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Cayenne

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Cayenne is a bustling capital city in South America.

MairiedeCayenne
MairiedeCayenne

It serves as the main center for French Guiana. The city sits on a former island near the Atlantic coast. It is located right where the Cayenne River meets the ocean.

Marchecayenne
Marchecayenne

This city is the largest place in South America where people speak French. Its motto is "work brings wealth." Many people travel to this important seaport to trade goods.

P1011741
P1011741

The weather in Cayenne is very tropical and warm. It stays hot throughout the entire year. There is a very long wet season that brings lots of rain.

Jardinbotanique
Jardinbotanique

The dry season is quite short, lasting only from August to October. Even during the dry months, some rain still falls. The weather is mostly shaped by a zone called the Intertropical Convergence Zone. This makes the climate feel very lush and wet.

History in Cayenne has been quite busy and complex. Spanish explorers visited first but found the area too hot to live in. The French made the first settlement in 1604, but it was destroyed by the Portuguese.

Flag of the Dutch West India Company
Flag of the Dutch West India Company

Later, the colony changed hands between the French, Dutch, and English. From 1854 to 1938, the city was used as a French penal colony. It has since grown into a large, modern municipality.

Cantons de Cayenne
Cantons de Cayenne

The city is home to many different people. In 2023, the metropolitan area had 153,884 inhabitants.

Trompeoeilcayenne
Trompeoeilcayenne

Many people move there from places like Haiti, Brazil, and Suriname. This makes the culture very diverse and interesting. You can find many different foods at the local markets.

Placeducoq
Placeducoq

The population grows because of both new immigrants and high birth rates. This constant movement keeps the city feeling very lively.

There are many historic landmarks to explore in Cayenne. You can visit the Saint-Sauveur Cathedral, which was declared a cathedral in 1933.

P1010303 Saint-Sauveur Cayenne
P1010303 Saint-Sauveur Cayenne

Another great spot is the Botanical Garden, which was once called the King's Garden.

Jardinbotanique
Jardinbotanique

You might also see the old remains of Fort Cépérou on a hill.

Cayenne Fort Cépérou 2013
Cayenne Fort Cépérou 2013

For a fun time, people enjoy the colorful Carnival of Cayenne.

Carnavalcayenne1
Carnavalcayenne1

These sites show how much the city has changed over time.

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🖼️ Images & Media (19)
File:Flag of the Dutch West India Company.svg
Flag of the Dutch West India Company.svg
File:Rue piétonne.jpg
Rue piétonne.jpg
File:Cantons de Cayenne.png
Cantons de Cayenne.png
File:MairiedeCayenne.JPG
MairiedeCayenne.JPG
File:P1011741.JPG
P1011741.JPG
File:Trompeoeilcayenne.JPG
Trompeoeilcayenne.JPG
File:P1010303 Saint-Sauveur Cayenne.jpg
P1010303 Saint-Sauveur Cayenne.jpg
File:Maison Thémire.jpg
Maison Thémire.jpg
File:Cayenne Place des palmistes.jpg
Cayenne Place des palmistes.jpg
File:Jardinbotanique.JPG
Jardinbotanique.JPG
File:Marchecayenne.JPG
Marchecayenne.JPG
File:Placeducoq.JPG
Placeducoq.JPG

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