Guyana: An Overview

Guyana: An Overview

Updated July 14, 2022
Guyana: An Overview
Located on the northern coast of South America between
multiple legal challenges by supporters of the previous
Suriname and Venezuela, English-speaking Guyana has
Granger government.
characteristics similar to other Caribbean nations because of
a 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: $7.6 bil ion (2021, current prices, IMF)
Real GDP Growth: 5.4% (2019); 43.5% (2020); 19.9% (2021
est.); 47.2% (2022 forecast) (constant prices, IMF)
Per Capita GDP: $9,644 (2021 est., current prices, IMF)
Sources: International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Economic
Outlook Database, April 2022; 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 Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali of the People’s
COVID-19 in Guyana
Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) won the country’s March
Since the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic
2020 elections, defeating incumbent President David
began, Guyana has reported 1,262 deaths from the virus,
Granger, who led a coalition consisting of A Partnership for
with a mortality rate of 160 per 100,000 people as of July
National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change
12, 2022, according to Johns Hopkins University. The
(AFC). In the National Assembly, Ali’s PPP/C took a
country also reported a vaccination rate of almost 47%,
majority of 33 seats, the APNU/AFC coalition won 31
with vaccine hesitancy a challenge; in June 2022, the
seats, and a smaller party won the remaining seat. Marred
government began rolling out vaccines for children aged 5
by allegations of fraud, final elections results were delayed
to 11. Guyana has benefited from vaccine donations
until August 2020 after a recount by a CARICOM team and
through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX)
Facility, a mechanism developed by global health
https://crsreports.congress.gov

Guyana: An Overview
organizations to facilitate equitable distribution of vaccines.
In June 2022, President Biden and Vice President Harris
It also has received vaccine donations bilaterally outside of
met with President Ali and other Caribbean leaders at the
COVAX, including from the United States (see below).
Ninth Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, CA.
Discussions centered on the impact of climate change; food
Oil Changes Guyana’s Economic Outlook
and energy insecurity; lack of access to financing; and
Guyana’s economy traditionally was based on agriculture
security cooperation and engagement, including on small
(rice and sugar) and mining (gold and bauxite), but the
arms trafficking. At the summit, Vice President Harris
discovery of significant amounts of offshore oil, bolstered
announced the U.S.-Caribbean Partnership to Address the
the country’s development prospects. The U.S. Geological
Climate Crisis (PACC 2030), a new initiative aimed at
Survey estimates reserves of 13.6 billion barrels of oil and
facilitating renewable energy infrastructure development
32 trillion cubic feet of gas. ExxonMobil leads a consortium
and bolstering resilience to climate-based natural disasters.
that includes Hess and China National Offshore Oil
Trade. As Guyana has become an oil-producing nation,
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 numerous 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. ExxonMobil is also the
amended, with no expiration), a preferential trade program
operator in two other offshore oil blocks in Guyana, and the
for Caribbean imports. Since 2000, it has been a beneficiary
government plans to auction new blocks for offshore oil
of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (Title II of
exploration later in 2022.
P.L. 106-200, extended through September 2030), which
Guyana’s oil production has enabled the country to
provides enhanced tariff preferences for certain imports,
withstand much of the economic fallout from the pandemic.
including goods made with U.S. yarns, fabrics, and threads.
In 2020, despite a global recession, Guyana’s economy
grew almost 44%, according to the International Monetary
U.S. Foreign Aid. The United States provided $7.8 million
Fund (IMF). In 2021, it grew almost 20%, and the forecast
in assistance to Guyana in FY2020 from all U.S. agencies
for 2022 is 47% growth. In 2019, Guyana’s National
(https://foreignassistance.gov/cd/guyana/, latest full-year
Assembly approved legislation establishing the Natural
available). The top categories included support for health,
Resource Fund (NRF), a sovereign wealth fund for
education, and environmental programs; strengthening
managing the country’s oil wealth. In December 2021, the
government institutions and civil society; military education
government approved legislation amending the NRF’s
and training; and humanitarian assistance for Venezuelan
regulatory framework, maintaining the action would ensure
migrants (estimated to number 24,500 as of May 2022).
greater transparency and accountability. Guyana’s 2022
budget is the first benefitting from NRF financing, which
Among U.S. aid programs, Guyana received assistance
the government maintains will support infrastructure
between FY2004 and FY2020 to combat HIV/AIDS
investments, including in energy and transportation, and
through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
social expenditures in health and education.
program. Since 2009, it has benefited from aid provided
through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), a
U.S.-Guyana Relations
U.S. regional aid program to combat the drug trade and
U.S. relations with Guyana improved in the early 1990s
improve citizen security. CBSI support has provided patrol
when the government moved away from one-party
boats, training, and equipment for police and customs units
domination of the political system and embraced a market
and assistance for youth programs and juvenile justice
economy and free and fair elections. Today, according to
reform. Before the suspension of a Peace Corps program
the State Department, U.S. policy toward Guyana seeks to
due to COVID-19, Guyana hosted over 60 volunteers
support robust and sustainable democratic institutions, an
working on education, health, and environmental projects.
empowered civil society, economic growth and
development, and stability and security.
The United States has provided assistance to help Guyana
respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including vaccination
In the aftermath of the March 2020 elections, U.S.
tents, freezers for vaccine storage, personal protective
Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch and the heads of mission
equipment, and support to combat vaccine hesitancy. To
from Canada, the United Kingdom (UK), and the European
date, the United States has donated almost 302,000 vaccine
Union (EU) played a major role in supporting a recount and
doses (about half through COVAX and half bilaterally),
pressing for a resolution. In July 2020, the State
including a recent shipment of almost 13,000 vaccine doses
Department imposed visa restrictions on several unnamed
in July 2022.
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
https://crsreports.congress.gov

Guyana: An Overview

Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11381 · VERSION 14 · UPDATED