Maripasoula, previously named Upper Maroni, is a commune of French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America. With a land area of 18,360 km2, Maripasoula is the largest commune of France. The commune is slightly larger than the country of Kuwait or the U.S. state of New Jersey.

Geography

The Lawa and Maroni Rivers form a natural border with Suriname on the west, and with Brazil on the south.

Villages

Transport

Maripasoula is served by Maripasoula Airport, with services on one commercial passenger airline. The commune can be accessed only by air, or by boat via the Maroni river. The unpaved path between Maripasoula and Papaïchton will be turned into a proper road. Road work has commenced on 20 July 2020 and is scheduled to be completed by 2021. There are plans to extend the Route Nationale from Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni to Maripasoula, however the Route Nationale currently ends south of Apatou.

Climate

Maripasoula has a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Am) and is very warm to hot and humid all year round. Although there is a decline in rainfall between August and November, this is much less marked than in Cayenne and Kourou.

History

The town of Maripasoula was officially founded as Upper Maroni at the end of the 19th century when gold was discovered. In 1953, the residents decided to change the name to Maripasoula. Since the beginning of the 21st century, Maripasoula has been at the heart of a gold rush. The majority of fortune seekers are illegal Brazilian garimpeiro. Efforts by the French gendarme and military to stop the illegal gold mining have resulted in illegal settlements across the Lawa River in Suriname where villages like Antonio do Brinco have sprung up. These villages contain a string of supermarkets, restaurants, bars and brothels, and cater to both the gold prospectors and the town of Maripasoula because of significantly lower prices and convenience. Because of problems with crime in the region, the town was often referred to as "Far West" in the early 2000's, in a reference to the United States' historical Wild West. In August 2020, the development of the first Lycee de Maripasoula for 820 students was announced, and €32 million for construction work between Maripasoula and Papaïchton.

Population

Maripasoula City's inhabitants are known in French as Maripasouliens and Maripasouliennes. They are mainly the Maroon tribes Aluku (aka Boni), the Amerindian Wayana tribe, and the Saint Lucian and Guadeloupean Creoles. Except for residents of the city centre, the commune has a largely tribal population. The town is very ethnically diverse. In 1945, the town centre was home to 45 people, and the entire region was home to 952 people; today the population has increased from 4,507 people in 2006 to 13,227 in 2016.

Sites of interest

Protected buildings and historical monuments

Near the Maroni River, petroglyphs have been found depicting many animals and humans. Other monuments are the Roches gravées de la crique du Marouini à Maripasoula.

National park

Most of the southern territory of Maripasoula makes up most of the area dedicated to the Guiana Amazonian Park. The Biodiversity of the region of the Amazonian rainforest is one of the richest in the world. Bellevue de l'Inini, the highest mountain in French Guiana, is located in Maripasoula.

Notable residents