Essequibo, the oil and mineral-rich region disputed by Venezuela and Guyana

BUSINESS DAILY © FRANCE 24

A non-binding referendum in Venezuela has shown overwhelming support for the government's claims to Essequibo, a large swathe of land controlled by neighbouring Guyana. The land dispute between the two countries is over a century old, but heated up back in 2015 with the discovery of oil fields off the coast of Essequibo. Oil production in Guyana has spurred significant growth in the country's GDP, while the mining of an array of minerals also plays an important role. We take a closer look.