I.

Introduction

French Guiana, overseas department of France, situated on the northeastern coast of South America. It is bounded on the north by the Atlantic Ocean, on the east and south by Brazil, and on the west by Suriname. Among other offshore islands it includes the Îles du Salut, or Safety Islands, of which Devil’s Island is the best known. French Guiana is the oldest of the overseas possessions of France and the only French territory on the American mainland. It has an area of 91,000 sq km (35,100 sq mi). The capital, chief town, and main port is Cayenne, which had a 2001 population of 53,000.