|RConstitution:|N Republic. A French overseas department and separate administrative region.
|RNature and climate:|N Rainforests cover 90% of the land. Only a 300 km wide strip along the coast is cultivable.
Average temperature between 25-28°C the whole year.
Percipitation 1500 to 2500 mm, most by the coast.
|RPeople:|N 80% mestizoes.
|REconomy:|N Extensive fishing, especially of shrimps, which in 1985 accounted for 53% of export incomes.
Also export of timber, machineries and gold.
Most important crops are sugar canes, cassava, bananas, rice and maize.
In French Guiana the European Spaceorganization have a base for shooting up rockets and satellites.
|RHistory:|N French settled on the island of Cayenne in 1604 and the territory between the rivers Moroni and Oyapock came in French possession in 1817.
From 1852 convicts settlement were established both in Guiana and the islands off the coast. The one on Devil's Island being the best known.
All the convicts settlements were phased out and closed between 1938 and 1951.
In 1946 French Guiana got status as an overseas department, and from 1974 it is an administrative region of its own.
