SAINT-LAURENT DU MARONI

port, northwest French Guiana, on the east bank of the Maroni River opposite Albina, Suriname. It was formerly headquarters of the country's penal colonies and the site of the largest prison, closed in 1944. Apart from its port facilities, local economic activities include sawmilling, boat repairing, and sugarcane cultivation. Pop. (1990) 5,042.