Between Brazil and French Guiana (17th – 19th century), borders or boundaries?

Abstract

The border between the Portuguese colonies and then Brazil and French Guiana was established late, in 1900. This relative delay is explained first of all in the long term by the fact that the countries concerned have little control over the surrounding territories constituted by the interior of French Guiana, and on the Brazilian side of the present-day Amapa and part of Para. Their size makes us prefer the expression of “confines” rather than “margins”. The relative eclipse of sovereignty allows all kinds of activities and settlements, the main lines of which are mentioned here. The settlement of the frontier question in 1900 was part of the context of the gold rush and the affirmation of nationalism. Finally, the spaces concerned remain perhaps until our days sometimes confines.