Despite being one of the smallest countries in South America, Guyana has a surprisingly robust economy and a high standard of living. In fact, Guyana’s GDP per capita is the highest in South America! However, much of that wealth is concentrated in the upper class. So, the average citizen is much less prosperous than the top one percent. Guyana has long been a mining and agriculture based region. gold and bauxite (aluminum) make up the majority of the mining industry.  Guyana’s Demerara region is famous for its distinct sugar, made from unrefined sugarcane, creating large, grainy crystals. Other agricultural products include rice, timber, and shrimp.  In a recent development, oil was discovered offshore by Exxon-Mobil. Production has increased exponentially since then, going from 15,000 to 656,000 barrels per day! Despite this growth, Guyana still has no oil refining infrastructure. In 1973, Guyana joined CSME, the Caribbean Single Market Economy. This program aims to integrate Caribbean countries' economies, reducing the restrictions on trade between the members. Guyana’s neighboring economies contrast in many ways with its own. Suriname has an economy centered around mining aluminum, not unlike Guyana’s bauxite mining operations, but has a GDP per capita that is 70 percent lower! Trinidad and Tobago’s economy is centered around oil, with reserves similar to Guyana’s. Trinidad’s GDP per capita is also similar to Guyana’s. Guyana has a rich, diverse economy, with strong agriculture, mining and oil sectors and immense potential for the future.