Republic of Independent Guyana

First flag of the Republic of Counani (1886–1887)

The Republic of Independent Guyana, in French La République de la Guyane indépendante, commonly referred to by the name of the capital Counani (rendered "Cunani" in Portuguese by the Brazilians), was a short-lived independent state in South America.

Characteristics

Counani was created in the area that was disputed by France (as part of French Guyana) and Brazil in the late nineteenth century.

The state was founded by French settlers and existed from 1886 to 1891. The territory of the former state of Counani is now located in the Brazilian state of Amapá.

Free State of Counani (1904 - 1912)

1904-1912.

Some years after, in 1904 a French named Adolphe Brezet self-proclamed himself "Président de l'État libre de Counani".

This "special" State had a constitution, a flag and emitted some stamps. It was never recognized by Brazil and France, but the Boers in South Africa opened diplomatic relations with Brezet (who had fought for them previously) during the Boers wars.

See also

• French Guiana

Sources

• (French) L'État libre de Counani ou l'expression d'une Guyane indépendante.
• (French) An account of the two Republics of Counani and some of its postage stamps
• (French) "Annales d'hygiène et de médecine coloniale, Tome quatrième" (1901), about the sanitary situation in Counani, pp. 121 to 128 : p. 121, p. 122, p. 123, p. 124, p. 125, p. 126, p. 127, p. 128.
• (English) http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/br_cunan.html