People and Society of French Guiana

Nationality

French Guianese (singular and plural)

Ethnic Groups

Black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%

Population

321,678

Medical care within French Guiana is limited, and hospital facilities are available only in major urban areas. Patients' rooms in hospitals are primarily open-air facilities; instead of glass panes, hospital windows are fitted with wooden slats. The Centre Hospitalier de Cayenne Andr&eacutee Rosemon is the only full-service hospital in French Guyana. It has the only intensive care and trauma units in the country. Prescription and over the counter medicines can be purchased from pharmacies in the larger cities, however U.S. brands or names may not be available. Portions of French Guiana periodically experience outbreaks of malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever. Appropriate precautions, including mosquito nets, are recommended outside of the major cities.

Life Expectancy at Birth

Life expectancy at birth in French Guiana stands at approximately 77 to 78 years overall, with women typically outliving men by several years. Female life expectancy is estimated at around 81 years, while male life expectancy hovers closer to 74 to 75 years. These figures are broadly comparable to other French overseas territories and reflect the territory's close administrative and healthcare ties to metropolitan France. As an overseas department and region of France, French Guiana benefits from access to the French national healthcare system, which funds hospitals, clinics, and medical services across the territory. The main hospital center, the Centre Hospitalier de Cayenne, serves as the primary referral institution and offers a range of specialized care. This integration with French public health infrastructure has helped push life expectancy well above the regional average for South America and the Caribbean, where overall life expectancy tends to range from the mid-60s to mid-70s. Despite these advantages, French Guiana faces notable public health challenges that create internal disparities in life expectancy. The territory's vast interior, much of which is covered by dense Amazonian rainforest, makes healthcare access difficult for remote and indigenous communities. Malaria remains a concern in jungle regions, and rates of HIV infection are among the highest in any French territory, driven in part by cross-border population movement with neighboring Suriname and Brazil. Infectious disease burdens, poverty in certain areas, and limited transportation infrastructure all contribute to health inequalities between coastal urban centers like Cayenne and the remote interior. Maternal and infant mortality rates in French Guiana remain higher than in metropolitan France, which moderates the overall life expectancy figures when compared to France proper, where life expectancy exceeds 82 years. Ongoing investment in medical infrastructure and public health outreach programs aims to close these gaps over time. The territory's young and rapidly growing population, combined with continued improvements in sanitation, nutrition, and healthcare delivery, suggest that life expectancy figures are likely to improve gradually in the coming decades.

Infant Mortality Rate

Infant mortality in French Guiana reflects a complex public health picture shaped by the territory's unique geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic characteristics. As an overseas territory of France, French Guiana benefits from integration into the French national health system, yet its infant mortality rate remains notably higher than that of metropolitan France and other French overseas departments. The infant mortality rate in French Guiana has been estimated at approximately 8 to 10 deaths per 1,000 live births in recent years, compared to roughly 3 to 4 per 1,000 in mainland France. This disparity highlights persistent challenges despite access to French public health infrastructure and funding. Several factors contribute to the elevated rate. French Guiana's interior regions, particularly those along the Maroni and Oyapock rivers, are home to indigenous Amerindian communities and Maroon populations who face significant barriers to healthcare access. Dense rainforest terrain, limited road networks, and a shortage of medical personnel in rural areas mean that prenatal care and emergency obstetric services are often difficult to reach for expectant mothers in remote villages. Urban centers such as Cayenne and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni have better-equipped medical facilities, but even these areas struggle with overcrowding, driven in part by high birth rates and migration from neighboring countries such as Suriname and Brazil. The influx of undocumented migrants often results in populations who avoid or are unable to access formal healthcare, increasing the risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Neonatal infections, low birth weight, and complications during delivery remain among the primary causes of infant death in the territory. Malaria, which persists in forested interior zones, also poses an indirect risk to maternal and infant health. French health authorities and territorial agencies have implemented targeted programs aimed at improving prenatal screening, maternal nutrition, and postnatal follow-up care, particularly in underserved communities. Despite these efforts, fully closing the gap between French Guiana and metropolitan France in infant health outcomes remains an ongoing public health priority.

Literacy Definition

Age 15 and over can read and write

• Roman Catholic (est)70.0%
• Other (est.)30.0%

French

• French

Crime Information

An increase in criminal activity, such as assault, armed robbery, and theft, and in rare instances a stabbing or shooting, has been reported by Americans traveling in French Guiana, particularly in its major cities. Petty street crime occurs throughout the major cities. Individuals should make sure to keep valuables out of sight, especially if left unattended in an automobile. There have been occasional reports that the local police have not been responsive to U.S. citizen victims of crime. Counterfeit and pirated goods are widely available. It is important to know that not only are bootlegs illegal in the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in French Guiana, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own. In some places you may be taken in for questioning if you don't have your passport with you. In some places, it is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings. In some places driving under the influence could land you immediately in jail. These criminal penalties will vary from country to country. There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States. For example, one can be prosecuted under U.S. law for buying pirated goods. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements with certain countries, and customary international law, if arrested in French Guiana, U.S. citizens have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the nearest U.S. Embassy, located in Paramaribo, Suriname, of your arrest. U.S. citizens arrested in French Guiana also may request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities forward communications from you to the nearest U.S. embassy in Paramaribo, Suriname.