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French Guiana[gEan´u, –An´–] Pronunciation Key, Fr. La Guyane franCaise, officially Department of Guiana, French overseas department (1995 est. pop. 145,000), 35,135 sq mi (91,000 sq km), NE South America, on the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Guiana region, it is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the north, Suriname on the west, and Brazil on the south and east. Cayenne is the capital and largest city. The Oyapock (Oiapoque) River on the east and the Tumuc-Humac Mts. on the south separate it from Brazil. The Maroni River on the west forms the border with Suriname.
French Guiana is largely dependent on subsidies and imports from its mother country. Fishing and forestry are the prime industries, and timber, shrimp, and rum made from local sugarcane are the chief exports. Rice, corn, manioc, and bananas are grown for subsistence. There are gold (discovered in 1855) and bauxite deposits; exploitation, however, has been hindered by inadequate transportation and scarcity of labor. The Plan Vert (Green Plan), adopted in the late 1970s to increase production in agriculture and forestry, met with only partial success.
French Guiana has two districts (arrondissements): Cayenne, the coastal region, where more than 90% of the population is concentrated; and the larger interior district of Saint Laurent-du-Maroni. The population is largely of mixed African and European descent, but there are also minorities of whites, indigenous peoples, Chinese, and Asian Indians. French is the official language, but other languages and dialects are spoken as well. The population is predominantly Roman Catholic. The department is represented in the French national assembly and senate. It is governed by a prefect and an elected council.
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