Demographics of French Guiana explained

The Demographics of French Guiana are characterized by a young population with 44% below the age of 20 as of 2017. The total population stood at 268,700 as of January 1, 2017. The demographic profile is a reflection of the territory's high fertility rates. Regarding nationality, as of 2010, 64.5% of the population had French nationality, while 35.5% were of foreign nationality with significant communities from Suriname, Haiti, and Brazil among others.

Population

According to INSEE the population of French Guiana was 268,700 as of January 1, 2017. The population is very young: 44% are below the age of 20, while only 1.7% are 75 years or older. The age distribution is a reflection of the high fertility rates of French Guiana.

Nationality

On January 1, 2010, 64.5% of the population had French nationality, while 35.5% had a foreign nationality.[1] Of these, Surinamese (13.8% of the total population), Haitians (8.8%) and Brazilians (8.7%) were the largest groups. Smaller groups included people with nationality of Guyana (1.7%), Colombia (1.0%), China (0.5%), the Dominican Republic (0.4%) and Peru (0.2%).

Vital statistics

The total fertility rate in French Guiana has remained high and is today considerably higher than in metropolitan France, and also higher than the average of the French overseas departments. It is largely responsible for the high population growth of French Guiana.[2] [3]

Average population Live birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Natural change (per 1000)Total fertility rate
193624,000355554-19914.823.1-8.3
193724,000408487-7917.020.3-3.3
193824,000381649-26815.927.0-11.2
193924,000333499-16613.920.8-6.9
194024,000436505-6918.221.0-2.9
194124,000437626-18918.226.1-7.9
194224,000453733style="color:red" -28018.930.5style="color:red" -11.7
194324,000422702-28017.629.3-11.7
194424,000474627-15319.826.1-6.4
194524,0006205398125.822.53.4
194624,000515596-8121.524.8-3.4
194724,000539623-8422.526.0-3.5
194825,000529547-1821.221.9-0.7
194925,00060747113624.318.85.4
195025,00059038420623.615.48.2
195126,00055838317521.514.76.7
195227,00078146231930.017.812.3
195327,00072042629426.715.810.9
195428,00090037852232.113.518.6
195529,00094137756432.613.019.5
195629,00094941153832.113.918.2
195730,00099342656733.014.218.8
195831,00094040453630.913.317.6
195931,0001,04346058334.115.019.1
196032,0001,02645157531.413.817.6
196134,0001,06648757931.814.517.3
196235,0001,04141063130.111.818.2
196336,0001,11844667231.112.418.7
196438,0001,21339981432.010.521.5
196539,0001,16140375829.010.119.0
196641,0001,24440184329.59.520.0
196743,0001,28137690529.28.620.6
196845,0001,39040898230.48.921.5
196947,0001,42443199330.09.120.9
197049,0001,5843851,19932.27.824.4
197150,0001,6004001,20031.47.823.5
197252,0001,6703991,27131.77.624.1
197354,0001,4734181,05527.17.719.4
197455,0001,5294351,09427.47.819.6
197557,0001,4764081,06825.67.118.5
197659,0001,4394151,02424.27.017.2
197761,0001,4764631,01324.07.516.4
197863,0001,5684701,09824.57.417.2
197965,0001,7044541,25025.76.918.9
198068,0001,9334681,46528.16.821.3
198171,0002,0924281,66429.36.023.3
198274,0002,3794921,88731.66.525.1
198378,0002,3144891,82528.96.122.8
198483,0002,3194911,82827.35.821.5
198587,0002,4825011,98127.65.622.0
198693,0002,3924911,90125.25.220.0
198799,0002,7005502,15027.25.621.7
1988105,0003,0005502,45028.55.223.2
1989111,0003,3005502,75029.64.924.7
1990113,3513,6065943,01230.85.125.7
1991117,3273,9225833,33932.24.827.4
1992121,4694,0455683,47732.04.527.5
1993125,7864,1135783,53531.54.427.1
1994130,2824,1886183,57031.54.626.8
1995134,9684,2645403,67130.73.926.8
1996139,8484,3315563,77530.43.826.6
1997144,9374,4265983,82830.13.826.3
1998150,2424,6966074,08930.64.026.63.83
1999155,7604,9076484,25930.94.126.83.87
2000162,0185,1496354,51431.23.827.43.94
2001168,6145,1406604,48029.93.926.03.79
2002176,6385,2766694,60729.43.725.73.73
2003184,7925,5537214,83229.73.925.83.77
2004193,1675,3127194,59327.33.723.63.47
2005199,2065,9987055,29329.73.526.23.79
2006205,9546,2767115,56530.13.426.73.80
2007213,0316,3866905,69629.83.226.63.74
2008219,2666,2477625,48528.43.524.93.57
2009224,4696,1716995,47227.43.124.33.50
2010229,0406,0827735,30926.33.323.03.37
2011237,5496,2597145,54526.43.023.43.42
2012239,6486,6097895,82027.23.224.03.60
2013244,1186,4747675,70726.13.123.03.47
2014252,3386,5917865,80525.93.122.83.44
2015259,8656,8068345,97226.23.223.03.44
2016269,3527,2709016,36926.93.323.63.61
2017268,7008,0579647,09329.63.526.13.92
2018276,1287,9958997,09628.73.225.53.82
2019281,6788,1041,0207,08428.63.625.03.82
2020285,1337,9929907,00228.03.524.53.75
2021286,6188,1271,3656,76228.24.723.53.78
2022289,8767,7181,2106,50826.54.222.33.55
2023292,8927,68024.84.020.83.32
2024295,385

Structure of the population

Age GroupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total113 824116 617230 441100
0-414 59113 84928 44012.34
5-914 09013 61827 70812.02
10-1412 84312 02424 86710.79
15-1910 72910 67221 4019.29
20-247 7288 47816 2067.03
25-297 2819 10916 3907.11
30-347 6928 67616 3687.10
35-397 8778 86516 7427.27
40-447 4157 65015 0656.54
45-496 6986 58213 2805.76
50-545 3975 14810 5454.58
55-594 2074 1078 3143.61
60-642 9312 6845 6152.44
65-691 7401 6933 4331.49
70-741 0831 2602 3431.02
75-797529741 7260.75
80-844336191 0520.46
85-892254026270.27
90-94771442210.10
95+3563980.04
Age group MaleFemaleTotalPercent
0-1441 52439 49181 01535.16
15-6467 95571 971139 92660.72
65+4 3455 1559 5004.12
Age GroupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total128 973130 892 259 865 100
0–414 80014 16128 96111.14
5–915 050 14 512 29 56311.38
10–1414 15114 085 28 23710.87
15–1912 15811 78423 9419.21
20–248 9609 56918 5297.13
25–298 6749 89018 5637.14
30–349 2309 84619 0777.34
35–399 068 9 326 18 3947.08
40–448 7018 94917 6506.79
45–497 3577 35914 7155.66
50–546 0426 09112 1334.67
55–595 010 4 9419 9513.83
60–643 9593 7907 7492.98
65-692 5742 4645 0381.94
70-741 496 1 5703 0661.18
75-798609991 8590.72
80-84479758 1 2370.48
85-89257466723 0.28
90-94102254 3560.14
95-9932681000.04
100+1310230.01
Age group MaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–1444 00142 75886 75933.39
15–6479 15981 545160 70461.84
65+5 8136 58912 4024.77
Age GroupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total140 463150 065 290 528100
0–415 21015 35530 56510.52
5–915 253 15 36830 62110.54
10–1415 26515 00630 27110.42
15–1913 69713 89927 5969.50
20–2410 40210 90121 303 7.33
25–298 36710 34518 7126.44
30–349 11911 05120 170 6.94
35–399 17010 90920 0796.91
40–448 8849 65018 5346.38
45–497 8918 78716 6785.74
50–547 2117 41214 6235.03
55–596 1076 37212 4794.30
60–645 0095 16510 1743.50
65-693 7143 7057 4192.55
70-742 4402 5454 9851.72
75-791 3941 5592 9531.02
80-847441 0121 7560.60
85-893975399360.32
90-941182974150.14
95-99421421840.06
100+2946750.03
Age group MaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–1445 72845 72991 45731.48
15–6485 85794 491180 34862.08
65+8 8789 84518 7236.44

Infant mortality rate

The infant mortality in French Guiana is higher than in metropolitan France:[4]

Life expectancy

At birth, life expectancy is 76.2 years for male children, and 82.8 for female (figures for 2011).[5]

Ethnic groups

Estimates of the percentages of French Guiana ethnic composition vary, a situation compounded by the large proportion of immigrants.

Creoles, or Mulattoes (people of mixed African and French ancestry), are the largest ethnic group, though estimates vary as to the exact percentage, depending upon whether the large Haitian community is included as well. Generally the Creole population is judged to be about 60 to 70% of the total population if Haitians (comprising roughly one-third of Creoles) are included, and 30 to 50% without.

Roughly 41,000 people or 14% of the population of French Guiana is of European ancestry. The vast majority of these are of French heritage, though there are also people of Dutch, British, Spanish and Portuguese ancestry.

The main Asian communities are the Chinese (about 3-4%, primarily from Zhejiang province in mainland China and Hong Kong) and Hmong from Laos (1-2%). There are also smaller groups from various Caribbean islands, mainly Saint Lucia as well as Dominica. Other Asian groups include East Indians, Lebanese and Vietnamese.

The main groups living in the interior are the Maroons (formerly called "Bush Negroes") who are from African descent, and Amerindians. The Maroons, descendants of escaped African slaves, live primarily along the Maroni River. The main Maroon groups are the Saramaka, Ndyuka (both of whom also live in Suriname), and Boni (Aluku). The Maroons are the fastest growing ethnic group, and as of 2018 constitute about one-third of the total population with an estimated population of close to 100,000 people.[6]

The main Amerindian groups (estimated population about 10,000[7]) are the Arawak, Carib, Teko (previously called Emerillon), Galibi (now called the Kaliña), Palikur, Wayampi and Wayana. The estimated population for the beginning of the 17th century was 30,000 people. Until the middle of the 20th century, there was a sharp decline in population to almost 1,200 people[8] in 1961 which was mainly caused by European diseases. Improved health care managed to turn the tide.[9]

Languages

French and French Guianese Creole are the most widely spoken languages. There are also several native languages, including Arawakan (Arawak and Palikúr), Cariban (Carib and Wayana), and Tupi-Guarani (Emerillon and Wayampi) languages.[10] Other languages spoken include Hakka Chinese and Javanese.[10] The official language, like for all overseas departments and territories of France, is French.

Religion

The dominant religion of French Guiana is Roman Catholicism; some of the Maroons and Amerindian people maintain their own religions, however large tribes like the Kalina, Ndyuka have been Christianized.[11]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Résultats de la recherche. Insee.fr. 1 August 2017.
  2. Web site: TABLEAU P3D – INDICATEURS GÉNÉRAUX DE LA POPULATION PAR DÉPARTEMENT ET RÉGION. Insee.fr. 2017-07-09. fr.
  3. Web site: United Nations Statistics Division - Demographic and Social Statistics. Unstats.un.org. 1 August 2017.
  4. Web site: Résultats de la recherche - Insee. Insee.fr. 1 August 2017.
  5. Web site: Résultats de la recherche - Insee. Insee.fr. 1 August 2017.
  6. Price. Richard . Maroons in Guyane. New West Indian Guide . 2018. Brill Publishers. New West Indian Guide / Nieuwe West-Indische Gids Volume 92: Issue 3-4. 92 . 3–4 . 275–283 . 10.1163/22134360-09203001 . 134482919 . 5 August 2020. free.
  7. Web site: Une population métissée. Guyane Amazonie. 16 February 2015 . 5 August 2020. fr.
  8. Un pays sous-développé sous-peuplé : l'exemple de la Guyane. Institution française publique de recherche. Michotte Jean. Université de Bordeaux. 5 August 2020. fr. 57.
  9. Les amérindiens de Guyane française aujourd'hui : éléments de compréhension. Françoise Grenand and Pierre Grenand. 1976. Journal de la société des américanistes. Persée. 66 . 1 . fr. 363-364. 10.3406/jsa.1979.3041 .
  10. Web site: French Guiana. Ethnologue.com. 1 August 2017.
  11. Web site: French Guiana. 5 August 2020.