Updated October 27, 2020
Guyana: An Overview
Located on the north coast of South America, English-
coalition receiving the most votes becomes president, and
speaking Guyana has characteristics of a Caribbean nation
the president appoints the prime minister.
because of its British colonial heritage (the country became
independent in 1966). Guyana participates in Caribbean
Current President Ali defeated incumbent President David
regional organizations, and its capital Georgetown serves as
Granger (elected in 2015), who led a coalition consisting of
headquarters for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), a
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance
regional integration organization.
for Change (AFC). In the National Assembly, Ali’s PPP/C
took a majority of 33 seats, the APNU/AFC coalition won
Figure 1. Map of Guyana
31 seats, and a smaller party won the remaining seat. Ali
appointed retired military leader Mark Phillips as prime
minister and former President Bharrat Jagdeo (1999-2011)
as vice president. Some observers contend that Jagdeo, who
was constitutionally prohibited from seeking a third term, is
playing a key role in policy decisions.
Traditionally supported by Indo-Guyanese, the PPP/C
governed Guyana from 1992 until its defeat in the 2015
elections. The largest party in the opposition APNU is the
People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), which
dominated the political system from independence until
1992; the party traditionally has had an Afro-Guyanese base
of support. The AFC identifies as a multiracial party.
Guyana at a Glance
Population: 787,000 (2020, 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: $6.8 bil ion (2020, current prices, IMF est.)
Source: Congressional Research Service.
Real GDP Growth: 5.4% (2019 est.); 26.2% (2020 est.);
In 2020, Guyana has faced two major challenges—a
8.1% (2021est.) (constant prices, IMF)
political crisis concerning the conduct of the March 2,
Per Capita GDP: $8,649 (2020, current prices, IMF est.)
2020, elections, and a public health threat due to the
Sources: International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Economic
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Outlook Database, October 2020; and Central Intel igence
After five months of discord between Guyana’s two
Agency (CIA), World Factbook.
major political parties, the country’s political crisis was
resolved on August 2, and opposition candidate
March 2020 Elections and Aftermath. Originally due by
Mohamed Irfaan Ali of the People’s Progressive
September 2020, Guyana held national elections on March
Party/Civic (PPP/C) was sworn in as president.
2, 2020, because President Granger’s APNU/AFC coalition
lost a no-confidence motion in December 2018. After that
With regard to COVID-19, as of October 27, 2020,
defeat, elections were delayed in part because of a legal
Guyana reported 119 deaths and over 4,000 confirmed
challenge that went to the Caribbean Court of Justice,
cases, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The
which ruled in 2019 that the motion was valid.
economic impact of COVID-19 on Guyana has not been
as severe as in other Caribbean countries because of
Even after the March 2020 elections were held, final results
Guyana’s recently begun offshore oil production.
were not issued until August because of fraud allegations
and numerous legal challenges. A recount was held
Political Environment
between May 6 and June 8, overseen by a three-member
Guyana has a hybrid republican/parliamentary form of
CARICOM team. Preliminary recount results showed the
government. The presidential candidate of the party or
opposition PPP/C secured enough votes to win. The
CARICOM team concluded that the recount, despite some
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Guyana: An Overview
irregularities, reflected the “will of the voters.” Additional
imposed visa restrictions on several individuals for
legal challenges by supporters of the Granger government
undermining democracy.
further delayed the release of final election results until
Upon the resolution of Guyana’s electoral crisis in August
August 2, 2020, when the Guyana Elections Commission
2020, the U.S., UK, Canadian, and EU ambassadors issued
declared Ali the winner.
a joint statement that congratulated President Ali, thanked
In the aftermath of the election crisis, some analysts have
President Granger for accepting the results, and looked
expressed concern about an increase in ethnic tensions. In
forward to seeing the “government reach across political
September 2020, the killing of two Afro-Guyanese youth
divisions to unite Guyanese of all ethnicities, races, and
and subsequent apparent retaliatory killings of two Indo-
regions, around meaningful progress on constitutional
Guyanese sparked protests and heightened concerns about
reform and reconciliation.”
ethnic violence. A significant challenge for the Ali
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Guyana in
government will be defusing racial tensions and adopting a
more ethnically inclusive approach toward governing.
September 2020 to advance closer bilateral relations and
highlight opportunities for responsible and transparent
Oil Changes Guyana’s Economic Outlook private-sector sector investment. The Secretary signed a
Guyana’s economy traditionally has been based on
memorandum of understanding with Guyana to bolster
private sector infrastructure and energy investment under
agriculture (rice and sugar) and mining (gold and bauxite),
the Growth in the Americas Initiative.
but the discovery of significant amounts of offshore oil is
bolstering the economy. ExxonMobil leads a consortium
Trade. The United States ran a trade surplus of $540
that includes Hess and China National Offshore Oil
million with Guyana in 2019, with U.S. exports valued at
Corporation and has been involved in oil and gas
$672 million, up 24% from 2018 (led by machinery and
exploration in Guyana since 2008. Since 2015, the
iron/steel pipes for oil drilling) and U.S. imports valued at
consortium has identified 18 commercially viable
$132 million (led by seafood, aluminum ores, and gold). In
discoveries in the Stabroek Block, about 120 miles
1988, Guyana became a beneficiary of the Caribbean Basin
offshore. Production began in December 2019 and is soon
Economic Recovery Act (CBERA), a preferential trade
expected to reach 120,000 barrels of oil per day (b/d) and
program for Caribbean imports. In 2000, it became a
more than 750,000 b/d by 2026. Recoverable oil is
beneficiary of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act
estimated at more than 8 billion barrels.
(CBTPA), a program that provides enhanced tariff
treatment for certain imports from the region, including
The discovery of offshore oil has vastly changed the
goods made with U.S. yarns, fabrics, and threads. CBERA
economic development prospects of Guyana, which used to
be one of the hemisphere’s poorest countries.
has no set expiration date. CBTPA would have expired in
For 2020,
September 2020, but Congress enacted legislation (P.L.
despite the decline in world oil prices and the economic
116-164) extending the program to September 2030.
consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) currently is forecasting 26% growth.
Guyana’s development of its oil resources
U.S. Foreign Aid. U.S. assistance includes a small bilateral
has raised
aid program to improve the capacity of Guyana’s security
concerns about corruption. In 2019, Guyana’s National
forces to police its border and provide security and larger
Assembly approved legislation establishing a Natural
spigots of assistance through global and regional programs.
Resource Fund, a sovereign wealth fund, for managing the
country’s
According to the U.S. Agency for International
oil wealth. The PPP/C government has vowed to
Development’s online Foreign Aid Explorer database, U.S.
strengthen transparency provisions of the law establishing
aid to Guyana amounted to at least $5.4 million in FY2019
the Natural Resource Fund before tapping any of its funds.
(partially reported), with top sectors including health,
U.S.-Guyana Relations
governance, humanitarian support, and education. Guyana
has received assistance since 2004 to combat HIV/AIDS
U.S. relations with Guyana improved in the early 1990s
and since 2009 to help combat the drug trade and improve
when the government moved away from one-party
citizen security through the Caribbean Basin Security
domination of the political system and embraced a market
economy and free and fair elections.
Initiative. Before the suspension of a Peace Corps program
due to COVID-19, Guyana had over 60 volunteers working
After the March 2020 elections, U.S. Ambassador Sarah-
on education, health, and environmental projects.
Ann Lynch and the heads of mission from Canada, the
United Kingdom, and the European Union (EU) issued a
Among other U.S. aid spigots, the United States has
joint statement expressing “deep concern over credible
provided almost $4.6 million in humanitarian assistance in
allegations of electoral fraud.” The ambassadors called on
FY2020 through international organizations to aid
President Granger to avoid a transition of government,
Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Guyana, estimated by
maintaining it would be “unconstitutional” because the
the United Nations to number 22,000. The United States
tabulation process “lacked credibility and transparency.”
also is providing assistance to help respond to the COVID-
They subsequently expressed support for the recount and
19 pandemic through a portion of $2.2 million in health
criticized the delay in issuing results. Some Members of
funding for the Caribbean and $350,000 in humanitarian
Congress expressed strong support for the recount process
assistance for Venezuelan refugees and host communities.
(e.g., see H.Con.Res. 101).
Mark P. Sullivan, Specialist in Latin American Affairs
In July 2020, as international pressure was growing on
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Guyana to resolve its election crisis, the State Department
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Guyana: An Overview
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