Updated January 10, 2020
Guyana: An Overview
Located on the north coast of South America, English-
The opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C),
speaking Guyana has characteristics common of a
led by former President Bharrat Jagdeo (1999-2011), has 32
Caribbean nation because of its British colonial heritage—
seats in the National Assembly. Traditionally supported by
the country achieved independence from Britain in 1966.
Indo-Guyanese, the PPP/C governed Guyana from 1992
Guyana participates in Caribbean regional organizations
until its defeat in the 2015 elections.
and forums, and its capital of Georgetown serves as
headquarters for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), a
Guyana at a Glance
regional integration organization. Current congressional
interest in Guyana is focused on the conduct of general
Population: 782,000 (2018, IMF est.)
elections planned for March 2020, at a time when the
Ethnic groups: Indo-Guyanese, or those of East Indian
country is poised to become a major oil producer.
heritage, almost 40%; Afro-Guyanese, almost 30%; mixed,
20%; Amerindian almost 11% (2012 est. CIA)
Figure 1. Map of Guyana
Area: 83,000 square miles, about the size of Idaho
GDP: $3.9 billion (current prices, 2018 est., IMF)
Real GDP Growth: 4.1% (2018 est.); 4.4% (2019 est.) (IMF)
Per Capita GDP: $4,984 (2018 est., IMF)
Life Expectancy: 69.6 years (2017, WB)
Sources: International Monetary Fund (IMF); Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA), World Bank (WB).
March 2020 Elections
Originally due by September 2020, Guyana’s next national
elections are now scheduled for March 2, 2020, because the
ruling APNU/AFC coalition lost a no-confidence motion in
December 2018. The coalition lost the motion by a vote of
33-32 when an AFC member crossed the aisle to oppose the
government. A legal challenge to the no-confidence vote
ensued and ultimately made its way to the Caribbean Court
of Justice (CCJ). In June 2019, the CCJ ruled that the no-
confidence vote was valid. The opposition had wanted
elections to be held by September 2019, three months after
the CCJ’s ruling. President Granger delayed announcement
of the vote until the Guyana Elections Commission
Source: CRS.
indicated in September 2019 that it would be ready to hold
Current Political Environment
the elections by February 2020. The government has
approved several international groups to serve as electoral
Guyana has a hybrid republican/parliamentary form of
observers, including the Carter Center, the Organization of
government. The presidential candidate of the party or
American States, and the European Union.
coalition receiving the most votes becomes president; the
president in turn appoints the prime minister.
President Granger is running for reelection as the
presidential candidate of the APNU/AFC coalition, with
President David Granger leads a coalition that narrowly
AFC Member of Parliament and Minister of Security
won in 2015, with 33 of 65 seats in the unicameral National
Khemraj Ramjattan the candidate for prime minister.
Assembly. The coalition consists of Granger’s A
Granger was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in
Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for
November 2018 and received treatment in Cuba; in October
Change (AFC), led by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.
2019, Guyanese officials announced that Granger was in
The largest party in the APNU is the People’s National
remission. The PPP/C has selected Irfan Ali as its
Congress Reform (PNCR), which dominated the political
presidential candidate. Ali currently serves as shadow
system from independence until the early 1990s; the party
finance minister and previously served as housing minister.
traditionally has had an Afro-Guyanese base of support. In
Past general elections in Guyana suggest the 2020 race will
contrast, the AFC identifies as a multiracial party.
be close, but some observers, such as the Economist
Intelligence Unit, maintain that the APNU/AFC’s
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Guyana: An Overview
multiparty and cross-ethnic coalition may sustain the
iron/steel pipes for oil drilling, and electrical machinery)
Granger government in power.
and U.S. imports valued at almost $253 million (led by
gold, seafood, and aluminum ores). In 1988, Guyana
Oil Changes Guyana’s Economic Outlook
became a beneficiary of the Caribbean Basin Economic
Guyana’s economy traditionally has been based on
Recovery Act (CBERA), a preferential trade program for
agriculture (rice and sugar) and mining (gold and bauxite),
Caribbean imports. In 2000, it became a beneficiary of the
but it is being bolstered by the discovery of significant
Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA), a
amounts of offshore oil. ExxonMobil leads a consortium
program that provides enhanced tariff treatment for certain
that includes Hess and China National Offshore Oil
imports from the region, including goods made with U.S.
Corporation and has been involved in oil and gas
yarns, fabrics, and threads. CBERA has no set expiration
exploration in Guyana since 2008. Since 2015, the
date; CBTPA expires in September 2020.
consortium has identified 15 commercially viable
discoveries in the Stabroek Block, about 120 miles
U.S. Foreign Aid. U.S. foreign assistance to Guyana
offshore. Production began in December 2019 and is
includes a small bilateral aid program to improve the
expected to reach 120,000 barrels of oil per day (b/d) within
capacity of Guyana’s security forces to police its border and
several months and more than 750,000 b/d by 2025.
provide security, as well as larger spigots of assistance
Recoverable oil is estimated at more than 6 billion barrels.
through global and regional programs. According to the
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), U.S
The discovery of offshore oil vastly changes the economic
aid to Guyana amounted to $5.4 million in FY2017 (latest
development prospects of Guyana, which used to be one of
full year available), with almost half of that for programs to
the hemisphere’s poorest countries. Economic growth
combat HIV/AIDS. Guyana has received assistance to
averaged almost 3.2% from 2015 to 2018 and is forecast to
combat HIV/AIDS over the past 16 years under the
be 4.4% this year, according to the International Monetary
President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
Fund (IMF). With the beginning of oil production,
however, the IMF is forecasting almost 86% growth in
Guyana also receives U.S. assistance through the CBSI, a
2020, with GDP almost doubling to $8.1 billion and per
program begun in 2009 to help combat the drug trade and
capita income growing to over $10,000.
other transnational crime and improve citizen security.
Support for Guyana under the CBSI has included
Guyana’s development of its oil resources has raised
concerns about corruption and the tendency of some oil-rich
the provision of patrol boats to increase the defense
countries to favor oil sector development over other
force’s maritime operations capability;
economic sectors. In early 2019, Guyana’s National
Assembly approved legislation providing a framework for
a community-based program to reduce crime and
the establishment of a Natural Resource Fund for managing
violence and increase opportunities for youth;
Guyana’s oil wealth. The IMF welcomed the action but
called for Guyana to take additional actions, including
support for effective criminal investigations; and
establishing a fiscal responsibility framework to avoid
fiscal deficits; promoting effective, transparent management
workforce development and educational support for at-
of the oil wealth; and strengthening anti-corruption efforts.
risk youth.
U.S.-Guyana Relations
The Peace Corps has a program in Guyana currently staffed
U.S. relations with Guyana have improved since the early
with over 60 volunteers working on education, health, and
1990s, when the government moved away from its socialist
environmental projects.
orientation and one-party domination of the political system
and embraced a market economy and free and fair
According to USAID, the United States also provided
democratic elections. According to the State Department,
almost $3.6 million in humanitarian assistance from
U.S. policy toward Guyana centers on democracy
FY2017 to FY2019 through international organizations for
promotion and civil society development, economic growth,
Venezuelan migrants in Guyana. As of early 2019, there
and the promotion of security and stability.
were over 36,000 Venezuelan refugees and migrants in
Guyana, according to the United Nations.
Bilateral relations are characterized by close security
cooperation through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative
Congressional Interest. As Guyana approaches its March
(CBSI) and expanding trade and investment in the energy
2020 elections, some Members of Congress have stressed
sector. As noted above, ExxonMobil and Hess are currently
the need for the vote to be free, fair, and fully transparent,
involved in the development of Guyana’s offshore oil
particularly as the next government is poised to gain
reserves. Reflecting growing U.S. commercial interest in
considerable proceeds from oil. In addition, legislation has
Guyana, an American Chamber of Commerce in Guyana
been introduced in both houses to extend the CBTPA until
was launched in August 2018.
September 2030 (H.R. 991 and S. 2473).
Trade. The United States ran a trade surplus of $287
Mark P. Sullivan, Specialist in Latin American Affairs
million with Guyana in 2018, with U.S. exports valued at
$540 million, up 43% from 2017 (led by machinery,
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Guyana: An Overview
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