Place details
Place nameFrench Guiana
Other namesDépartement de la Guyane française, Département de la Guyane, La Guyane française, Guyane française, Department of Guiana, Frans Guyana, Französisch-Guyana, Guiana Francesca, GUF, GF, ISO254, FG00, French Guianese
Latitude4
Longitude-53
SourceThesaurus of Geographic Names
Overview
The area now known as French Guiana was first explored by Spain in the early 16th century. French merchants and the Dutch arrived in the early 17th century. The inhabitants became French citizens in the 19th century. Off of the coast, French Guiana housed the infamous penal institution Devil's Island. The population comprises mainly Creoles, Europeans, Amerindians & Africans. The official language is French, though Creole patois, Sranan and Amerindian languages are spoken outside the towns.
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Location