| Apatou | |
|---|---|
| Commune | |
 Canoe taxis at Apatou | |
 Coat of arms | |
 Location of the commune (in red) within French Guiana | |
| Location of Apatou | |
| Coordinates: 5°09′12″N 54°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 (2021–2026) | Moïse Edwin |
| Area | 2,020 km (780 sq mi) |
| Population | 9,818 |
| • Density | 4.9/km (13/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−03:00 |
| INSEE/Postal code | 97360 /97317 |
| French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km (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.
History
The town of Apatou was founded in 1882 as Moutendé. It was renamed after Captain Apatou of the Aluku. 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. In 1891, Apatou mediated between France and the Colony of Suriname with regards to the border, and allied the Aluku with France. He also united all the different tribes on the French side.
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. 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.
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).
Population
| Year | Pop. | ±% 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 | ||
Transport
The villages in the commune could only to be reached by boat from the Maroni River. 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. The road is scheduled to be extended to Maripasoula. Construction work on the section to Papaïchton is planned to begin in 2021.
Sports
Apatou is home to ASC Agouado football team who play at the Stade de Moutendé.
See also
- Communes of French Guiana
- Lucifer Dékou-Dékou Biological Reserve, a wilderness area in the commune.
- Providence, a village in the commune.
References
- "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 4 May 2022.
- "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
- ^ "Guide Apatou". Petit Futé (in French). Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- ^ "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.
- 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) - ^ "The Aluku and the Communes in French Guiana". Cultural Survival. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
- "La route d'Apatou raccommodée". Guyane la Première (in French). Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- "Route Maripasoula-Papaichton : 1 million d'euros par kilomètre". France Guyane (in French). Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- "ASC Agouado". Soccer Way. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
External links
 Communes of French Guiana | |
|---|---|