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Roura

Coordinates: 4°43′27″N 52°19′17″W / 4.7242°N 52.3215°W / 4.7242; -52.3215
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For the surname, see Roura (surname).
Roura
Commune
Roura as seen from the Oyak River
Roura as seen from the Oyak River
Coat of arms of Roura
Coat of arms
Location of the commune (in red) within French Guiana
Location of the commune (in red) within French Guiana
Map
Location of Roura
Coordinates: 4°43′27″N 52°19′17″W / 4.7242°N 52.3215°W / 4.7242; -52.3215
CountryFrance
Overseas region and departmentFrench Guiana
ArrondissementCayenne
IntercommunalityCA Centre Littoral
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Jean-Claude Labrador[1]
Area
1
3,902.5 km2 (1,506.8 sq mi)
Population
 (2023)
3,449
 • Density0.8838/km2 (2.289/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−03:00
INSEE/Postal code
97310 /97311
Elevation0–337 m (0–1,106 ft)
(avg. 231 m or 758 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Roura (French pronunciation: [ʁuʁa]) is a commune of French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France in South America. The coastal commune is bordered by Matoury and Montsinéry-Tonnegrande in the North, Kourou and Saint-Elie in the North West and West, and finally by Régina in the South and East. It includes the town of Roura and the village of Cacao, and features vast protected natural areas like the Kaw-Roura Marshland Nature Reserve. The local economy depends on agriculture, and eco-tourism.

History

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The town of Roura was founded in 1675 by Jesuits. In 1786, Marquis de Lafayette attempted an early emancipation of the slaves by allowing small scale agriculture on the savanna Gabriel near Roury. The experiment failed, and was abandoned in 1796.[2] Between 1809 and 1817, Roura was captured by the Portuguese and became part of Brazil. In 1848, slavery was abolished in the island.[3][4]

In 1977, Cacao village was established for Hmong farmers. The population were refugees from Laos who were resettled in French Guiana.[5][6] They settled here as living, and working conditions were similar to their native land.[7]

Geography

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Roura is a commune situated in French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France on the northern coast of South America.[8] The commune's area is approximately 3,902.5 km2 (1,506.8 sq mi). It is bordered by Matoury and Montsinéry-Tonnegrande in the North, Kourou and Saint-Elie in the North West and West, and finally by Régina in the South and East.[9] French Guiana is predominantly covered by dense, equatorial rainforest, part of the vast Guiana Shield, and the coastal strip, where the majority of the population resides, is generally low-lying and swampy. The region experiences a tropical climate with high humidity and consistent temperatures throughout the year.[10][11]

In 1998, the Kaw-Roura Marshland Nature Reserve was established, which covers an area of 94,700 hectares in Roura and Régina.[12][13] Kaw Mountain, standing at 276 m (906 ft) is located in the broader region of Roura Kaw-reserve.[14][15] The Trésor Regional Nature Reserve is a 2,464 hectares nature reserve situated on the flank of the Kaw Mountain.[16] It became a protected area in 2010.[17]

Demographics

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Roura is home to diverse communities, including the Palikur Amerindian community settled in Favard village along the Oyack River and the Hmong village of Cacao, established for refugees from Laos.[18][19][20]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1967 393—    
1974 401+0.29%
1982 943+11.28%
1990 1,314+4.23%
1999 1,791+3.50%
2007 2,823+5.85%
2012 3,050+1.56%
2017 3,783+4.40%
2023 3,449−1.53%
Source: INSEE[21]

Transport

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Image
Road to Kaw

The city of Roura is connected by two major roads. The Route nationale 2 leads to the towns of Régina and Saint-Georges.[22] The RD6 road connects to Kaw. This 70 km-long (43 mi) road follows a thalweg through the forests.[23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Vestiges archéologiques". Roura.gf (in French). Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Histoire de la commune". Roura.gf (in French). Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  4. ^ "L'abolition de l'esclavage en Guyane française (1848)". Persée. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  5. ^ "Cacao: an authentic Hmong village". Guide Vols. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  6. ^ "Bourg de Cacao". Roura.gf (in French). Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Des Hmongs en Guyane". National Association of Elders and Friends of Indochina (in French). Archived from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  8. ^ "Communes de Guyane". data.gouv.fr. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  9. ^ "City of Roura". Map France (in French). Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  10. ^ "French Guiana". Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM). Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  11. ^ "French Guiana". Eurostat. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  12. ^ "Kaw-Roura Marshland Nature Reserve". Petit Futé (in French). Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Guide Kaw". Petit Futé (in French). Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Kaw Mountain". Ohio State University. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  15. ^ "La Réserve Naturelle Nationale de Kaw-Roura". Reserves Naturelles (in French). 15 March 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  16. ^ "Présentation". Reserve Tresor (in French). Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  17. ^ "FR9300073 - Trésor". Inventaire National du Patrimoine Nature (in French). Archived from the original on 14 December 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  18. ^ "Hmong village of Cacao". Guyane Evasion. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  19. ^ "French Guiana: spring water… finally drinkable !". Agence Française de Développement (AFD). Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  20. ^ "Le village palikur de Favard". Journal de la Société des Américanistes. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  21. ^ "Population municipale entre 1968 et 2023". Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Économiques (INSEE). Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  22. ^ "Prudence, nouveau glissement de terrain sur la RN2 à 40 kilomètres de l'intersection de Cacao". Guyane, la Première (in French). May 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  23. ^ "Etude de la biodiversité et des paysages dans le cadre de l'aménagement et l'entretien de la route RD6, communes de Roura et Régina, Guyane" (PDF). Reserves Naturelles (in French). Retrieved 1 June 2020.
[edit]
  • Wikimedia Commons logo Media related to Roura at Wikimedia Commons
  • Official website of the commune (in French)
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