Cayenne
Commune of Cayenne Town hall of Cayenne |
|
|---|---|
| Country |
 |
| Région | Guyane |
| Département | Guyane ( préfecture) |
| Arrondissement | Cayenne |
| Canton | Chief town of 6 cantons |
| Intercommunality |
Communauté de communes du Centre Littoral |
|
Mayor Term of office |
Jean-Claude Lafontaine |
| Land area¹ | 23.60 km² |
| Population² (1999 census) |
50,594 |
| Population density (1999) |
2,144 pers./km² |
| Longitude | |
| Latitude | |
| Altitude | average: minimum: maximum: |
| INSEE Code | |
| Postal code | 97300 |
| 1 French Land Register data, which exclude lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km² (0.386 sq. mi. or 247 acres) as well as the estuaries of rivers. 2 Population sans doubles comptes, i.e. not counting those people already counted in another commune (such as students and military personnel). |
|
Cayenne is the capital of the French overseas région of French Guiana. The city stands on an island at the mouth of the Cayenne River on the Atlantic coast. Cayenne is located at 4°56' North, 52°20' West (4.9333, -52.333). [1]
At the 1999 census, there were 66,149 inhabitants in the urban area of Cayenne, 50,594 of whom lived in the city ( commune) of Cayenne proper, and the remainder in the neighbouring commune of Remire-Montjoly.
History
Ignored by Spanish explorers, who found the region too hot and too poor to be colonised, the country was invaded by the French in 1643 and Cayenne was established in 1664. It then passed hands between the Dutch, British and Brazilians before being returned to France. It was used as a French penal settlement from 1854 to 1938.
Economy
Cayenne is an important industrial centre for the shrimp industry, and there used to be old sugar refineries in the city.
Culture
Cayenne is very ethnically diverse, with Creoles, Haitians, Brazilians, Europeans, Hmong and Asians all living in the city. It is famous for its particular annual carnival which starts with the arrival of Vaval (Carnival King) on the first Sunday after New Year's Day and continues with very popular all-night costume balls and Sunday afternoon parades every weekend until Mardi Gras.
In the French author's Voltaire's classic Candide, the characters attempt to reach Cayenne but end up in El Dorado instead.
Points of Interest
Cayenne around its main commercial street, the Avenue Général de Gaulle. At the east end of the avenue near the coast is the Place de Palmistes and the Place de Grenoble (also known as the Place Léopold Héder). Most of the official buildings are located in this area: the Hôtel de Ville (the town hall) built by Jesuits in the 1890s, the Post Office, the Préfecture, residence of French Guiana's Préfect, and the Musée Départmental Franconie. To the west of this area lies Fort Cépérou, built in the 17th century, though now mostly in ruins. To the south lie the Place du Coq and Place Victor Schoelcher (named in honour of the anti-slavery activist) and a market.
To the south of this compact region is the Village Chinois (known as Chicago), separated from the rest of Cayenne by the Canal Laussat. It has a reputation for being a dangerous area.
Other buildings in the city include a cathedral, municipal library, the municipal musseum and a museum of French Guianese Culture (Musée des Cultures Guyanais) and a scientific research institute (IRD formerly Orstom).
There are some beaches along the coast, like Montjoly and Montabo, and several promontories, though the waters contain sharks.
Travel
Cayenne is served by the Cayenne-Rochambeau Airport.
There are many hotels in the city: Central Hotel, La Bodéga, Hôtel Ajoupa, Hôtel Amazonia, Hôtel les Amandiers, Hôtel Neptima, Hôtel Novotel and Ket-Tai.
Administration
Cayenne is the chief town of six cantons:
- The first canton (North West) has 3,935 inhabitants;
- The second canton (North East) has 5,730 inhabitants;
- The third canton (South West) has 8,017 inhabitants;
- The fourth canton (Centre) has 5,955 inhabitants;
- The fifth canton (South) has 9,750 inhabitants;
- The sixth canton (South East) has 17,207 inhabitants