Kourou
Encyclopedia
Kourou is a commune
in French Guiana
, an overseas region and department of France
located in South America
.
Kourou is the location of the Guiana Space Centre, France and ESA's main spaceport
.
at the mouth of the Kourou River
on the Atlantic coast, it is ringed by four hills: Carapa, Pariacabo, Café and Lombard, with the Singes and Condamine mountains not far behind. There are three lakes within the city limits: Lake Bois Diable (where one can take lessons in jetski and other aquatic sports), Lake Marie-Claire (the smallest and calmest), and Lake Bois Chaudat (the biggest of the three; also open to sport lovers, especially canoers and kayakers). Long white sand beaches and some rocky outcrops line its ocean coast, the riverbank and all points inland consisting mostly of mangrove and dense tropical rainforest.
It had a fast-growing population of 19,107 inhabitants at the 1999 census. Its inhabitants can be classified into three ethnic groups of roughly equal size:
The Saramaka mostly settled in the quartier Saramaka, along the river. Much of it burned down in a fire in 2006, and hasn't yet fully recovered.
Guiana in general has a high level of crime compared to the rest of France's départements; Kourou has an average of two armed robberies a day. A march protesting the high level of insecurity felt by most of the population was held in Kourou on 27 October 2006. Shopkeepers of Chinese descent in particular are often targeted by armed robbers, their cash registers emptied and some products stolen.
Kourou is the port of departure for those going to the îles du Salut
, of which the most famous is Devil's Island
. It is also common for many to go up the river in canoes on weekends to camp in the forest.
The Guiana Space Centre, where the European Space Agency
starts missions, is located a little behind and outside the town. Part of the town and the islands are closed during rocket launches.
There is a place not far from the town called les Roches Gravées ("The Carved Rocks"), where indigenous art can be seen on the rock walls.
sailed along most of the north coast of South America and passed by the current location of Kourou in 1500.
The Jesuits Lombard and Creuilly baptised a few Galibis at the church of Saint Nicholas in Cayenne in December 1710 and returned with them soon after to farm the land at Guatémala, across the river from Kourou. The Society of Jesus
was disbanded (in Guiana) in 1762, however, and Kourou was nothing more than a small village until the arrival of the Expedition.
In 1744, La Condamine
, in charge of the expedition sent to Peru in 1735 to determine the length of a degree of the meridian arc
in the neighbourhood of the equator, passed by and gave his name to one of the mountains behind Kourou.
That same year, 1763, as agreed in the Treaty of Paris
, Great Britain
took control of New France
. Having lost their largest and richest colony, the French decided to send a large expedition to Guiana, commanded by Choiseul
. Around 10,000 to 12,000 people, mostly Frenchmen, tempted by stories of an El Dorado
on the other side of the ocean, settled in Kourou.
The small town, surrounded by marshes and rainforest, was unprepared for such a massive influx of people, and around 6,000 of the pioneers died within the year due to fevers and other illnesses. Those remaining fled to the îles du Salut
, free of mosquitoes due to constant winds, to recover before being repatriated to Metropolitan France
. Hence the name, "Salvation Islands." Previously they had been known as the îles du Diable ("Devil's Islands"), and one of the islands retains the name to this day.
The failure of the Expedition only served to discourage settling in Guiana. The colony earned the nickname Enfer Vert ("Green Hell"), which it is still trying to shake. No other project of mass colonisation was undertaken, and the population of Whites was always drastically lower than that of the slaves. The population of the colony, of all races, did not rise above 20,000 until the gold rush (starting in 1855), the second abolition of slavery in 1848 and the founding of the prisons.
Off the coast, the Îles du Salut
also became prisons starting in 1852, holding mostly political prisoners and some of the toughest criminals. The first prisoners arrived in 1862.
The prisons were shut down by law in 1938, stopping the transport of prisoners, but it wasn't truly closed until 1946, and the last repatriations were only done in 1953.
Most of the prison buildings were demolished to make room for the Hôtel des Roches, but some vestiges of that period remain. The Dreyfus Tower, where the river meets the ocean, was used to communicate with the islands via Morse code
. The ruins of the prison bakery are now on private property - but can be seen from a cul-de-sac -, and a fountain remains near the moucaya palm trees.
(Guiana Space Centre) was founded a little behind the town, and the urbanisation of Kourou began in earnest. The population of the town grew rapidly, and has not showed any signs of slowing since.
The 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment
of the French Foreign Legion
, whose mission is to protect the CSG, has had a base in the Forget neighbourhood since 1973. They clashed with the Creoles in 1985 and 2006.
and the Italian Vega
beginning in 2011.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in French Guiana
French Guiana
French Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...
, an overseas region and department of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
located in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
Kourou is the location of the Guiana Space Centre, France and ESA's main spaceport
Spaceport
A spaceport or cosmodrome is a site for launching spacecraft, by analogy with seaport for ships or airport for aircraft. The word spaceport, and even more so cosmodrome, has traditionally been used for sites capable of launching spacecraft into orbit around Earth or on interplanetary trajectories...
.
Geography
Some 60 km (37.3 mi) northwest of the capital CayenneCayenne
Cayenne is the capital of French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America. The city stands on a former island at the mouth of the Cayenne River on the Atlantic coast. The city's motto is "Ferit Aurum Industria" which means "Work brings wealth"...
at the mouth of the Kourou River
Kourou River
The Kourou is a 112 km long river in French Guiana. The town of Kourou is located at its estuary, which is generally used as a pleasure port.Like the river Amazon, it has brown, muddy waters due to sediments picked up from the forest...
on the Atlantic coast, it is ringed by four hills: Carapa, Pariacabo, Café and Lombard, with the Singes and Condamine mountains not far behind. There are three lakes within the city limits: Lake Bois Diable (where one can take lessons in jetski and other aquatic sports), Lake Marie-Claire (the smallest and calmest), and Lake Bois Chaudat (the biggest of the three; also open to sport lovers, especially canoers and kayakers). Long white sand beaches and some rocky outcrops line its ocean coast, the riverbank and all points inland consisting mostly of mangrove and dense tropical rainforest.
It had a fast-growing population of 19,107 inhabitants at the 1999 census. Its inhabitants can be classified into three ethnic groups of roughly equal size:
- Indigenous peoples (mostly Kalina - also called Galibi), CreolesCreole peoplesThe term Creole and its cognates in other languages — such as crioulo, criollo, créole, kriolu, criol, kreyol, kreol, kriulo, kriol, krio, etc. — have been applied to people in different countries and epochs, with rather different meanings...
, MaroonsMaroon (people)Maroons were runaway slaves in the West Indies, Central America, South America, and North America, who formed independent settlements together...
(Boni and SaramakaSaramakaThe Saramaka or Saramacca are one of six Maroon peoples in the Republic of Suriname. The word "Maroon" comes from the Spanish cimarrón, itself derived from an Arawakan root; by the early 16th century it was used throughout the Americas to designate slaves who successfully escaped from slavery.-...
), - Whites (mostly French, from Metropolitan FranceMetropolitan FranceMetropolitan France is the part of France located in Europe. It can also be described as mainland France or as the French mainland and the island of Corsica...
), and - Foreigners (BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ians, SurinameSurinameSuriname , officially the Republic of Suriname , is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as...
se, HmongHmong peopleThe Hmong , are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the Miao ethnicity in southern China...
, HaitiHaitiHaiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
ans, GuyaneseGuyanaGuyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
, etc.)
The Saramaka mostly settled in the quartier Saramaka, along the river. Much of it burned down in a fire in 2006, and hasn't yet fully recovered.
Guiana in general has a high level of crime compared to the rest of France's départements; Kourou has an average of two armed robberies a day. A march protesting the high level of insecurity felt by most of the population was held in Kourou on 27 October 2006. Shopkeepers of Chinese descent in particular are often targeted by armed robbers, their cash registers emptied and some products stolen.
Kourou is the port of departure for those going to the îles du Salut
Îles du Salut
The Îles du Salut are a group of small islands of volcanic origin about 11 km off the coast of French Guiana in the Atlantic Ocean...
, of which the most famous is Devil's Island
Devil's Island
Devil's Island is the smallest and northernmost island of the three Îles du Salut located about 6 nautical miles off the coast of French Guiana . It has an area of 14 ha . It was a small part of the notorious French penal colony in French Guiana until 1952...
. It is also common for many to go up the river in canoes on weekends to camp in the forest.
The Guiana Space Centre, where the European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
starts missions, is located a little behind and outside the town. Part of the town and the islands are closed during rocket launches.
Before the Europeans
Not much is known of the pre-colonial era. The area was mostly populated by Kalina, or Galibi before the arrival of the French in the late 17th century.There is a place not far from the town called les Roches Gravées ("The Carved Rocks"), where indigenous art can be seen on the rock walls.
Early colonization
Vicente Yanez PinzonVicente Yáñez Pinzón
Vicente Yáñez Pinzón was a Spanish navigator, explorer, and conquistador, the youngest of the Pinzón brothers...
sailed along most of the north coast of South America and passed by the current location of Kourou in 1500.
The Jesuits Lombard and Creuilly baptised a few Galibis at the church of Saint Nicholas in Cayenne in December 1710 and returned with them soon after to farm the land at Guatémala, across the river from Kourou. The Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
was disbanded (in Guiana) in 1762, however, and Kourou was nothing more than a small village until the arrival of the Expedition.
In 1744, La Condamine
Charles Marie de La Condamine
Charles Marie de La Condamine was a French explorer, geographer, and mathematician. He spent ten years in present-day Ecuador measuring the length of a degree latitude at the equator and preparing the first map of the Amazon region based on astronomical observations.-Biography:Charles Marie de La...
, in charge of the expedition sent to Peru in 1735 to determine the length of a degree of the meridian arc
Meridian arc
In geodesy, a meridian arc measurement is a highly accurate determination of the distance between two points with the same longitude. Two or more such determinations at different locations then specify the shape of the reference ellipsoid which best approximates the shape of the geoid. This...
in the neighbourhood of the equator, passed by and gave his name to one of the mountains behind Kourou.
The expedition
The mission at Kourou being abandoned by the Jesuits, the engineers Mentelle and Tugny designed the layout of the future town. This resulted in the neighbourhood called the Bourg, around the Church of Saint Catherine and next to the port on the river.That same year, 1763, as agreed in the Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1763)
The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War...
, Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
took control of New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
. Having lost their largest and richest colony, the French decided to send a large expedition to Guiana, commanded by Choiseul
Étienne François, duc de Choiseul
Étienne-François, comte de Stainville, duc de Choiseul was a French military officer, diplomat and statesman. Between 1758 and 1761, and 1766 and 1770, he was Foreign Minister of France and had a strong influence on France's global strategy throughout the period...
. Around 10,000 to 12,000 people, mostly Frenchmen, tempted by stories of an El Dorado
El Dorado
El Dorado is the name of a Muisca tribal chief who covered himself with gold dust and, as an initiation rite, dived into a highland lake.Later it became the name of a legendary "Lost City of Gold" that has fascinated – and so far eluded – explorers since the days of the Spanish Conquistadors...
on the other side of the ocean, settled in Kourou.
The small town, surrounded by marshes and rainforest, was unprepared for such a massive influx of people, and around 6,000 of the pioneers died within the year due to fevers and other illnesses. Those remaining fled to the îles du Salut
Îles du Salut
The Îles du Salut are a group of small islands of volcanic origin about 11 km off the coast of French Guiana in the Atlantic Ocean...
, free of mosquitoes due to constant winds, to recover before being repatriated to Metropolitan France
Metropolitan France
Metropolitan France is the part of France located in Europe. It can also be described as mainland France or as the French mainland and the island of Corsica...
. Hence the name, "Salvation Islands." Previously they had been known as the îles du Diable ("Devil's Islands"), and one of the islands retains the name to this day.
The failure of the Expedition only served to discourage settling in Guiana. The colony earned the nickname Enfer Vert ("Green Hell"), which it is still trying to shake. No other project of mass colonisation was undertaken, and the population of Whites was always drastically lower than that of the slaves. The population of the colony, of all races, did not rise above 20,000 until the gold rush (starting in 1855), the second abolition of slavery in 1848 and the founding of the prisons.
The Prisons
Kourou contained one of the many prisons in Guiana. It was dedicated mostly to agriculture.Off the coast, the Îles du Salut
Îles du Salut
The Îles du Salut are a group of small islands of volcanic origin about 11 km off the coast of French Guiana in the Atlantic Ocean...
also became prisons starting in 1852, holding mostly political prisoners and some of the toughest criminals. The first prisoners arrived in 1862.
The prisons were shut down by law in 1938, stopping the transport of prisoners, but it wasn't truly closed until 1946, and the last repatriations were only done in 1953.
Most of the prison buildings were demolished to make room for the Hôtel des Roches, but some vestiges of that period remain. The Dreyfus Tower, where the river meets the ocean, was used to communicate with the islands via Morse code
Morse code
Morse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment...
. The ruins of the prison bakery are now on private property - but can be seen from a cul-de-sac -, and a fountain remains near the moucaya palm trees.
The CSG and the French Foreign Legion Arrive
In 1965 the Centre Spatial GuyanaisCentre Spatial Guyanais
The Guiana Space Centre or, more commonly, Centre Spatial Guyanais is a French spaceport near Kourou in French Guiana. Operational since 1968, it is particularly suitable as a location for a spaceport due to its proximity to the equator, and that launches are in a favourable direction over water...
(Guiana Space Centre) was founded a little behind the town, and the urbanisation of Kourou began in earnest. The population of the town grew rapidly, and has not showed any signs of slowing since.
The 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment
3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment
The 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment in the French Foreign Legion. The regiment is stationed in French Guiana, protecting the Centre Spatial Guyanais.-World War I:...
of the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
, whose mission is to protect the CSG, has had a base in the Forget neighbourhood since 1973. They clashed with the Creoles in 1985 and 2006.
Economy
Kourou's economy is largely dominated by the CSG, from which the European Ariane rockets are launched, as will the Russian SoyuzSoyuz programme
The Soyuz programme is a human spaceflight programme that was initiated by the Soviet Union in the early 1960s, originally part of a Moon landing project intended to put a Soviet cosmonaut on the Moon...
and the Italian Vega
Vega (launcher)
Vega is an expendable launch system being developed for Arianespace jointly by the Italian Space Agency and the European Space Agency. Development began in 1998 and the first launch, which will take place from the Guiana Space Centre, is planned for early 2012...
beginning in 2011.
Tourism
- The Centre Spatial GuyanaisCentre Spatial GuyanaisThe Guiana Space Centre or, more commonly, Centre Spatial Guyanais is a French spaceport near Kourou in French Guiana. Operational since 1968, it is particularly suitable as a location for a spaceport due to its proximity to the equator, and that launches are in a favourable direction over water...
(CSG) gets many visitors all year round. - The Musée de l'Espace is a museum devoted to space and space exploration.
- The Îles du SalutÎles du SalutThe Îles du Salut are a group of small islands of volcanic origin about 11 km off the coast of French Guiana in the Atlantic Ocean...
: Of the three islands, only two, Île RoyaleÎle RoyaleÎle Royale is the largest and westernmost island of the three Îles du Salut, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of French Guiana. As the largest island, with an area of 28 hectares, it was used as the centre for administration when the islands were used as a penal settlement. With an elevation of...
and Île Saint-JosephÎle Saint-JosephÎle Saint-Joseph is the southernmost island of the three Iles du Salut in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of French Guiana. Twenty hectares in size, it is the middle in size. During the period when the islands were used as a penal colony, the island was reserved for solitary confinement. At an...
, can be visited. The third is Devil's IslandDevil's IslandDevil's Island is the smallest and northernmost island of the three Îles du Salut located about 6 nautical miles off the coast of French Guiana . It has an area of 14 ha . It was a small part of the notorious French penal colony in French Guiana until 1952...
. - Les Roches gravées: Indigenous rock art, not far from the small industrial zone called Pariacabo.
- There are several marked public footpaths in the jungle, of which the most well-known and used is the one on the Montagne des Singes.
- Kourou River: Many people go up the river on canoes or small boats to camp along the shore in open dwellings, or simply in hammocks.
- The ocean may not be clear (it is brown due to the Amazonian silt), but both it and the beaches are clean.
External links
- Town Hall
- Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG)
- Musée de l'Espace
- Blada, all-purpose message board and newspaper for Guiana in general and Kourou in particular (in French).