{{short description|Commune in French Guiana, France}} {{Infobox French commune |name = Macouria |commune status = Commune |image = Macouria3.JPG |caption = View of the Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste of Tonate, along the RN1 road |image coat of arms = |map size = 220px |adjustable map = Locator map of Macouria 2022.png |map caption = Location of the commune (in red) within French Guiana |arrondissement = Cayenne |canton = |INSEE = 97305 |postal code = 97355 |mayor = Gilles Adelson<ref>{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|website=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=2 December 2020|language=French}}</ref> |term = 2020–2026 |intercommunality = CA Centre Littoral |coordinates = {{coord|5.0139|-52.4742|format=dms|display=inline,title}} |elevation m = |elevation min m = 0 |elevation max m = 183 |area km2 = 377.5 |population = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}} |population date = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}} |population footnotes = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}} }}
'''Macouria''' ({{IPA|fr|makuʁja}}; {{langx|gcr|label=French Guianese Creole|Makouya}}) is a commune of French Guiana located midway between Cayenne and Kourou, an overseas region and department of France located in South America. The seat of the commune is the settlement of Tonate, and so the commune is also known unofficially as '''Macouria-Tonate'''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://le-codepostal.com/macouria|title=MACOURIA TONATE|website=Le CodePostal|access-date=9 June 2020|language=fr}}</ref> The French Guiana Zoo is located in the commune.<ref name="zoo"/>
== Geography ==
Macouria is one of the smallest cities of French Guiana. The town is separated in the east with Matoury, by the Larivot Bridge, crossing the Cayenne River. Its southern limit is marked by the Montsinéry River, which separates it with the eponymous city. Westward there is Kourou and in the north the town is the Atlantic Ocean.
== Urbanization == The population is mainly located south and along the national road RN1 because of 2 km wide mangrove swamp situated in the North. * From the Larivot bridge to the town centre, on approximately 28 km, there are many villages. * From the town center to Kourou, there are few inhabitants except in the farming areas of "La Césarée" and "Matiti".
The main inhabited zones are: * Maillard : a neighborhood which will host 600 houses on the long run organized around the blue lake, which is a former quarry. * Soula : located in the East of the town not far away from Cayenne. * Matiti: situated 10 km after the town centre, it is based on land given back by the Guiana Space Centre.
== History == The area was first described in 1604 by Daniel de La Touche de La Ravardière. He counted many Amerindian settlements.<ref name="official">{{cite web|url=http://www.macouria.fr/tourisme-et-decouverte/histoire-de-macouria/|title=Histoire de Macouria|access-date=9 June 2020|website=Macouria.fr|language=fr|archive-date=24 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124010331/http://www.macouria.fr/tourisme-et-decouverte/histoire-de-macouria/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Around 1716, the commune was settled with plantations. Tonat build the first house and cotton mill.<ref name="petit">{{cite web|url=https://www.petitfute.com/v36613-macouria-97355/|title=Guide Macouria|access-date=9 June 2020|language=fr|website=Petit Futé}}</ref>
In the middle of the 19th century, Macouria was part of the canton of Cayenne. 1488 slaves stood for 93% of the population of the "neighborhood" led by Jean-Baptiste Tonat. They worked in a plantation called "La Béarnaise". On it, there were : * 25 ha of sugar cane * 8 ha of cofe * 60 ha of roucou *1100 ha of cotton
In tribute to the leader of the neighbourhood Tonat, the zone was called "Tonate Bourg" and given to the state.
In 1848, year of the abolition of slavery some free Africans and 55 Indian migrants arrived in the city. From 1864 to 1970 the population decreased, mainly because of the lack of activity on it.
==Population== {{Historical populations |source = INSEE<ref name=pophist>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/8643952?geo=COM-97305#tableau-POPREF_G1 Population municipale entre 1968 et 2023], INSEE</ref> |percentages = pagr |align = none |graph-pos = right |1967 |384 |1974 |490 |1982 |446 |1990 |2069 |1999 |5050 |2007 |8191 |2012 |10358 |2017 |14202 |2023 |19899 }}
==Sights== The French Guiana Zoo is located in Macouria on the road to Montsinéry.<ref name="zoo">{{cite web|url=https://www.montsinery-tonnegrande.fr/culture-sport-et-loisirs/activites-de-loisirs/zoo-de-montsinnery/ |title=Zoo de Montsinéry |website=Montsinery-Tonnegrande|access-date=18 March 2021|language=fr}}</ref>
==See also== *Communes of French Guiana *Farnous
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.macouria.fr/ Official site] (in French) {{commons category|position=left}}
{{Communes of French Guiana|state=expanded}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Communes of French Guiana Category:Macouria