-425-788

U.S. Embassy/Consular Section in Paris

4 Avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris (Place de La Concorde, metro stop

Concorde)

Telephone: (43)-12-22-22

Emergency after-hours telephone: (42)-61-61-40

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Economy

French Guiana's economy is closely tied to that of mainland France through substantial subsidies, transfer payments, and imports. The Guiana Space Centre at Kourou, operated by the French space agency CNES and the European Space Agency, remains a cornerstone of the economy, accounting for roughly 15 to 20 percent of GDP and supporting thousands of direct and indirect jobs. Beyond the space sector, fishing, forestry, and gold mining are the most significant economic activities. Forest and woodland cover more than 90 percent of the territory, and the large reserves of tropical hardwoods support a sawmill industry that produces timber for both local use and export, though the resource remains underexploited. Cultivation is largely confined to the narrow coastal strip where most of the population lives; rice, manioc, sugarcane, and fruits are among the principal crops. French Guiana remains heavily dependent on imports of food, manufactured goods, and energy, with mainland France and the wider European Union as its primary trading partners. Unemployment is a persistent challenge, hovering near 13 to 15 percent overall and considerably higher among young workers, while rapid population growth and high living costs continue to strain the labor market and public services.

Snapshot

Currency Name and Code
Euro (EUR)

Banknotes

French Guiana Money - Front
French Guiana Money - Front
French Guiana Money - Back
French Guiana Money - Back

Budget & Public Finance

Fiscal Year
calendar year
Annual Budget
$135,500,000 (USD)
External Debt
$800,300,000 (USD)

Labor, Industry & Trade

Labor Force by Occupation
services; government; and commerce 60.6%; industry 21.2%; agriculture 18.2%
Industries
construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Agriculture Products
corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry
Export Commodities
shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing
Export Partners
France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2%
Import Commodities
food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals
Import Partners
France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy

Energy

Oil Production
0 bbl/day
Oil Consumption
6,600 bbl/day
Oil Reserves
0 bbl/day
Natural Gas Production
0 cu m
Natural Gas Consumption
0 cu m
Natural Gas Imports
0 cu m
Natural Gas Exports
0 cu m
Natural Gas Reserves
0 cu m

Communications

Internet Country Code
.gf

News & Weather

Current Weather

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Latest News

News via Google News

Climate Overview

Tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation

Videos

1 curated YouTube videos.

  • Source: YouTube

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of French Guiana?
The population of French Guiana is approximately 199,509.
How do people greet each other in FrenchGuiana?
A friendly greeting of salut! (hello) or Comment allez vous? (how are you) is common. Many children are given French names Many girls' names end in 'ette,' meaning 'little'
What is dining like in FrenchGuiana?
Thanks to diverse ethnic backgrounds, there's a wide variety of foods, especially Indian and Chinese, with seafood and rice dishes popular. Try Metemgie, a thick stew of coconut, fish, meat, cassava, and sweet rolls Crab soup and homemade bread are also popular The hot pepper cayenne takes its name from the capital
How should I dress in FrenchGuiana?
Western-style clothing is worn, with women in Cayenne being quite fashion conscious. Cayenne women follow French style adapted to a warm climate
What role does family play in FrenchGuiana?
Family ties are important, influenced historically by Catholicism, and family occasions are valued. City families enjoy modern conveniences, while those in the jungles live on basic needs
What do people do for fun in FrenchGuiana?
Water sports such as fishing and swimming are popular, and families enjoy going to the beach for picnics. In Cayenne, young people enjoy theaters and dance clubs
What is the capital of French Guiana?
Cayenne is the capital and largest city of French Guiana. Situated on a small island at the mouth of the Cayenne River along the Atlantic coast, it serves as the territory's administrative, commercial, and cultural hub. The city reflects French Guiana's colonial heritage through its Creole architecture, vibrant markets, and French administrative presence, and it functions as the primary gateway for visitors arriving in the territory.
Where is French Guiana located?
French Guiana is located on the northeastern coast of South America, situated between the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east, and the Amazon basin to the south and west. It is an overseas region and department of France, making it constitutionally part of the French Republic and, by extension, a territory of the European Union. Its tropical position near the equator gives it a warm, humid climate with dense Amazonian rainforest covering the vast majority of its interior.
What countries border French Guiana?
French Guiana shares land borders with two countries. Brazil lies to the south and east, forming the territory's longest land frontier, while Suriname borders it to the west along the Maroni River. To the north, French Guiana faces the Atlantic Ocean. These borders cut through some of the most biodiverse and least-populated tropical rainforest terrain in the world, making cross-border movement largely limited to river crossings and a small number of roads.
What is the predominant religion in French Guiana?
Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion in French Guiana, practiced by an estimated 70 percent of the population. This reflects the territory's centuries-long French colonial history and the influence of Catholic missionaries in the region. The remaining 30 percent of the population follows a variety of other beliefs, including Protestantism, Hinduism, and traditional Amerindian spiritual practices, reflecting the territory's notably diverse ethnic and cultural composition.
What currency is used in French Guiana?
The official currency of French Guiana is the Euro (EUR). Because French Guiana is an integral part of France and the European Union, it adopted the euro alongside metropolitan France and other EU member states. This makes French Guiana one of the few territories in South America where the euro circulates as legal tender, distinguishing it economically from its neighboring countries of Brazil and Suriname, which use the Brazilian real and Surinamese dollar respectively.
What language is spoken in French Guiana?
French is the official language of French Guiana and is used in government, education, and formal public life. In everyday settings, however, many residents speak Guianese Creole, a French-based creole language widely used across communities. Other languages spoken include Portuguese, Hmong, and various Amerindian languages, reflecting the territory's diverse population. The linguistic landscape mirrors French Guiana's multicultural heritage, shaped by Indigenous peoples, African descendants, European settlers, and more recent immigrant communities.
What is the geography of French Guiana like?
French Guiana is covered predominantly by dense Amazonian rainforest, which accounts for roughly 90 percent of its total land area, making it one of the most forested territories on Earth. A narrow coastal strip of lowlands and mangroves borders the Atlantic Ocean to the north, where most of the population is concentrated. The interior rises into hilly terrain and the Tumuc-Humac mountain range along the Brazilian border. The territory's abundant biodiversity has led to significant portions being protected as nature reserves and national parks.
What is French Guiana known for?
French Guiana is best known for the Guiana Space Centre near the coastal town of Kourou, home to the European Ariane space program, which launches more than half of the world's commercial satellites and employs over 20,000 people. The territory is also known for its dark history as the site of notorious French penal colonies, including the infamous Devil's Island, which operated until 1951. French Guiana's extraordinary biodiversity, including jaguars, tapirs, and thousands of plant species in its protected rainforests, draws naturalists and ecotourists from around the world.

Last reviewed 2026

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