Awala-Yalimapo


Awala-Yalimapo is a commune on the north coast of French Guiana, close to the border with Suriname. The seat of the commune is the settlement of Awala where the town hall is located. Other settlements in the commune are: Yalimapo, Ayawande, and Piliwa. The majority of the inhabitants are Kaliña Amerindian people.

History

The commune of Awala-Yalimapo was created on 31 December 1988 by detaching its territory from the commune of Mana. The commune is a protected area for its ecology, flora, and fauna.

Nature

Awala and Yalimapo are French Guiana's northern-most settlements, located just to the south of the région's northernmost point, the beach of Plage des Hattes, the world's largest leatherback turtle nesting site. The Amana Nature Reserve has been established in 1988 to protect the turtles. The reserve covers 14,800 hectares.