French Guiana
National Atlases
The national atlas tradition of French Guiana, though modest in scale, reflects the territory's unique status as a French overseas department. The first volume, published in 1979 as part of the Atlas des départements français d'outre-mer series, was a collaborative effort by CNRS/ORSTOM and CEGET. This atlas, the fourth in the series, focused on the physical and human geography of the region, setting a precedent for systematic cartographic documentation. The second, the Atlas illustré de la Guyane (2001), was produced by the Laboratoire de Cartographie de la Guyane and the Institut d'Enseignement Superieur de Guyane, marking a shift toward local institutional involvement. These atlases are characterized by their thematic breadth, covering topics from natural resources to demographic patterns, and their bilingual (French and English) accessibility. While limited in number, they serve as essential references for understanding the territory's development and have influenced subsequent regional planning and educational materials. Their legacy lies in establishing a cartographic baseline for a region often overlooked in national narratives, providing both scholarly and practical value.
Versions and Their Documents
Contemporary and Later Comment
- Journal Article1982Compte-Rendu: Atlas de la Guyane
Rouleau Bernard
This is an academic review of the Atlas of French Guiana (1980), the third volume in the Atlas of French Overseas Departments series, directed by Professor Guy Lasserre of the CNRS Centre for Tropical Geography, following those of Réunion (1975) and Martinique (1976). The review notes that the atlas comprises 36 color plates accompanied by explanatory texts contributed by over fifty researchers, systematically covering the natural environment (geology, geomorphology, soils, vegetation, hydrology), population distribution and migration, land use, forest and mineral resources, and urban infrastructure. The author highlights the atlas's particular value in revealing French Guiana's sparse inland population, recent coastal urban growth, and distinctive resources such as bauxite and gold, while also pointing out certain shortcomings in map layout and information presentation. Overall, the atlas represents the most comprehensive geographical study of French Guiana to date, with scientific responsibility assumed by C.E.G.E.T. and technical production by the French National Geographic Institute.
- Journal Article1988Compte-Rendu: Atlas des départements français d'outre-mer. IV : La Guyane
Nardin Jean-Claude
This is an academic review of the fourth volume of the Atlas of French Overseas Departments, dedicated to French Guiana. Published in 1979 by the CNRS Center for Tropical Geography and ORSTOM, the atlas comprises 88 pages and 36 color maps. The review notes that this volume concludes the series, as Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and Mayotte did not become overseas departments. Compared to previous volumes, the Guiana atlas is distinctive in its collaborative production and in its subject: despite its vast area, Guiana is sparsely populated and economically underdeveloped. The atlas provides a comprehensive description of Guiana's persistent development failures, but the reviewer argues that it does not definitively explain them, unlike Jean Hurault's 1972 work, because semi-official publications avoid critical questions such as the absence of a local entrepreneurial class. Citing historical archives, the review suggests that Guiana once had economic potential, but lack of local initiative was a significant factor in its negative outcomes.
From the Physical Collection
Photographs are being prepared for this hall.