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French Guiana (France, Overseas Department and Region)

Guyane

Left, French national flag - Image by Željko Heimer, 22 September 2001
Right, Flag of the department of French Guiana - Image by Ivan Sache, 25 October 2009

Administrative data
Status of French Guiana
Flag of French Guiana
Flag of Region Guyane
Independentist flags
House flags of shipping companies

See also:

Administrative data

Code: 973
Bordering countries: Brazil (state of Amapá), Suriname

Area: 86,504 km²Population (1995): 114,808 inhabitants

Préfecture: Cayenne
Sous-préfecture: Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
Subdivisions: 2 arrondissements, 20 communes.

Status of French Guiana

On 10 January 2010, the update of the status of French Guiana to an Overseas Collectivity was rejected by referendum. The official results, as given by the Ministry of Overseas, are:

Registered voters: 67,460
Actual voters: 32,486
Valid ballots: 31,729
Voter turnout: 48.16%

Yes: 9,448 (29.78%)
No: 22,281 (70.22%)

The same day, a similar proposal was also rejected in Martinique.

On 25 January 2010, the merging of the General Council and of the Regional Council to form a single collectivity (without changing the status of DOM) was approved by referendum. The official results, as given by the Ministry of Overseas, are:

Registered voters: 67,258
Actual voters: 18,519
Valid ballots: 17,241
Voter turnout: 27.42%

Yes: 9,912 (57.49%)
No: 7,329 (42.51%)

The same day, a similar proposal was also accepted in Martinique.

Ivan Sache, 31 January 2010

Flag of French Guiana

The national flag in French Guiana is the French national flag.

The General Council of French Guiana has adopted unanimuously on 29 January 2010 a flag for the department. Unsurprisingly, this is the flag diagonally divided green-yellow with tyhe red star of the middle, until now the official flag of the UTG workers' union.
"The upper green triangle symbolizes forest while the lower triangle, yellow like gold, represents the numerous underground resources. In the middle, the five-pointed red star symbolizes the socialist orientation of the country". According to the ad hoc commission, the meaning of the star should be modified to "the blood in the middle".
Alain Tien-Liong, President of the General Council, said that "the flag should be hoisted together with the French and European Union flags".

Source: Website of the Genral Council of French Guiana, 29 January 2010

According to an opponent to the flag, the session of the General Council took actually place on 22 January 2010; three General Councillors were not present, all from the opposition group (right), but another five opposition councillors voted for the flag together with the majority.

Ivan Sache & Pascal Vagnat, 31 January 2010

Flag of Region Guyane

Flag of Region Guyane - Image by Ivan Sache, 31 January 2010

The flag of Region Guyane, white with the logo of the Region in the middle, can be seen on a photo taken during the ceremony inaugurating the partnership of the Region with the Air Caraïbes airline (table flag).

The logo of the Region is explained on the website of the Regional Council as follows:
- The upper blue field symbolizes new technologies (Kourou), the yellow star representing the future of the Region;
- The green middle field symbolizes the local fauna and flora;
- The human silhouette and the pirogue symbolize the local culture and history;
- The waves symbolize rivers and communication.

Pascal Vagnat & Ivna Sache, 31 January 2010