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French Guiana is an overseas department of France, and therefore flies the flag of France.The French national flag - the tricolore - consists of three vertical bands of equal width, displaying the country's national colors: blue, white and red. The blue band is positioned nearest the flag-staff, the white in the middle, and the red on the outside. The red and blue colors are Paris’ traditional colors, with blue associated with St. Martin and red with St. Denis. The two colors are also associated with the Virgin Mary, France’s patroness. Occasionally, the colors are used to represent the revolutionary motto: Liberty, Equality, and brotherhood. However, according to the government website, blue and red are the colors of Paris while white was the color of the king. The flag of France is 1.5 times wider than the height.

Besides the national flag, the regional governmnt use regional flags. However, the official regional flag depends on who you talk to. The Regional Council in French Guiana declare the white flag with the silhouette as their regional flag. The Departmental Council adopted the green and yellow flag as the official regional flag of French Guiana. The French Guiana football team uses the green and yellow flag. 

History of the French Guiana Flag

French Guiana was originally inhabited by the Native American people, including Arawak and Kalina. The French first attempted to settle in the area in 1624, but were repelled by the Portuguese. However, the French returned in 1630 and formed settlement in Cayene, making the long journey to French Guiana becaming an overseas department of France. As an overseas department and region of France no other flag was flown on the island except the French tricolor flag. Thus, French flag is the only officially recognized flag of French Guiana. 

National Anthem

• Anthem Title: La Marseillaise (The Marseillaise)
• Music composer and Lyricist: Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle
• Date of Adoption: 1646

Being an integral part of France, the French national anthem is used in French Guiana as the official anthem. Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle composed La Marseillaise in 1792 while in Strasbourg immediately after France declared war with Austria. He titled the song “Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin" (War Song for the Army of the Rhine). Three years later, the song was adopted as the Republic’s national anthem by the French National Convention. 

As an overseas department and region of France, the French Guiana is part of the Eurozone and uses euro as its currency. The region adopted the euro in 2002, the year France adopted the currency. 

Coins

The euro is divided into euro cents, with 100 cents as the smallest denomination. Euro coins are available in several denominations, including 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20, 50c, €1, and €2. All the coins have similar features, with the only difference being the denomination. 

Banknotes

Euro banknotes have similar designs on both sides and are issued in the denomination of €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, € 200, and €500. However, each note has its color, with each dedicated to an artistic period in the history of European architecture. Other features include gateways or windows on observe and bridges on the reverse side.

Historical Currencies of French Guiana

Until 2002, French Guiana used French franc as its currency. Franc was used alongside other banknotes issued for French Guiana from 1888 to 1961 and notes issued for French Antilles. Franc was used until the France and its overseas deparments and regions like French Guiana adopted the use of the euro in 2002.