French Guiana Capitals

Map showing the location of French Guiana

The capital city of French Guiana is Cayenne. Cayenne is located on the banks of the Cayenne River which drains to the Atlantic Ocean. The capital city occupies part of the Cayenne Island. Cayenne was ignored by interested colonialists because they termed it unsuitable for colonization due to its hot climate. After the French successfully established their settlements in Cayenne, other interested powers got into the conquest to acquire it. For this reason, Cayenne has been under the French, Dutch and the English. French later reacquired the control of Cayenne and started using it as a penal colony.

The population of Cayenne has been on a steady rise since the 1960s probably due to the improved healthcare, high birth rates, and high immigration rates. In 2015, the population of Cayenne Metropolitan Area was more than the Cayenne Commune. The metropolitan area has a population of 131,922 whereas the commune has a population of 57,614. Cayenne is densely populated compared to the population of the rest of French Guiana.

The climate of Cayenne is described as tropical monsoon climate. The city has no extreme temperatures. The maximum temperatures are usually approximately 30 degrees and the minimum is usually approximately 23 degrees Celsius. The wet season in the city tends to be longer than the dry season. The only dry months in the city are September and October. It receives copious rainfall. The average precipitation in the city is approximately 3750 mm. The intertropical convergence zone is responsible for the high rainfall all year round in Cayenne. The rains are often accompanied by heavy lightning and thunderstorms.

Cayenne is a top tourist destination for both local and international tourists. There are several places of interest that keep the flow of tourists consistent. The key points of interest in Cayenne include The Roman Catholic Church Cathedral, Canal Laussat, Jardin Botanique de Cayenne, Fort Diamant, Places des Palmistes and Plage de Gosselin. Apart from the old and the historical buildings that are frequented by visitors, the dance and cultural festivals held in the city are very intriguing.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018