Economy of Guyana
CurrencyGuyanese dollar (GYD)
Calendar year
Trade organisations
CARICOM, WTO, Prosur, Unasur, Mercosur (associate)
Country group
Statistics
PopulationIncrease 791,739 (Q1, 2023)[3]
GDP
  • Increase $20.5 billion (nominal; 2023)[4]
  • Increase $60.7.1 billion (PPP; 2023)[4]
GDP rank
GDP growth
  • Increase 37.2% (2023)[5]
  • Increase 45.3% (2024)[5]
  • Increase 3.41% (2025)[5]
GDP per capita
  • Increase $20,539 (nominal; 2023)[4]
  • Increase $60,648 (PPP; 2023)[4]
GDP per capita rank
GDP by sector
6.0% (2023 est.)[6]
Population below poverty line
35% (2006 est.)[3]
44.6 medium (2007)[3]
Labour force
  • Increase 299,147 (2021)[9]
  • Increase 43.3% employment rate (2019)[10]
Labour force by occupation
N/A
Unemployment
  • Negative increase 16.4% (2019)[3]
  • Negative increase 29.9% youth unemployment (2021; 15 to 24 year-olds)[3]
  • Number of people unemployed: N/A
Steady 134th (medium, 2020)[11]
External
ExportsIncrease $5.721 billion (2021)[3]
Export goods
crude petroleum, sugar, gold, bauxite, alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber, railway shipping containers
Main export partners
ImportsIncrease $6.661 billion (2021)[3]
Import goods
floating drilling platforms, refined petroleum, valves, construction vehicles, cars manufacturing, machinery, food
Main import partners
Positive decrease $1.38 billion (Q1 2022)[3]
Public finances
Positive decrease 44% of GDP (2021 est.)[3]
−5.3% (of GDP) (2020)
Revenues1.002 billion (2017)[3]
Expenses1.164 billion (2017)[3]
Economic aid$5.8 million (2020)[12]
N/A

All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US dollars.
Guyana export treemap

The economy of Guyana is one of the fastest growing in the world with a gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 19.9% in 2021.[13] In 2023, Guyana had a per capita gross domestic product (purchasing power parity) of Int$60,648 and an average GDP growth of 4.2% over the previous decade.[4] Guyana's economy was transformed in 2015 with the discovery of an offshore oil field in the country’s waters about 120 miles from Georgetown. Making the first commercial grade crude oil draw in December 2019, sending it abroad for refining.[13]

Overview

Developed in conjunction with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), an economic recovery program significantly reduced the government's role in the economy, encouraged foreign investment, enabled the government to clear all its arrears on loan repayments to foreign governments and the multilateral banks, and brought about the sale of 15 of the 41 government-owned (parastatal) businesses. The cellphone company and assets in the timber, rice, and fishing industries also were privatized. International corporations were hired to manage the huge state sugar company, GuySuCo, and the most significant state bauxite mine. An American company was allowed to open a bauxite mine, and two Canadian companies were permitted to develop the largest open-pit gold mine in South America. However, efforts to privatize the two state-owned bauxite mining companies, Berbice Mining Company and Linden Mining Company have so far been unsuccessful.

Most price controls were removed, the laws affecting mining and oil exploration were improved, and an investment policy receptive to foreign investment was announced. Tax reforms designed to promote exports and agricultural production in the private sector were enacted.

Debt

Since 1986, Guyana has received its entire wheat supply from the United States on concessional terms under a PL 480 Food for Peace programme. It is now supplied on a grant basis. The Guyanese currency generated by the sale of the wheat is used for purposes agreed upon by the U.S. and Guyana Governments. As with many developing countries, Guyana is heavily indebted. Reduction of the debt burden has been one of the present administration's top priorities. In 1999, through the Paris Club "Lyons terms" and the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative Guyana managed to negotiate $256 million in debt forgiveness.

In qualifying for HIPC assistance, for the first time, Guyana became eligible for a reduction of its multilateral debt. About half of Guyana's debt is owed to the multilateral development banks and 20% to its neighbour Trinidad and Tobago, which until 1986 was its principal supplier of petroleum products. Almost all debt to the U.S. government has been forgiven. In late 1999, net international reserves were at $123.2 million, down from $254 million in 1994. However, net international reserves had rebounded to $174.1 million by January 2001.

Guyana's extremely high debt burden to foreign creditors has meant limited availability of foreign exchange and reduced capacity to import necessary raw materials, spare parts, and equipment, thereby further reducing production. The increase in global fuel costs also contributed to the country's decline in production and growing trade deficit. The decline of production has increased unemployment. Although no reliable statistics exist, combined unemployment and underemployment are estimated at about 30%.

Emigration, principally to the U.S. and Canada, remains substantial. Net emigration in 1998 was estimated to be about 1.4 percent of the population, and in 1999, this figure totalled 1.2 percent. After years of a state-dominated economy, the mechanisms for private investment, domestic or foreign, are still evolving. The shift from a state-controlled economy to a primarily mixed economic system began under Desmond Hoyte and continued under PPP/CIVIC governments. The current PPP/C administration recognizes the need for foreign investment to create jobs, enhance technical capabilities, and generate goods for export.

The foreign exchange market was fully liberalized in 1991, and currency is now freely traded without restriction. The rate is subject to change on a daily basis, but the Guyana dollar has depreciated 17.6% from 1998 to 2000 and may depreciate further pending the stability of the post-election period.

Economic history

European settlement and plantation workforce

The Dutch were the first to settle Guyana in the 1600s, engaging in trade with the Amerindians and establishing plantations. It was soon discovered that the soil and climate were ideal for growing sugar cane and slaves from Africa were brought in to work on these plantations. The colonies of the Guianas were merged and taken into the British empire. When slavery was abolished, a new wave of labour was brought from India as indentured servants. Politics was greatly controlled by powerful plantation owners. Portuguese and Chinese also came into the country as agricultural labour, but eventually settled into their own specific service industries.[14]

Nationalization

When Guyana became independent from British rule, there was a great need to ensure the economy was locally-owned after centuries of foreign involvement. Socialist policies were of great interest at the time, and early every sector of industry was nationalized during the Burnham presidency of the 1970s, with new agencies established to support the poor and working class. Initially, government investment was successful to aid growth, but lacked management skills and was weak in the face of world commodity prices and competition. Economic and political strife went hand in hand, and the population dwindled from resulting waves of emigration.[15]

Opening of markets

The economy made dramatic progress after President Hoyte's 1989 economic recovery program. As a result, Guyana's GDP increased 6% in 1991 following 15 years of decline. Growth was consistently above six percent until 1995, when it dipped to 5.1 percent. The government reported that the economy grew at a rate of 7.9 percent in 1996, 6.2 percent in 1997, and fell 1.3 percent in 1998. The 1999 growth rate was three percent. The unofficial growth rate in 2005 was 0.5 percent. In 2006, it was 3.2%.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure is primarily concentrated on the coast, and there is difficulty in building up industries in the hinterlands due to limitations of access and energy.

Major economic sectors

Agriculture and mining are Guyana's most important economic activities, with sugar, bauxite, rice, and gold accounting for 7075 percent of export earnings. However, the rice sector experienced a decline in 2000, with export earnings down 27 percent through the third quarter of 2000. Ocean shrimp exports, which were heavily impacted by a one-month import ban to the United States in 1999, accounted for only 3.5 percent of total export earnings that year. Shrimp exports rebounded in 2000, representing 11 percent of export earnings through the third quarter of 2000. Other exports include timber, diamonds, garments, rum, and pharmaceuticals. The value of these other exports is increasing.

Agriculture

Sugar is the most historically important product of Guyana, however, the industry has been in decline due to global competition and other factors. It still is a major export, along with its related products molasses and rum.[16] Banks DIH and Demerara Distilleries are the countries' only distillers, but Guyana is world’s 14th largest exporter of rum.[17]

In 2018, Guyana produced 1.2 million tons of sugar cane, 964 thousand tons of rice, 136 thousand tons of coconut, in addition to smaller productions of other products agricultural products, such as eggplant (47 thousand tons), pineapple (34 thousand tons), pepper (37 thousand tons), banana (23 thousand tons), orange (21 thousand tons), cassava (20 thousand tons), etc.[18]

Mining

Mining has surpassed the economic importance of sugar in recent years, making up a sizable portion of Guyana's GDP. The large-scale gold and bauxite mining operations are all foreign-owned, but the vast proportion of gold and diamond mining is done by small and medium-scale miners.

Petroleum

In the 2010's, significant off-shore oil finds by Exxon has renewed interest in foreign investment in the country. A 2018 estimate predicts Guyana's oilfields are holding over 3.2 billion barrels.[16] Off-shore crude oil extraction began in 2019.

Forestry

Guyana contains the "largest unspoiled rainforests on the continent."[16] Despite the vast forests covering the country, the timber industry has remained small due to infrastructural limitations such as undeveloped roads and lacking or unreliable electricity to milling operations.[19]

The country also sees large financial contributions from international organizations looking to protect the forests.

Fishing

Most of what is fished is consumed locally, but there is a sizable export market for ocean shrimp. Overfishing of shrimp has led to Atlantic seabob becoming the most commercially important catch. Commercial fishing is mostly marine, as inland fishing is mostly attributed to subsistence fishing done by Amerindians.[20]

Data

The following table shows the main economic indicators in 1980–2028 (with IMF staff estimates for 2021–2028). Inflation below 3% is in green.[21]

Year GDP

(in Bil. US$PPP)

GDP per capita

(in US$ PPP)

GDP

(in Bil. US$nominal)

GDP per capita

(in US$ nominal)

GDP growth

(real)

Inflation rate

(in Percent)

Unemployment

(in Percent)

Government debt

(in % of GDP)

1980 Increase1.88 Increase2,421.5 Increase0.84 Increase1,101.9 Decrease-2.1% Negative increase14.1% 7.1% n/a
1981 Increase2.07 Increase2,711.7 Decrease0.81 Decrease1,055.8 Increase0.6% Negative increase22.2% Negative increase7.6% n/a
1982 Decrease2.01 Increase2,625.2 Decrease0.69 Decrease904.9 Decrease-8.9% Negative increase20.6% Negative increase9.7% n/a
1983 Increase1.85 Increase2,421.5 Increase0.70 Increase921.5 Decrease-11.5% Negative increase15.3% Positive decrease9.6% n/a
1984 Increase1.95 Increase2,574.7 Decrease0.65 Decrease861.1 Increase2.1% Negative increase25.1% Positive decrease7.5% n/a
1985 Increase2.02 Increase2,682.4 Increase0.70 Increase924.3 Increase0.4% Negative increase15.0% Positive decrease7.1% n/a
1986 Increase2.06 Increase2,751.3 Increase0.79 Increase1,053.7 Decrease-0.2% Negative increase7.9% Positive decrease7.0% n/a
1987 Increase2.11 Increase2,841.5 Decrease0.73 Decrease982.3 Decrease-0.1% Negative increase28.7% Positive decrease6.1% n/a
1988 Decrease2.05 Increase2,790.8 Increase0.83 Increase1,125.9 Decrease-6.0% Negative increase33.9% Positive decrease5.4% n/a
1989 Decrease2.03 Increase2,791.0 Decrease0.83 Increase1,146.2 Decrease-4.9% Negative increase89.5% Positive decrease5.2% n/a
1990 Increase2.04 Increase2,831.7 Decrease0.69 Decrease951.0 Decrease-3.0% Negative increase64.3% Negative increase5.6% n/a
1991 Increase2.24 Increase3,112.5 Increase0.74 Increase1,036.9 Increase6.0% Negative increase103.1% Negative increase6.8% n/a
1992 Increase2.46 Increase3,429.4 Increase0.82 Increase1,145.8 Increase7.8% Negative increase26.7% Negative increase7.4% n/a
1993 Increase3.73 Increase3,789.2 Increase1.00 Increase1,393.0 Increase8.2% Negative increase8.4% Negative increase6.9% n/a
1994 Decrease3.02 Increase4,180.9 Increase1.18 Increase1,626.9 Increase8.5% Negative increase12.4% Positive decrease6.1% n/a
1995 Increase3.24 Increase4,459.7 Increase1.33 Increase1,832.4 Increase5.1% Negative increase12.2% Positive decrease5.5% n/a
1996 Increase3.56 Increase4,882.5 Increase1.50 Increase2,048.5 Increase8.0% Negative increase7.1% Positive decrease5.4% n/a
1997 Increase3.85 Increase5,245.1 Increase1.59 Increase2,161.6 Increase6.2% Negative increase3.6% Positive decrease4.9% 101.4%
1998 Increase3.83 Increase5,192.4 Decrease1.50 Decrease2,035.9 Decrease-1.7% Negative increase4.6% Positive decrease4.5% Negative increase108.0%
1999 Increase4.00 Increase5,400.8 Decrease1.49 Decrease2,010.8 Increase3.0% Negative increase7.5% Positive decrease4.2% Positive decrease97.1%
2000 Increase4.03 Increase5,434.1 Increase1.50 Increase2,017.2 Decrease-1.3% Negative increase6.1% Positive decrease3.9% Negative increase97.2%
2001 Increase4.22 Increase5,673.3 Steady1.50 Increase2,023.6 2.3% Increase2.6% Negative increase4.7% Negative increase104.6%
2002 Increase4.33 Increase5,828.4 Increase1.56 Increase2,093.0 Increase1.1% Negative increase5.4% Negative increase5.7% Negative increase105.1%
2003 Increase4.39 Increase5,909.2 Increase1.59 Increase2,144.1 Decrease-0.7% Negative increase6.0% Negative increase5.9% Positive decrease95.6%
2004 Increase4.58 Increase6,116.0 Increase1.66 Increase2,333.0 Increase1.6% Negative increase4.7% Positive decrease5.5% Negative increase91.8%
2005 Increase4.63 Increase6,233.0 Increase1.71 Increase2,305.9 Decrease-1.9% Negative increase6.9% Positive decreasePositive decrease5.0% Positive decrease90.7%
2006 Increase5.02 Increase6,741.1 Increase1.90 Increase2,551.8 Increase5.1% Negative increase6.7% Positive decreasePositive decrease4.6% Positive decrease74.5%
2007 Increase5.51 Increase7,389.4 Increase2.23 Increase2,982.2 Increase7.0% Negative increase12.2% Steady4.6% Positive decrease47.0%
2008 Increase5.73 Increase7,659.5 Increase2.49 Increase3,329.6 Increase2.0% Negative increase8.1% Negative increase5.8% Negative increase47.6%
2009 Increase5.96 Increase7,932.6 Increase2.60 Increase3,457.4 Increase3.3% Negative increase3.0% Negative increase9.2% Negative increase51.7%
2010 Increase6.29 Increase8,356.6 Increase2.89 Increase3,837.3 Increase4.4% Negative increase4.3% Negative increase9.6% Negative increase52.5%
2011 Increase6.77 Increase8,958.3 Increase3.33 Increase4,402.8 Increase5.4% Negative increase4.4% Negative increase8.9% Positive decrease51.2%
2012 Increase7.92 Increase10,443.7 Increase4.06 Increase5,360.3 Increase5.0% Increase2.4% Positive decrease8.0% Positive decrease44.3%
2013 Increase8.37 Increase10,998.3 Increase4.17 Increase5,476.7 Increase3.7% Increase1.9% Positive decrease7.3% Positive decrease41.1%
2014 Decrease8.36 Decrease10,942.8 Decrease4.13 Decrease5,402.7 Increase1.7% Increase0.7% Positive decrease6.1% Positive decrease38.3%
2015 Increase8.59 Increase11,204.6 Increase4.28 Increase5,580.0 Decrease0.7% Increase-0.9% Positive decrease5.2% Negative increase41.8%
2016 Increase8.71 Increase11,268.4 Increase4.48 Increase5,796.8 Increase3.8% Increase0.8% Positive decrease4.8% Negative increase43.8%
2017 Increase9.31 Increase11,964.6 Increase4.75 Increase6,104.2 Increase3.7% Increase1.9% Positive decrease4.3% Positive decrease42.9%
2018 Increase9.95 Increase12,725.0 Increase4.79 Increase6,120.5 Increase4.4% Increase1.3% Positive decrease3.8% Negative increase47.0%
2019 Increase10.68 Increase13,605.8 Increase5.17 Increase6,594.4 Increase5.4% Increase2.1% Positive decrease3.6% Positive decrease43.6%
2020 Increase15.52 Increase19,717.1 Increase5.47 Increase6,952.7 Increase43.5% Increase1.2% Negative increase8.0% Negative increase51.1%
2021 Increase19.47 Increase24,661.7 Increase7.66 Increase9,702.5 Increase20.1% Negative increase3.3% Positive decrease5.3% Positive decrease43.2%
2022 Increase33.80 Increase42,698.9 Increase14.52 Increase18,342.3 Increase62.3% Negative increase6.5% Positive decrease3.5% Positive decrease27.8%
2023 Increase48.16 Increase60,648.1 Increase16.31 Increase20,539.9 Increase37.2% Negative increase6.6% Negative increase3.5% Negative increase29.8%
2024 Increase71.54 Increase89,924.7 Increase22.01 Increase27,641.2 Increase45.3% Negative increase5.5% Steady3.9% Positive decrease24.2%
2025 Increase75.38 Increase94,370.1 Increase22.63 Increase28,330.0 Increase3.4% Negative increase5.0% Steady3.9% Positive decrease24.1%
2026 Increase104.9 Increase130,912.7 Increase29.58 Increase36,919.5 Increase36.6% Negative increase5.0% Steady3.9% Positive decrease18.9%
2027 Increase110.4 Increase137,334.8 Increase30.46 Increase37,907.2 Increase3.3% Negative increase5.0% Steady3.9% Positive decrease18.8%
2028 Increase116.2 Increase144,160.3 Increase31.43 Increase38,998.6 Increase3.3% Negative increase5.0% Steady3.9% Positive decrease18.6%

See also

References

  1. "World Economic Outlook Database, April 2019". IMF.org. International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  2. "World Bank Country and Lending Groups". datahelpdesk.worldbank.org. World Bank. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "The World Factbook". CIA.gov. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Report for Selected Countries and Subjects: April 2023". imf.org. International Monetary Fund.
  5. 1 2 3 "The outlook is uncertain again amid financial sector turmoil, high inflation, ongoing effects of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and three years of COVID". International Monetary Fund. April 11, 2023.
  6. "World Economic Outlook Database, April 2020". IMF.org. International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  7. "Human Development Index (HDI)". hdr.undp.org. HDRO (Human Development Report Office) United Nations Development Programme. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  8. "Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI)". hdr.undp.org. HDRO (Human Development Report Office) United Nations Development Programme. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  9. "Labor force, total - Guyana". data.worldbank.org. World Bank. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  10. "Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate) - Guyana". data.worldbank.org. World Bank. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  11. "Ease of Doing Business in Guyana". Doingbusiness.org. Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  12. "Net official development assistance and official aid received (current US$) – Guyana". OECD. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  13. 1 2 "The Five Fastest Growing Economies in the World, October 2020". Nasdaq.com. Nasdaq. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  14. "Guyana - HISTORY OF THE ECONOMY". countrystudies.us. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  15. "Guyana - HISTORY OF THE ECONOMY - Postindependence". countrystudies.us. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  16. 1 2 3 "South America :: Guyana — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency". www.cia.gov. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  17. "Guyana's Rum Industry on an economic high". Guyana Chronicle. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  18. Guyana production in 2018, by FAO
  19. "Guyana - Forestry". countrystudies.us. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  20. "FAO Fisheries & Aquaculture - Country Profile". www.fao.org. Retrieved 2020-12-04.
  21. "Report for Selected Countries and Subjects". International Monetary Fund (IMF). Retrieved 2023-05-23.
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