Cayenne

Cayenne (keɪˈɛn; kajɛn; Kayenn) is the capital city of French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America. The city stands on a former island at the mouth of the Cayenne River on the Atlantic coast. The city's motto is "fert aurum industria", which means "work brings wealth". Cayenne is the largest Francophone city of the South American continent. In the 2020 census, there were 151,887 inhabitants in the metropolitan area of Cayenne (as defined by INSEE), 65,956 of whom lived in the city (commune) of Cayenne proper. History of French Guiana Ignored by Spanish explorers who found the region too hot and poor to be claimed, the region was not colonized until 1604, when the French founded a settlement. However, it was soon destroyed by the Portuguese, determined to enforce the Treaty of Tordesillas. French colonists returned in 1643 and founded Cayenne, but were forced to leave once more following the Amerindian attacks. In 1664, France finally established a permanent settlement at Cayenne. Over the next decade the colony changed hands between the French, Dutch, and English, before being restored to France. It was captured by an Anglo-Portuguese force in 1809 and administered from Brazil until 1814, when it was returned to French control. It was used as a French penal colony from 1854 to 1938. The city's population has grown dramatically over time, owing to high levels of immigration (chiefly from the West Indies and Brazil) as well as a high birth rate. Geography of French Guiana Cayenne is located on the estuary of the Cayenne River on the Atlantic Ocean. The city occupies part of Cayenne Island. It is from Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni and from Kourou. Distances to some cities: Paris: . Fort-de-France, capital of Martinique: . Nouméa, capital of New Caledonia (France) : Paramaribo, capital of Suriname: to the northwest Macapá, capital of the state of Amapá, Brazil: to the southeast Mexico City, capital of Mexico: to the northwest San Diego, southwestern city in California, United States: to the northwest Cayenne is a commune of the French Republic and as such, administered by a mayor and a municipal council.