Economy - overview:
The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in recent years and is based largely on agriculture and extractive industries. The economy is heavily dependent upon the export of six commodities - sugar, gold, bauxite, shrimp, timber, and rice - which represent nearly 60% of the country's GDP and are highly susceptible to adverse weather conditions and fluctuations in commodity prices. Guyana's entrance into the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) in January 2006 has broadened the country's export market, primarily in the raw materials sector. Guyana has experienced positive growth almost every year over the past decade. Inflation has been kept under control. Recent years have seen the government's stock of debt reduced significantly - with external debt now less than half of what it was in the early 1990s. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure. Despite recent improvements, the government is still juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded public investment. In March 2007, the Inter-American Development Bank, Guyana's principal donor, canceled Guyana's nearly $470 million debt, equivalent to 21% of GDP, which along with other Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) debt forgiveness brought the debt-to-GDP ratio down from 183% in 2006 to 60% in 2013. Guyana had become heavily indebted as a result of the inward-looking, state-led development model pursued in the 1970s and 1980s. Much of Guyana's growth in recent years has come from a surge in gold production in response to global prices, although downward trends in gold prices may threaten future growth. In 2013, production of sugar dropped to a 23-year low.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$6.593 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
$6.26 billion (2012 est.)
$5.972 billion (2011 est.)
note: data are in 2013 US dollars
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.02 billion (2013 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
4.8% (2012 est.)
5.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,500 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
$8,100 (2012 est.)
$7,700 (2011 est.)
note: data are in 2013 US dollars
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:
6.2% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
8.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
9.4% of GDP (2011 est.)
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 85.6%
government consumption: 16.3%
investment in fixed capital: 22.5%
investment in inventories: -13.5%
exports of goods and services: 59.9%
imports of goods and services: -70.8%
(2013 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 20.7%
industry: 38.5%
services: 40.8% (2013 est.)

Agriculture - products:
sugarcane, rice, edible oils; beef, pork, poultry; shrimp, fish

Industries:
bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:
13.5% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
313,100 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Unemployment rate:
11% (2007)
country comparison to the world: 117
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
35% (2006)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.3%
highest 10%: 33.8% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
44.6 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 44
43.2 (1999)
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: $756.7 million
expenditures: $948.5 million (2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues:
25.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-6.4% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
59.9% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
59.5% of GDP (2012 est.)
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.9% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
2.4% (2012 est.)
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Central bank discount rate:
5.5% (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
4.25% (31 December 2010 est.)
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.8% (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
13.86% (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$601.8 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
$550.4 million (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$1.617 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
$1.49 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$1.352 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
$1.223 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:
$610.9 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
$440.4 million (31 December 2011)
$NA (31 December 2010 est.)
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]

Current account balance:
-$510.7 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
-$394.8 million (2012 est.)
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$1.337 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
$1.396 billion (2012 est.)
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - commodities:
sugar, gold, bauxite, alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber

Exports - partners:
US 30.8%, Canada 28.9%, UK 6.2% (2012)

Imports:
$2.039 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
$1.978 billion (2012 est.)
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Imports - partners:
US 22.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 21.9%, China 12.3%, Cuba 6.1%, Suriname 4% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$854.7 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
$864 million (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$1.846 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
$1.846 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
Guyanese dollars (GYD) per US dollar -
205.9 (2013 est.)
204.36 (2012 est.)
203.64 (2010 est.)
203.95 (2009)
203.86 (2008)