Cayenne, << ky EHN or kay EHN >> (pop. 60,580), is the capital and largest city of French Guiana, a French possession in South America. The city lies on the coast along the Atlantic Ocean.
Cayenne is a shipping center. Its industries include the production of diamonds, gold, rice, sugar cane, and timber. It has an international airport and modern hotels. The city also has many old colonial buildings that are used as museums and government offices.
Cayenne was founded by the French in 1643, but it was not permanently settled until 1664. France gained control of what is now French Guiana in 1667. In 1854, France turned French Guiana into a colony for prisoners. The prisons were closed in 1945.
