Compte-Rendu: Atlas de la Guyane

Summary

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.