Abstract EN:

The Maroni river is the border line between french guiana, a french overseas department, and surinam, a developing southamerican country. The cuianese part of this area is populated by all the ethnic groups present elsewhere in french guiana, a pluriethnic country, including some groups that have settled on both sides of the border. These groups, descended from ancient or recent migration waves, have a proper and common history. The reality of the region is two-fold on the one hand, the official system, coming from europe, which is here reaching its limits economically and administratively, and on the other hand a border reality thriving in an informal environment that enables contacts between the various groups. The difference between the standards of living of the two countries creates a situation of exchanges that undermines the development process on the guianese side. But in these contacts, in the movements of this informal sector one can notice the elements of development dynamism.