Brazilians in Guyana

Brazilians in Guyana consists of Brazilian nationals, mostly miners, living in Guyana as well as Guyanese people of Brazilian descent. There are currently about 10,000 Brazilians living in Guyana.[1]

Brazilians in Guyana
Total population
10,000
Regions with significant populations
Georgetown
Languages
Portuguese · English (Guyanese)
Religion
Roman Catholicism
Related ethnic groups
Brazilian diaspora

History

Brazilian mining in Guyana goes back to the early nineties. The influx of Brazilians into the country was largely a result of Brazil's recent mining policies. Significant federal enactments in the early 1990s, saw mining areas curtailed, and mining activity severely restricted, in part due to the growing environmental concern for forest land.[2] In Brazil, the issue of mining in areas like Roraima was also linked to the rights of indigenous peoples. Thus, the influx of Brazilians into the mining industry in Guyana can be seen as a recent phenomenon.

The border between Brazil and Guyana is long and porous. While some high-income Brazilian miners and workers can afford the plane journey from Boa Vista as a means of entering the country, others use the time-tested routes of land and water.

Illegal immigration

Many Brazilian miners came to Guyana illegally. Guyanese police have regularly raided Brazilian hotels to apprehend illegal residents.

See also

References
  1. "Guyana: Caught in Brazil's Net?; Small Nation, New to Free Markets, Fears Loss of Its Identity", The New York Times, 30 March 2000.
  2. "The Brazilian presence in Guyana", Stabroek News, 9 June 2002.
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