Updated March 10, 2020
Guyana: An Overview
Located on the north coast of South America, English-
system from independence until the early 1990s; the party
speaking Guyana has characteristics common of a
traditionally has had an Afro-Guyanese base of support. In
Caribbean nation because of its British colonial heritage—
contrast, the AFC identifies as a multiracial party.
the country achieved independence from Britain in 1966.
Guyana participates in Caribbean regional organizations
The opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C),
and forums, and its capital of Georgetown serves as
led by former President Bharrat Jagdeo (1999-2011), has 32
headquarters for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), a
seats in the National Assembly. Traditionally supported by
regional integration organization.
Indo-Guyanese, the PPP/C governed Guyana from 1992
until its defeat in the 2015 elections.
Current congressional interest in Guyana is focused on the
conduct of the March 2, 2020, elections. Some Members of
Guyana at a Glance
Congress have expressed deep concern about allegations of
potential electoral fraud and have called on the Guyana
Population: 782,000 (2018, IMF est.)
Elections Commission (GECOM) to not declare a winner
Ethnic groups: Indo-Guyanese, or those of East Indian
until the completion of a credible vote tabulation process.
heritage, almost 40%; Afro-Guyanese, almost 30%; mixed,
20%; Amerindian, almost 11% (2012, CIA est.)
Figure 1. Map of Guyana
Area: 83,000 square miles, about the size of Idaho
GDP: $3.9 bil ion (current prices, 2018, IMF est.)
Real GDP Growth: 4.1% (2018 est.); 4.4% (2019 est.) (IMF)
Per Capita GDP: $4,984 (2018, IMF est.)
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 held early
national elections on March 2, 2020, because the ruling
APNU/AFC coalition lost a no-confidence motion in
December 2018 by a single vote. A legal challenge to the
no-confidence vote ensued and ultimately made its way to
the Caribbean Court of Justice, which ruled in June 2019
that the vote was valid.
In the March 2, 2020, election, President Granger (running
for reelection) was the presidential candidate of the
APNU/AFC coalition, with AFC Member of Parliament

and Minister of Security Khemraj Ramjattan the candidate
Source: CRS.
for prime minister. Granger was diagnosed with non-
Hodgkin’s lymphoma in November 2018
Political Environment
and received
treatment in Cuba; in October 2019, Guyanese officials
Guyana has a hybrid republican/parliamentary form of
announced that Granger was in remission. The PPP/C
government. The presidential candidate of the party or
selected Irfan Ali as its presidential candidate. Ali currently
coalition receiving the most votes becomes president; the
serves as shadow finance minister and previously served as
president in turn appoints the prime minister.
housing minister. Recent elections suggested that the 2020
race would be close.
President David Granger leads a coalition that narrowly
won in 2015, with 33 of 65 seats in the unicameral National
Final elections result have not been released because of
Assembly. The coalition consists of Granger’s A
alleged discrepancies and allegations of fraud in one of the
Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for
country’s 10 administrative regions, Region 4. On March 6,
Change (AFC), led by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.
several international election observer missions—from the
The largest party in the APNU is the People’s National
Carter Center, the Organization of American States, the
Congress Reform (PNCR), which dominated the political
European Union (EU), and the Commonwealth—issued a
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Guyana: An Overview
joint statement maintaining that the tabulation of results for
U.S. policy toward Guyana centers on democracy
Region 4 was interrupted and remains incomplete and
promotion and civil society development, economic growth,
calling for election officials to resume the transparent
and the promotion of security and stability.
tabulation of votes. A legal challenge by the opposition led
to a court injunction stopping the GECOM’s release of
Bilateral relations are characterized by close security
election results until the court determines whether election
cooperation through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative
officials will need to resume verification of the votes in
(CBSI) and expanding trade and investment in the energy
Region 4. Political tensions have increased in Guyana; one
sector. As noted above, ExxonMobil and Hess are currently
protestor was killed and several others injured on March 7.
involved in the development of Guyana’s offshore oil
reserves. Reflecting growing U.S. commercial interest in
Oil Changes Guyana’s Economic Outlook
Guyana, an American Chamber of Commerce in Guyana
Guyana’s economy traditionally has been based on
was launched in August 2018.
agriculture (rice and sugar) and mining (gold and bauxite),
but it is being bolstered by the discovery of significant
Trade. The United States ran a trade surplus of $540
amounts of offshore oil. ExxonMobil leads a consortium
million with Guyana in 2018, with U.S. exports valued at
that includes Hess and China National Offshore Oil
$672 million, up 24% from 2017 (led by machinery and
Corporation and has been involved in oil and gas
iron/steel pipes for oil drilling) and U.S. imports valued at
exploration in Guyana since 2008. Since 2015, the
almost $140 million (led by seafood, aluminum ores, and
consortium has identified 16 commercially viable
gold). In 1988, Guyana became a beneficiary of the
discoveries in the Stabroek Block, about 120 miles
Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA), a
offshore. Production began in December 2019 and is
preferential trade program for Caribbean imports. In 2000,
expected to reach 120,000 barrels of oil per day (b/d) within
it became a beneficiary of the Caribbean Basin Trade
several months and more than 750,000 b/d by 2025.
Partnership Act (CBTPA), a program that provides
Recoverable oil is estimated at more than 6 billion barrels.
enhanced tariff treatment for certain imports from the
region, including goods made with U.S. yarns, fabrics, and
The discovery of offshore oil vastly changes the economic
threads. CBERA has no set expiration date; CBTPA expires
development prospects of Guyana, which used to be one of
in September 2020. Legislation has been introduced in both
the hemisphere’s poorest countries. Economic growth
houses (H.R. 991 and S. 2473) to extend the CBTPA until
averaged almost 3.2% from 2015 to 2018 and is forecast to
September 2030.
be 4.4% this year, according to the International Monetary
Fund (IMF). With the beginning of oil production,
U.S. Foreign Aid. U.S. foreign assistance to Guyana
however, the IMF is forecasting almost 86% growth in
includes a small bilateral aid program to improve the
2020, with GDP almost doubling to $8.1 billion and per
capacity of Guyana’s security forces to police its border and
capita income growing to over $10,000.
provide security, as well as larger spigots of assistance
through global and regional programs. According to the
Guyana’s development of its oil resources has raised
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), U.S
concerns about corruption and the tendency of some oil-rich
aid to Guyana amounted to $4.7 million in FY2018 (latest
countries to favor oil sector development over other
full year available), with top sectors including HIV/AIDS,
economic sectors. In early 2019, Guyana’s National
basic education, and basic health. Guyana has received
Assembly approved legislation providing a framework for
assistance to combat HIV/AIDS since 2004 under the
the establishment of a Natural Resource Fund for managing
President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The Peace
Guyana’s oil wealth. The IMF welcomed the action but
Corps has a program in Guyana currently staffed with over
called for Guyana to take additional actions, including
60 volunteers working on education, health, and
establishing a fiscal responsibility framework to avoid
environmental projects.
fiscal deficits; promoting effective, transparent management
of the oil wealth; and strengthening anti-corruption efforts.
Guyana also receives U.S. assistance through the CBSI, a
program begun in 2009 to help combat the drug trade and
U.S.-Guyana Relations
other transnational crime and improve citizen security.
In the aftermath of the March 2, 2020, elections, U.S.
Support for Guyana under the CBSI has included the
Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch joined the heads of mission
provision of patrol boats to increase the defense force’s
from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the EU to issue a
maritime operations capability; a community-based
joint statement on March 6 expressing “deep concern over
program to reduce crime and violence and increase
credible allegations of electoral fraud.” The ambassadors
opportunities for youth; support for effective criminal
called on President Granger to avoid a transition of
investigations; and workforce development and educational
government, “which we believe would be unconstitutional
support for at-risk youth.
as it would be based on a vote tabulation process that
lacked credibility and transparency.”
According to USAID, the United States also provided
almost $3.6 million in humanitarian assistance from
U.S. relations with Guyana have improved since the early
FY2017 to FY2019 through international organizations for
1990s, when the government moved away from its socialist
some 22,000 Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Guyana.
orientation and one-party domination of the political system
and embraced a market economy and free and fair
Mark P. Sullivan, Specialist in Latin American Affairs
democratic elections. According to the State Department,
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Guyana: An Overview


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