French Guiana | South America

French Guiana is located on the northeastern coast of South America, bordering Brazil to the east and south and Suriname to the west. The territory's primary defining feature is its role as the site of the European Space Agency’s Guiana Space Centre and its coverage by dense Amazonian rainforest, which encompasses approximately 98% of the land; the capital city is Cayenne.

Visa & Entry Policy

As an overseas department of France, French Guiana is part of the European Union but remains outside the Schengen Area. EU passport holders have right of entry with a national ID or passport. US and UK citizens can enter visa-free for up to 90 days for tourism. By late 2026, the ETIAS authorization system is expected to be operational for non-EU visa-exempt nationals. Evidence of a Yellow Fever vaccination is a mandatory entry requirement for all travelers over one year of age.

Language & Communication

French is the official language and the primary medium of administration and education. English proficiency is low across the territory, with the exception of specialized staff at the Guiana Space Centre and major hotels in Kourou. Dominant local dialects include French Guianese Creole, Sranan Tongo, and several Amerindian and Maroon languages such as Wayana and Aluku.

Currency & Payment Systems

The official currency is the Euro (EUR). Card payments and contactless "tap-to-pay" systems are standard in urban centers like Cayenne and Kourou. Cash is necessary for transactions in rural areas, river settlements, and local markets. ATMs are readily available in major towns but are scarce or non-existent in the interior and along the Maroni River.

National Transport Grid

Movement between coastal cities is facilitated by the RN1 and RN2 highways; there is no passenger rail network. Public transit is limited to a few urban bus lines in Cayenne and the TIG (Long Distance Transport of Guiana) network. Access to the interior relies on domestic flights via Air Guyane to remote airstrips (e.g., Maripasoula, Saül) or motorized river pirogues for travel along the Maroni and Oyapock rivers.

Digital Infrastructure

Primary mobile network providers are Orange, SFR Caraïbe, and Digicel. 4G/LTE coverage is reliable along the coastal strip where the majority of the population resides. Signal is generally unavailable in the deep rainforest interior, where communication is restricted to satellite-based systems like Starlink.

Climate & Seasonality

The territory has an equatorial climate with high humidity (80%–90%) year-round. There are two distinct seasons: the wet season (December to July), with peak rainfall occurring between April and June, and the dry season (August to November). Temperatures remain consistent between 25°C and 31°C throughout the year.

Health & Safety

Yellow Fever vaccination is mandatory and must be documented in an International Certificate of Vaccination. Malaria is a significant risk in the interior, and Zika and Dengue are endemic in coastal and urban areas. The emergency number for Medical Assistance (SAMU) is 15, Police is 17, and Fire is 18. The European emergency number 112 is also active.

Top 3 Major Regions & Cities

The Coastal Littoral: Hub: Cayenne.

The Space Coast: Hub: Kourou.

The Western Frontier: Hub: Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni.

Local Cost Index

1L Water: 1.20 EUR ($1.30 USD)

1 Domestic Beer (0.5L): 4.50 EUR ($4.90 USD)

1 SIM Card (10GB Data): 25.00 EUR ($27.20 USD)

Facts & Legends

French Guiana was home to the notorious Devil's Island (Île du Diable) penal colony, which operated from 1852 to 1953 and housed approximately 80,000 prisoners, including Alfred Dreyfus and Henri Charrière (author of Papillon). Local legend includes the "Grand Man," a title held by Maroon tribal leaders who possess autonomous spiritual and political authority over river territories, maintaining traditions that have survived since their ancestors escaped slavery in the 17th and 18th centuries.