Saül, French Guiana

Saül is a commune of French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America.

Saül
Commune
Saül's airfield: the terminal building
Location of the commune (in red) within French Guiana
Location of Saül
Coordinates: 3°37′22″N 53°12′34″W
CountryFrance
Overseas region and departmentFrench Guiana
ArrondissementSaint-Laurent-du-Maroni
IntercommunalityOuest Guyanais
Government
 • Mayor (2014-2020) Marie-Hélène Charles
Area
1
4,475 km2 (1,728 sq mi)
Population
 (2017-01-01)[1]
152
 • Density0.034/km2 (0.088/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−03:00
INSEE/Postal code
97352 /97314
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

It is very remote, surrounded by dense rainforest and, because there are no roads to the town, can only be reached by airplane.[2] The village is located in the centre of French Guiana where springs give rise to three major rivers: the Mana, the Inini, and the Approuague River.[3]

The principal activities in the town are gold mining and trekking through the many rainforest trails.[4] There is a tourist camp (Larozaly) and hotel (Les Eaux Claires) in the town.

History

In 1910, Sahul from Saint Lucia arrived in the area and discovered gold.[3] His discovery resulted in the establishment of the village of Saül whose population peaked at 800 people.[5] Between 1930 and 1946, Saül was part of the Territory of Inini which did not provide education for its inhabitants. Saül was one of the first villages to receive a primary school.[6] In 1952, a 150 kilometer track was constructed between Saül via Bélizon to the road leading to Cayenne by the Guinese Mining Bureau in order to develop the gold mine at Saül. The cost of the track was more expensive than the gold production which had started to decline, and was abandoned in 1960.[7] The village had less than 100 inhabitants in the early 21st century.[3]

Economy

Saül is situated in the Amazonian Forest and is not connected to any road system. Saül's economy is based on eco and scientific tourism. Tourists can reach the town by plane thanks to Air Guyane Express.[2] In July 2008, the REXMA corporation made an application for a gold mining permit. Due to environmental concerns, the French Government postponed the decision in October 2008. On 26 October 2012, Arnaud Montebourg, the French Industry Minister, approved the permit. The Mayor and the council were shocked by this decision as they are promoting and living off eco tourism.[8]

The inhabitants of Saül, the botanist Scott Mori, politicians such as Chantal Berthelot and José Gaillou, and many organizations like IUCN, Fédération Guyane Nature Environment and Rainforest Rescue protested against the decision to reward the permit.[9] Opposition grew from the possibility that the mine would cause the partial destruction of the Guiana Amazonian Park and the decline of water quality.

Climate
Climate data for Saul
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 29
(84)		 28
(83)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 29
(85)		 30
(86)		 31
(88)		 33
(91)		 33
(91)		 32
(90)		 30
(86)		 30
(86)
Average low °C (°F) 21
(69)		 22
(71)		 22
(71)		 22
(71)		 22
(72)		 21
(69)		 19
(67)		 20
(68)		 20
(68)		 21
(69)		 21
(70)		 21
(69)		 21
(70)
Average precipitation cm (inches) 25
(10)		 27
(10.6)		 31
(12.4)		 26
(10.1)		 33
(13)		 22
(8.8)		 13
(5)		 12
(4.6)		 5.3
(2.1)		 3.8
(1.5)		 9.7
(3.8)		 13
(5.3)		 221
(87.2)
Source: Weatherbase [10]
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See also

References
  1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  2. "Saül". Parc Amazonien Guyane (in French). Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  3. Marc Gayot. "Forest trails : Footpaths around Saül". Geographic Guianas. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  4. "Guide Saül". Petit Futé (in French). Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  5. "Le Bon Air Antilles Guyane #16". Slideshare (in French). Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  6. Michotte Jean. Un pays sous-développé sous-peuplé : l'exemple de la Guyane. Institution française publique de recherche (Thesis) (in French). Université de Bordeaux. p. 115. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  7. "Saül, si loin et si proche". Blada (in French). Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  8. "Gold mine approved in French Guiana's only national park". Mongabay News (in French). Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  9. "Guiana's living treasures are more valuable than gold". 2013. Retrieved on March.11.2013.
  10. "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Saul, French Guiana". Weatherbase. 2011. Retrieved on November 24, 2011.
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