French Guyana is a region and a French overseas department of France, in South America. With an area of 83 846 km22, Guyana is the largest French department and region of France (more than 15% of the surface of the metropolitan France) and the least populated after Mayotte. It is also the Department more wooded, 96% of the territory is covered by Equatorial forest that remains the richest and least environmentally fragmented in the world.
Guyana is the only territory of Latin America which doesn’t constitute an independent state on the continent. It fits within the plateau of the Guyanas with part of the Venezuela, bordered by the Orinoco River, and northern Brazil, bounded by the Amazon. This Department is among the richest of the world because of the plant and animal biodiversity.
The Guyanese forest is a primary forest to very high level of the richest biodiversity forest in the world, protected by a new national park and six natural reserves. The International Union for the conservation of nature (IUCN) and the European Union (EU) will recommend special protection efforts.
5,500 plant species have been recorded, including more than a thousand trees, 700 species of birds, 177 species of mammals, more than 500 species of fish, of which 45% are endemic (‘silt’ fish and fish scales) and 109 species of amphibians. Microorganisms would be many more yet, in particular in the North that rivals the Amazon with Brazil, with Borneo and with Sumatra. This French Department alone has at least 98% of the vertebrate fauna and 96% of the vascular plants of France.
In 1964, general De Gaulle took the decision to build a spatial centre in Guyana, intended to replace the Saharan base in Algeria, and to develop the Guyanese economy. The position of the Department is privileged, near the Equator with a large opening on the ocean. The Guyana Space Centre, since the first rockets ‘Véronique’, widely developed over the years. Space port of Europe with launchers such as Ariane 4 and Ariane 5, which prove a commercial success worldwide, the Guiana Space Centre is also developing the Vega program, and a Soyuz launch base built in Sinnamary.
Tips
Visit the Amazon
For a weekend or a short stay, choose a cottage oin the Amazon and come and relax in the heart of the forest in one of the natural settings the wildest in the world. The camps accessible only by river, offer a full frame with guides, pirogues, personal hospitality and catering. In the program, hiking, fishing, swimming, initiation to life in the forest, panning for gold… and a surprising discovery and smooth natural environment.
Space Center
It is located 54 Km from Cayenne, in the commune of Kourou. Led by experienced guides, you will be attending the screening of a film retracing the history of the space base and discover Jupiter, all Ariane launch control centre where you can see an Ariane 5 launcher in his gigantic installations. The C.S.G. being an operational base launch. Circuits and visits schedules can be changed. All this information you will be confirmed during your reservation and registration for the visit. Camcorder and cameras’ shots are allowed on the entire site. The animals will be systematically refused. As a precaution, we recommend that you make your reservations several days in advance.
Carnival
The Carnival of Guyana, the longest in the world, is unique in its kind! The festivities will begin in the first week following Epiphany and ends on Wednesday of ash. Therefore, every Saturday night, “dance halls” are invaded by the mysterious touloulous, these fully disguised bridleways leading the ball until dawn. At daybreak, after so much effort and sways, your forces could be back by tasting the traditional “blaff», a court-bouillon of fish or shrimp subtly noted to the creole.
Incredible destination Guyana in summary: sea, rainforest, Carnival and Space Center.
