KEY ISSUES
SOCIOECONOMIC CONDITIONS
Compared to metropolitan France, two to four times more people live below the poverty line in Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana.1 In French Guiana, the rugged topography and uneven distribution of health centres limit access to health services, while access to clean drinking water remains a challenge especially in the interior and marginal urban areas.2
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
In French Guiana, indigenous peoples account for roughly five per cent of the population residing mainly in remote areas which lack basic infrastructure and access to services.3 Gold mining has given rise to environmental problems such as water pollution, deforestation and malaria transmission, which have negatively affected the population’s health and traditional economies.2
MIGRANT POPULATIONS
In recent years, French Guiana has become a key destination and transit point for migrants and asylum-seekers hoping to reach Europe, including Cubans, Haitians and Venezuelans. However, significant response gaps remain due to a lack of reception centres and limited funding.4 Haitians represent the largest immigrant group in the French Caribbean, many of whom are irregular migrants subject to a range of abuses, the constant threat of deportation and face limited access to basic services.5
Disclaimer
- UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
- To learn more about OCHA’s activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.
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