Les Îles du Salut | French Guiana

Postcard

The Îles du Salut are a group of small islands of volcanic origin about 11 km off the coast of French Guiana. The islands were part of a penal colony from 1852 onwards for only the worst criminals of France. The main part of the penal colony was a labor camp stretched along the border with Dutch Guiana, which today is Surinam. 

Stamp

Being a French overseas department, French Guiana uses French stamps. The number on the postmark (25926A) is the code for Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, a place located near the border with Suriname.

Thank you so much Cheryll!

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Launching an Ariane 503 from Kourou, French Guiana

Postcard

Europe's Spaceport is situated in the northeast of South America in French Guiana, an overseas department of France. In 1964 the French Government chose Kourou, from 14 other sites, as a base from which to launch its satellites.

Stamp

A label.

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France and South America in one postcard from Guyane

Postcard

French Guiana (officially just Guyane) 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. Its 83,534 km² have a very low population density of less than three inhabitants per km², with almost half of its 229,000 people in 2009 living in the urban area of Cayenne, its capital.

The addition of the adjective "French" in English comes from colonial times when five such colonies existed, namely from west to east: Spanish Guiana (now Venezuela), British Guiana (now Guyana), Dutch Guiana (now Suriname), French Guiana, and Portuguese Guiana (now Amapá, a state in far northern Brazil). The two smaller north eastern countries, Guyana and Suriname, together with French Guiana are still often collectively referred to as the Guianas and compromise one large shield landmass.

(source: wikipedia)

Stamp

A label.

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