Updated March 14, 2022
Guyana: An Overview
Located on the northern coast of South America between
legal challenges by supporters of the previous Granger
Suriname and Venezuela, English-speaking Guyana has
government.
characteristics similar to other Caribbean nations because of
their common British colonial heritage (Guyana became
After his inauguration, President Ali appointed retired
independent in 1966). The country participates in Caribbean
military leader Mark Phillips as prime minister and former
regional organizations, and its capital, Georgetown, serves
President Bharrat Jagdeo (1999-2011) as vice president.
as headquarters for the Caribbean Community
Some observers contend that Jagdeo, who was
(CARICOM), a regional integration organization. Once one
constitutionally prohibited from seeking a third term, plays
of the poorest countries in the hemisphere, Guyana’s
a key role in policy decisions. Guyana’s next national
development prospects have shifted significantly since the
elections are not due until 2025, but local elections are
discovery of large offshore oil deposits in 2015.
expected to be held in late 2022 and could serve as a
referendum on the ruling PPP/C’s performance.
Figure 1. Map of Guyana
Guyana at a Glance
Population: 789,000 (2021 est., IMF)
Ethnic Groups: Indo-Guyanese, or those of East Indian
heritage, almost 40%; Afro-Guyanese, almost 30%; mixed,
20%; Amerindian, almost 11% (2012 est., CIA)
Area: 83,000 square miles, about the size of Idaho
GDP: $7.4 bil ion (2021 est. current prices, IMF)
Real GDP Growth: 5.4% (2019); 43.5% (2020); 20.4% (2021
est.); 48.7% (2022 est.) (constant prices, IMF)
Per Capita GDP: $9,369 (2021 est., current prices, IMF)
Sources: International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Economic
Outlook Database, October 2021; and Central Intel igence
Agency (CIA), World Factbook.

Political affiliations in Guyana often fall along ethnic lines.
The ruling PPP/C, which traditionally has been supported
by Indo-Guyanese, governed Guyana from 1992 to 2015.

The largest party in the opposition APNU coalition is the
Source: Congressional Research Service.
People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), which
dominated the political system from independence until
Political and Economic Environment
1992 and draws support from an Afro-Guyanese base. The
Guyana has a hybrid republican/parliamentary form of
other main opposition party, AFC, identifies as a multiracial
government, with a 65-member unicameral National
party. In the aftermath of the 2020 election crisis, some
Assembly. The presidential candidate of the party or
experts expressed concern about an increase in ethnic
coalition receiving the most votes becomes president, and
tension and called for the adoption of a more ethnically
the president appoints the prime minister and Cabinet.
inclusive approach toward governing.
Current President Mohamed Irfaan Ali of the People’s
COVID-19 in Guyana
Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) won March 2020
Since the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic
elections, defeating incumbent President David Granger,
began, Guyana has reported over 1,200 deaths from the
who led a coalition consisting of A Partnership for National
virus, with a mortality rate of 156 per 100,000 people as of
Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC). In the
March 11, 2022, according to Johns Hopkins University.
National Assembly, Ali’s PPP/C took a majority of 33
The country also reported a vaccination rate of 42%, with
seats, the APNU/AFC coalition won 31 seats, and a smaller
vaccine hesitancy cited as a significant challenge. President
party won the remaining seat. Marred by allegations of
Ali has set the goal of having 70% of the country’s
fraud, final elections results were delayed until August
population fully vaccinated by the end of June 2022.
2020 after a recount by a CARICOM team and multiple
Guyana has benefited from vaccine donations through the
COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Facility, a
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Guyana: An Overview
mechanism developed by global health organizations to
Secretary of State Antony Blinken met in a virtual
facilitate equitable distribution of vaccines. It also has
roundtable with CARICOM foreign ministers in April 2021
received vaccine donations bilaterally outside of COVAX,
and expressed commitment to work with Caribbean
including from the United States (see below).
countries to respond to the pandemic, promote regional
recovery, and cooperate on increasing climate resilience
Oil Changes Guyana’s Economic Outlook
and strengthening security, democratic values, and human
Guyana’s economy traditionally was based on agriculture
rights. In May 2021, Blinken lauded Guyana’s hosting of
(rice and sugar) and mining (gold and bauxite), but the
the annual Tradewinds Caribbean joint security exercises in
discovery of significant amounts of offshore oil bolstered
2021, sponsored by the U.S. Southern Command, as a
the country’s development prospects. ExxonMobil leads a
reflection of the strong U.S.-Guyana security partnership.
consortium that includes Hess and China National Offshore
Trade. As Guyana has become an oil-producing nation,
Oil Corporation and has been involved in oil and gas
trade with the United States has increased significantly. The
exploration in Guyana since 2008. Since 2015, the
United States ran a trade deficit of $1.25 billon with
consortium has identified 18 commercially viable
Guyana in 2021, with U.S. exports valued at $991 million,
discoveries in the Stabroek Block, about 120 miles
up 51% from 2020, and U.S. imports valued at $2.2 billion,
offshore. Production began in December 2019, reached
up 200% from 2020 (oil and gas accounted for almost
120,000 barrels of oil per day (b/d) in 2021, is expected to
93%). Since 1988, Guyana has been a beneficiary of the
reach 340,000 b/d in 2022, and could reach 1.2 million b/d
Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (P.L. 98-67, as
by 2027, according to ExxonMobil. Recoverable oil in the
amended, with no expiration), a preferential trade program
Stabroek Block is estimated at some 10 billion barrels.
for Caribbean imports. Since 2000, it has been a beneficiary
ExxonMobil is also the operator in two other offshore oil
of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (Title II of
blocks in Guyana, and the government plans to auction new
P.L. 106-200, which has been extended through September
blocks for offshore oil exploration later in 2022.
2030), a program that provides enhanced tariff preferences
Guyana’s oil production has enabled the country to
for certain imports from the region, including goods made
withstand much of the economic fallout from the pandemic.
with U.S. yarns, fabrics, and threads.
In 2020, despite a global recession, Guyana’s economy
grew almost 44%. The International Monetary Fund
U.S. Foreign Aid. The United States provided $7.8 million
estimates 20.4% growth in 2021 and projects almost 49%
in assistance to Guyana in FY2020 from all U.S. agencies
growth in 2022. In 2019, Guyana’s National Assembly
(https://foreignassistance.gov/cd/guyana/, latest full-year
approved legislation establishing the Natural Resource
available). The top categories included support for health,
Fund (NRF), a sovereign wealth fund for managing the
education, and environmental programs; strengthening
country’s oil wealth. In December 2021, the government
government institutions and civil society; military education
approved legislation amending the NRF’s regulatory
and training; and humanitarian assistance for Venezuelan
framework, maintaining the action would ensure greater
migrants (estimated to number 24,500 in February 2022).
transparency and accountability of NRF funds. Guyana’s
2022 budget is the first benefitting from NRF financing,
Among various U.S. aid programs, Guyana has received
which the government maintains will support infrastructure
assistance since 2004 to combat HIV/AIDS through the
investments, including in energy and transportation, and
President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief program.
social expenditures in health and education.
Since 2009, it has benefited from assistance provided
through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), a
U.S.-Guyana Relations
U.S. regional aid program to help combat the drug trade and
U.S. relations with Guyana improved in the early 1990s
improve citizen security. CBSI support has included
when the government moved away from one-party
providing patrol boats, training, and equipment for police
domination of the political system and embraced a market
and customs units and assistance for youth programs and
economy and free and fair elections. Today, according to
juvenile justice reform. Before the suspension of a Peace
the State Department, U.S. policy toward Guyana seeks to
Corps program due to COVID-19, Guyana hosted over 60
support robust and sustainable democratic institutions, an
volunteers working on education, health, and environmental
empowered civil society, economic growth and
projects.
development, and stability and security.
The United States also has provided assistance to help
In the aftermath of the March 2020 elections, U.S.
Guyana respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, donating
Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch and the heads of mission
vaccination tents, freezers for vaccine storage, and personal
from Canada, the United Kingdom (UK), and the European
protective equipment and providing support to combat
Union (EU) played a major role in supporting a recount and
vaccine hesitancy. To date, the United States has donated
pressing for a resolution. In July 2020, the State
almost 300,000 vaccine doses to Guyana, including through
Department imposed visa restrictions on several unnamed
COVAX.
Guyanese individuals for undermining democracy. Upon
the resolution of the crisis in August 2020, the U.S., UK,
For additional information, see CRS In Focus IF10789,
Canadian, and EU ambassadors issued a joint statement that
Caribbean Basin Security Initiative.
congratulated President Ali, thanked President Granger for
accepting the results, and looked forward to seeing the new
Mark P. Sullivan, Specialist in Latin American Affairs
government “reach across political divisions to unite
Joshua Klein, Presidential Management Fellow
Guyanese of all ethnicities, races, and regions.”
IF11381
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Guyana: An Overview


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11381 · VERSION 13 · UPDATED

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