Brazilians in French Guiana Brazilians in French Guiana Nearly half of all Brazilians in France live in the overseas region of French Guiana, including many who have crossed the 730 km border illegally. While Brazilian citizens may travel to Metropolitan France without a visa, they do need a visa to enter French Guiana. As is the case in neighbouring Guyana and Suriname, many Brazilian migrants are gold miners. As of 2012, there are about 70,000 Brazilians in French Guiana. French Guiana continues to be a popular destination for illegal miners from neighbouring Brazil for three reasons: the price of gold has dramatically increased created
Guiana Shield Guiana Shield The Guiana Shield is one of the three cratons of the South American Plate. It is a 1.7 billion-year-old Precambrian geological formation in northeast South America that forms a portion of the northern coast. The higher elevations on the shield are called the Guiana Highlands, which is where the table-like mountains called tepuis are found. The Guiana Highlands are also the source of some of the world's most spectacular waterfalls such as Angel Falls, Kaieteur Falls and Kuquenan Falls. The Guiana Shield underlies Guyana (previously British Guiana), Suriname (previously Dutch Guiana) and French Guiana (or Guyane), most of