Which of the following statements with regard to French Guiana is/are correct? 1. French Guiana is an overseas department of France that hosts the primary spaceport of the European Space Agency (ESA) at Kourou. 2. Launching geosynchronous satellites from this territory requires significantly higher fuel usage because the Earth's Coriolis force reaches its maximum intensity at this latitude. Select the answer using the code given below: |ForumIAS

[A] 1 only

[B] 2 only

[C] Both 1 and 2

[D] Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: A

Notes:

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: French Guiana is an integral territory of France. Its Guiana Space Centre at Kourou serves as Europe’s main spaceport for launching Ariane rockets.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Proximity to the Equator () provides a maximal rotational speed boost () to launches heading east, saving fuel rather than consuming more. Furthermore, the Coriolis force is zero at the Equator.