Updated June 19, 2020
Guyana: An Overview
Located on the north coast of South America, English-
President David Granger leads a coalition that narrowly
speaking Guyana has characteristics of a Caribbean nation
won in 2015, with 33 of 65 seats in the unicameral National
because of its British colonial heritage (the country
Assembly. The coalition consists of Granger’s A
achieved independence from Britain in 1966). Guyana
Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for
participates in Caribbean regional organizations and
Change (AFC), with its Member of Parliament Moses
forums, and its capital of Georgetown serves as
Nagamootoo serving as prime minister. The largest party in
headquarters for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), a
the APNU is the People’s National Congress Reform
regional integration organization.
(PNCR), which dominated the political system until the
early 1990s; the party traditionally has had an Afro-
Figure 1. Map of Guyana
Guyanese base of support. In contrast, the AFC identifies as
a multiracial party.
The opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C),
led by former President Bharrat Jagdeo (1999-2011), has 32
seats in the National Assembly. Traditionally supported by
Indo-Guyanese, the PPP/C governed Guyana from 1992
until its defeat in the 2015 elections.
Guyana at a Glance
Population: 785,000 (2019, IMF est.)
Ethnic Groups: Indo-Guyanese, or those of East Indian
heritage, almost 40%; Afro-Guyanese, almost 30%; mixed,
20%; Amerindian, almost 11% (2012, CIA est.)
Area: 83,000 square miles, about the size of Idaho
GDP: $4.1 bil ion (2019, current prices, IMF est.)
Real GDP Growth: 4.7% (2019 est.); 53% (2020 est.); 6.3%
(2021est.) (constant prices, IMF)
Per Capita GDP: $5,252 (2019, current prices, IMF est.)
Life Expectancy: 69.8 years (2018, WB)
Source: Congressional Research Service.
Sources: International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Economic
Outlook Database, Oct. 2019 and April 2020; Central Intel igence
Guyana currently is facing two enormous challenges—a
Agency (CIA), World Factbook; World Bank (WB), World
political crisis concerning the conduct of the March 2,
2020, elections, and a public health threat due to the
Development Indicators.
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Election observer groups, U.S. officials, and some
March 2020 Elections
Members of Congress (see, for example, H.Con.Res.
Originally due by September 2020, Guyana held early
101) have expressed concern about allegations of
national elections on March 2, 2020, because the ruling
electoral fraud and support the recent electoral recount.
APNU/AFC coalition lost a no-confidence motion in
December 2018 by a single vote. (A legal challenge to the
With regard to COVID-19, as of June 19, 2020, Guyana
motion delayed elections until the Caribbean Court of
reported 12 deaths and 183 confirmed cases. The
Justice ruled in June 2019 that it was valid.) President
economic impact of COVID-19 on Guyana will not be
Granger (running for reelection) is the presidential
as severe as in other Caribbean countries because of
candidate of the APNU/AFC coalition, with AFC Member
Guyana’s recently begun offshore oil production.
of Parliament and Minister of Security Khemraj Ramjattan
Political Environment
the candidate for prime minister. The PPP/C’s candidate,
Irfaan Ali, currently serves as shadow finance minister and
Guyana has a hybrid republican/parliamentary form of
previously served as housing minister.
government. The presidential candidate of the party or
coalition receiving the most votes becomes president, and
Final election results were not released because of fraud
the president appoints the prime minister.
allegations. On March 6, several international election
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Guyana: An Overview
observer missions—from the Organization of American
credibility and transparency.” In a June 5 statement, the
States (OAS), the Carter Center, the European Union (EU),
ambassadors commended President Granger and opposition
and the Commonwealth—maintained that the tabulation of
leader Jagdeo “for their support of the recount and their
results was interrupted and incomplete and called for
clear commitment to abide by the results.” On June 10,
election officials to resume the transparent tabulation of
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said “we look forward to a
votes. Legal challenges delayed the recount, but it was
quick and credible conclusion to the vote recount.”
finally held between May 6 and June 8. It was overseen by
a three-member CARICOM team.
U.S. relations with Guyana have improved since the early
1990s, when the government moved away from one-party
Preliminary recount results showed the opposition PPP/C
domination of the political system and embraced a market
securing enough votes to win the election. Although
economy and free and fair elections. According to the State
Guyana’s chief election officer (CEO) maintained that the
Department, U.S. policy centers on democracy promotion
vote was not free or fair because of numerous irregularities,
and civil society development, economic growth, and the
the CARICOM team concluded that the recount results,
promotion of security and stability. Bilateral relations are
despite some irregularities, were “completely acceptable”
characterized by close security cooperation through the
and reflected the “will of the voters.” On June 16, the
Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) and expanding
chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission directed
trade and investment in the energy sector.
the CEO to prepare a final report on the results of the
elections by June 18, but another legal challenge ensued,
Trade. The United States ran a trade surplus of $540
further delaying the final declaration of election results.
million with Guyana in 2019, with U.S. exports valued at
$672 million, up 24% from 2018 (led by machinery and
Oil Changes Guyana’s Economic Outlook iron/steel pipes for oil drilling) and U.S. imports valued at
Guyana’s economy traditionally has been based on
$132 million (led by seafood, aluminum ores, and gold). In
agriculture (rice and sugar) and mining (gold and bauxite),
1988, Guyana became a beneficiary of the Caribbean Basin
but the discovery of significant amounts of offshore oil is
Economic Recovery Act (CBERA), a preferential trade
bolstering the country’s economy. ExxonMobil leads a
program for Caribbean imports. In 2000, it became a
consortium that includes Hess and China National Offshore
beneficiary of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act
Oil Corporation and has been involved in oil and gas
(CBTPA), a program that provides enhanced tariff
exploration in Guyana since 2008. Since 2015, the
treatment for certain imports from the region, including
consortium has identified 16 commercially viable
goods made with U.S. yarns, fabrics, and threads. CBERA
discoveries in the Stabroek Block, about 120 miles
has no set expiration date; CBTPA expires in September
offshore. Production began in December 2019 and is
2020. Legislation has been introduced in both houses (H.R.
expected to reach 120,000 barrels of oil per day (b/d) within
991 and S. 2473) to extend the CBTPA to September 2030.
several months and more than 750,000 b/d by 2026.
Recoverable oil is estimated at more than 8 billion barrels.
U.S. Foreign Aid. U.S. assistance includes a small bilateral
aid program to improve the capacity of Guyana’s security
The discovery of offshore oil vastly changes the economic
forces to police its border and provide security, as well as
development prospects of Guyana, which used to be one of
larger spigots of assistance through global and regional
the hemisphere’s poorest countries. The International
programs. According to the U.S. Agency for International
Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that economic growth in
Development, U.S aid to Guyana amounted to $4.7 million
2019 reached 4.7%. For 2020, despite the recent decline in
in FY2018 (latest full year available), with top sectors
world oil prices and the economic consequences of the
including HIV/AIDS and basic education and health.
COVID-19 pandemic, the IMF is forecasting 53%
Guyana has received assistance since 2004 to combat
economic growth. Guyana’s development of its oil
HIV/AIDS under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS
resources has raised concerns about corruption. In 2019,
Relief and since 2009 to help combat the drug trade and
Guyana’s National Assembly approved legislation
improve citizen security through the CBSI. Although Peace
providing a framework for the establishment of a Natural
Corps programs worldwide are suspended because of
Resource Fund for managing the country’s oil wealth. The
COVID-19, Guyana had over 60 volunteers working on
IMF welcomed the action but called for Guyana to take
education, health, and environmental projects.
additional steps, including establishing a fiscal
responsibility framework to avoid fiscal deficits; promoting
Among other U.S. aid spigots, the United States also has
effective, transparent management of the oil wealth; and
provided almost $4.8 million in humanitarian assistance
strengthening anti-corruption efforts.
from FY2017 to FY2020 through international
organizations for some 22,000 Venezuelan refugees and
U.S.-Guyana Relations
migrants in Guyana. Most recently, the United States is
In the aftermath of the March 2, 2020, elections, U.S.
providing assistance to help respond to the COVID-19
Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch joined the heads of mission
pandemic through a portion of $2.2 million in health
from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the EU to issue a
funding for the Caribbean and $350,000 in humanitarian
March 6 joint statement expressing “deep concern over
assistance for Venezuelan refugees and host communities.
credible allegations of electoral fraud.” The ambassadors
called on President Granger to avoid a transition of
Mark P. Sullivan, Specialist in Latin American Affairs
government, which they maintained would be
“unconstitutional” because the tabulation process “lacked
IF11381
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Guyana: An Overview
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