Overview
French Guiana, known in French as Guyane, is often referred to informally as a country, but it is in fact an overseas department and region of France. This means it is not an independent nation but rather an integral part of the French Republic, governed under French law and represented within French and European Union institutions.
Location and Geography
Situated on the northern coast of South America, French Guiana lies within a region known as the Guianas, and is sometimes associated with the wider West Indies area. It shares borders with two neighboring countries:
- Suriname to the west
- Brazil to the east and south
The territory covers a total area of approximately 84,000 square kilometers (32,000 square miles), with a land area of about 83,534 square kilometers (32,253 square miles), making it the largest overseas region of France.
Population
As of January 2026, French Guiana has a population of 298,554 people. This relatively small population is spread across a large landmass, much of which remains covered by dense tropical rainforest, resulting in one of the lowest population densities in the Americas.
Status as a French Territory
As an overseas department and region of France, French Guiana holds the same legal status as mainland French departments and regions. This integration means that French Guiana uses the euro as its currency, follows French and European Union regulations, and its residents are French citizens with full voting rights in French national and European elections.