Apatou

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Apatou
Taxis pirogue apatou.JPG
Canoe taxis at Apatou
Blason de la ville d'Apatou en Guyane.svg
Apatou.PNG
Location of the commune (in red) within French Guiana
Location of Apatou
Apatou
Coordinates: 5°09′12″N54°20′10″W / 5.1533°N 54.336°W / 5.1533; -54.336
Country France
Overseas region and department French Guiana
Arrondissement Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
Intercommunality Ouest Guyanais
Government
  Mayor (20212026) Moïse Edwin [1]
Area
1
2,020 km2 (780 sq mi)
Population
 (2021) [2]
9,818
  Density4.9/km2 (13/sq mi)
Time zone UTC−03:00
INSEE/Postal code
97360 /97317
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Apatou (French pronunciation: [apatu] ) is a commune in French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France in South America. Apatou is home to Maroons of the Aluku, Paramacca, Ndyuka, and Saramaka tribes. [3]

Contents

History

The town of Apatou was founded in 1882 as Moutendé. [3] It was renamed after Captain Apatou of the Aluku. [4] In the late 19th century, Apatou was a guide for the explorer Jules Crevaux. On 7 September 1885, Jules Brunetti opened a Catholic mission in the village. [5] In 1891, Apatou mediated between France and the Colony of Suriname with regards to the border, and allied the Aluku with France. [4] He also united all the different tribes on the French side. [3]

Apatou was up to 1969 part of the Inini territory which allowed for an autonomous and self sufficient tribal system for the Maroons without clear borders. [6] Along with the commune, came a government structure, and francisation. Most importantly, it led to the concentration in bigger villages and the near abandonment of smaller settlements. [6]

The commune of Apatou was created on 12 November 1976 by detaching its territory from the commune of Grand-Santi-Papaichton (since then renamed Grand-Santi). [3]

Population

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1967 318    
1974 453+5.18%
1982 618+3.96%
1990 2,451+18.79%
1999 3,628+4.45%
2007 6,357+7.26%
2012 7,257+2.68%
2017 9,241+4.95%
Source: INSEE [7]

Transport

Apatou, 2004 Apatou French Guiana Jan 2004.JPG
Apatou, 2004

The villages in the commune could only to be reached by boat from the Maroni River. [3] In 2010, Route Nationale opened connecting Apatou with Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, and the road network of French Guiana. The road was opened with the Tour of Guiana. [8] The road is scheduled to be extended to Maripasoula. Construction work on the section to Papaïchton is planned to begin in 2021. [9]

Sports

Apatou is home to ASC Agouado football team who play at the Stade de Moutendé. [10]

See also

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References

  1. "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 4 May 2022.
  2. "Populations légales 2021". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Guide Apatou". Petit Futé (in French). Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  4. 1 2 "The explorer as hero: 'Le Fidèle Apatou' in the French wilderness". New West Indian Guide / Nieuwe West-Indische Gids. 78 (3–4): 197–227. 1 January 2004. doi: 10.1163/13822373-90002512 . Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  5. Moomou, Jean (2009). "La mission du père Brunetti chez les Boni de la Guyane française à la fin du xixe siècle". Histoire et missions chrétiennes (in French). 12 (2009/4): 115–144.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. 1 2 "The Aluku and the Communes in French Guiana". Cultural Survival. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  7. Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  8. "La route d'Apatou raccommodée". Guyane la Première (in French). Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  9. "Route Maripasoula-Papaichton : 1 million d'euros par kilomètre". France Guyane (in French). Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  10. "ASC Agouado". Soccer Way. Retrieved 5 September 2020.