Guyana: Trade Partnerships

Guyana's trade relationships have been reshaped over the past decade by the rapid growth of its offshore oil industry. The country is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and its associated Single Market and Economy, which gives Guyana preferential access to other English-speaking Caribbean economies, though oil exports to markets outside the region now dominate its external trade. As of 2026, the United States is Guyana's largest trading partner, importing substantial volumes of Guyanese crude alongside gold, bauxite, rice, timber, and sugar.

Oil has become overwhelmingly the largest component of Guyana's exports: crude shipments generated an estimated $17.8 billion in earnings in 2025, accounting for more than 85 percent of the country's total export receipts, as production climbed past 700,000 barrels per day during the year and topped 900,000 barrels per day by late 2025. In return, the United States supplies Guyana with iron and steel, aircraft, minerals, automotive parts and vehicles, lumber, aluminum, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals, reflecting the heavy equipment needs of Guyana's expanding energy and infrastructure sectors.

Beyond oil, Guyana's traditional exports, including gold, bauxite, rice, timber, and sugar, continue to reach markets across CARICOM, Europe, and North America, though their share of total trade has shrunk sharply as petroleum revenue has grown. The scale and speed of this shift have made Guyana one of the fastest-changing trade profiles in the Americas, with its economic relationship with the United States deepening in step with the expansion of offshore production.