Order Code RS22657
May 2, 2007
Latin America and the Caribbean:
Fact Sheet on Economic and Social
Indicators
Julissa Gomez-Granger
Information Research Specialist
Knowledge Services Group
This fact sheet tracks selected economic and social development indicators for Latin
American and Caribbean countries. It also classifies country economies by income. The
tables show the most recent data available at the time of printing from the World Bank,
the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Economist Intelligence Unit
(EIU), and the U.S. Department of State. This fact sheet will be updated annually.
Table 1. Select Economic and Social Indicators
Gross
GNI
Life
Adult
Human
National
Per Capita
Expectancy
Literacy
Develop-
Area in
Income
US $
at Birth
Rate
ment Index
Country
Square
Population
(GNI)
(% age 15 &
(HDI)
Miles
US $
older)
Ranka
millions
2005
2005
2004
2004
Antigua &
170
80,100
885
10,920
73.9
85.8
59
Barbuda
(2004)
Argentina
1.1
39.0 million
173,000
4,470
74.6
97.2
36
million
(2006)
c
Bahamas
5,382
323,000
6,416b
70.2
95.6
52
(2005)
(2003 est.)d
f
Barbados
166
279,912
3,100e
75.3
99.7
31
(2006)
(2002 est.)d
Belize
8,867
291,800
1,021
3,500
71.8
75.1
95
(2005)
Bolivia
425,000
9 million
9,300
1,010 64.4
86.7
115
(2004)
Brazil
3,290,000
188 million
644,100
3,460
70.8
88.6
69
(2006)

---

CRS-2
Gross
GNI
Life
Adult
Human
National
Per Capita
Expectancy
Literacy
Develop-
Area in
Income
US $
at Birth
Rate
ment Index
Country
Square
Population
(GNI)
(% age 15 &
(HDI)
Miles
US $
older)
Ranka
millions
2005
2005
2004
2004
Chile
302,778
16 million
95,700
5,870
78.1
95.7
38
(2006)
Colombia
440,000
46 million
104,500
2,290
72.6
92.8
70
(2005)
Costa Rica
19,730
4.02 million
19,900
4,590
78.3
94.9
48
(2005)
Cuba
44,200
11 million
40,300g
h
77.6
99.8
50
Dominica
290
70, 400
273
3,790
75.6
88.0
68
(2004)
Dominican
18,704
9.033
21,100
2,370
67.5
87.0
94
Republic
million
(2005)
Ecuador
106,900
13.4 million
34,800
2,630
74.5
91.0
83
(2005)
El Salvador
8,008
6.9 million
16,800
2,450
71.1
80
101
(2005)
(2003 est.)i
Grenada
133
105,893
418
3,920
65.3
96.0
85
(2005)
Guatemala
42,042
12.3 million
30,300
2,400
67.6
69.1
118
(2006)
Guyana
82,980
700,000
759
1,010
63.6
96.5
103
(2000)
Haiti
10,714
8.5 million
3,900
450
52
52.9
154
(2006)
(2003 est.)d
Honduras
43,278
7.3 million
8,600
1,190
68.1
80
117
(2006)
Jamaica
4,244
2.7 million
9
3,400
70.7
79.9
104
(2005)
Mexico
761,600
107.4
753,400
7,310
75.3
91.0
53
million
(2006)
Nicaragua
59,998
5.1 million
5
910
70
76.7
112
(2005)
Panama
30,193
3.2 million
15
4,630
75
91.9
58
(2004)

---

CRS-3
Gross
GNI
Life
Adult
Human
National
Per Capita
Expectancy
Literacy
Develop-
Area in
Income
US $
at Birth
Rate
ment Index
Country
Square
Population
(GNI)
(% age 15 &
(HDI)
Miles
US $
older)
Ranka
millions
2005
2005
2004
2004
Paraguay
157,047
6.5 million
7,900
1,280
71.2
94
91
(2006)
(2003 est.)d
Peru
496,225
28.3 million
73
2,610
70.2
87.7
82
(2006)
St. Kitts &
101
39,129
394
8,210
70
97.8
51
Nevis
(2006)
St. Lucia
238
165,500
794
4,800
72.6
94.8
71
(2005)
St. Vincent
130
119,100
427
3,590
71.3
88.1
88
&
(2005)
Grenadines
Suriname
63,037
492,829
1,140
2,540
69.3
89.6
89
(2004)
Trinidad &
1,980
1.06 million
13,632
10,440
69.8
98.6
57
Tobago
(2006)
(2003 est.)d
Uruguay
68,000
3.3 million
15,100
4,360
75.6
98
43
(2006)
(2003 est.)d
Venezuela
352,143
27 million
127,800
4,810
73
93.0
72
(2006)

Sources: Area and population statistics from the U.S. Department of State, “Country Background Notes;” GNI and GNI per
capita are from the World Bank, World Development Report 2007; life expectancy at birth, adult literacy rate, and human
development rank are from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Human Development Report 2006.
a. HDI rank is determined by using UNDP’s human development index (HDI), which measures the average achievements in a
country in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, knowledge, and a decent standard of
living. It is calculated for 177 countries and areas for which data are available.
b. GDP for 2006 from Country Report Bahamas, Economist Intelligence Unit.
c. Estimated to be high income ($10,726 or more), World Development Report 2007.
d. The World Factbook 2007.
e. GDP from World Bank development indicators.
f. Estimated to be upper middle income ($3,466-$10,725), World Development Report 2007.
g. GDP for 2006 from Country Report Cuba, Economist Intelligence Unit estimate.
h. Estimated to be lower middle income ($876-3,465), World Development Report 2007.
i. Age 10 years and older, The World Factbook 2007.

---

CRS-4
Table 2. Economic Classification by Income
High Income
Upper Middle Income
Lower Middle Income
Low Income
Antigua &
Argentina ($4,470)
Bolivia ($1,010)
Haiti ($450)
Barbuda
Barbados ( b )
Brazil ($3,460)
($10,920)
Belize ($3,500)
Colombia ($2,290)
Bahamas ( a )
Chile ($5,870)
Cuba ( c )
Costa Rica ($4,590)
Dominican Republic
Dominica ($3,790)
($2,370)
Mexico ($7,310)
Ecuador ($2,630)
Grenada ($3,920)
El Salvador ($2,450)
Panama ($4,630)
Guatemala ($2,400)
St. Kitts & Nevis ($8,210)
Guyana ($1,010)
St. Lucia ($4,800)
Honduras ($1,190)
St. Vincent and
Jamaica ($3,400)
the Grenadines ($3,590)
Nicaragua ($910)
Trinidad and Tobago
Paraguay ($1,280)
($10,440)
Peru ($2,610)
Uruguay ($4,360)
Suriname ($2,540)
Venezuela ($4,810)
Source: World Bank, World Development Report 2007.
Notes: The economies are based on GNI per capita (2005). They include: low income (LIC), $875 or less; lower
middle income (LMC), $876-3,465; upper middle income (UMC), $3,466-10,725; and high income, $10,726 or
more.
a. Estimated to be high income ($10,726 or more), World Development Report 2007.
b. Estimated to be upper middle income ($3,466-$10,725), World Development Report 2007.
c. Estimated to be lower middle income ($876-3,465), World Development Report 2007.

---