Order Code RS22657
Updated January 29, 2008
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 (Table 1 and Table 2) 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
2006
2006
2005
2005
Antigua and
170
82,786
937
11,210
73.9
85.8
57
Barbuda
(2005)
Argentina
1,100,000
39,000,000
201,400
5,150
74.8
97.2
38
(2006)
c
Bahamas
5,382
323,000
6,337b
72.3
95.8
49
(2005)
(2003 est.)
c
Barbados
166
279,912
3,100d
76.6
99.7
31
(2006)
(2005)
(2003 est.)
Belize
8,867
299,766
1,084
3,650
75.9
75.1
80
(2006)
Bolivia
425,000
9,119,152
10,300
1,100 64.7
86.7
117
(2007)

---

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
2006
2006
2005
2005
Brazil
3,290,000
188,000,000
892,800
4,730
71.7
88.6
70
(2007)
Chile
302,778
16,000,000
114,900
6,980
78.3
95.7
40
(2006)
Colombia
440,000
44,380,000
125,000
2,740
72.3
92.8
75
(2007)
Costa Rica
19,730
4,299,000
21,800
4,980
78.5
94.9
48
(2006)
Cuba
44,200
11,000,000
41,123e
f
77.7
99.8
51
Dominica
290
72,000
287
3,960
75.6
88.0
71
(2005)
Dominican
18,704
9,365,000
27,400
2,850
71.5
87.0
79
Republic
(2007)
Ecuador
106,900
13,755,680
38,100
2,840
74.7
91.0
89
(2007)
El Salvador
8,008
5,800,000
17,800
2,540
71.3
80.6
103
(2007)
Grenada
133
110,000
478
4,420
68.2
96.0
82
(2005)
Guatemala
42,042
13,300,000
34,100
2,640
69.7
69.1
118
(2007)
Guyana
83,000
760,200
849
1,130
65.2
99.0
97
(2006)
(2003 est.)
Haiti
10,714
8,500,000
4,100
480
59.5
54.8
146
(2006)
(2003 est.)
Honduras
43,278
7,300,000
8,800
1,200
69.4
80.0
115
(2006)
Jamaica
4,244
2,673,800
9,300
3,480
72.2
79.9
101
(2006)
Mexico
761,600
107,400,000
820,300
7,870
75.6
91.6
52
(2006)
Nicaragua
59,998
5,400,000
5,200
1,000
71.9
76.7
110
(2005)
Panama
30,193
3,300,000
16,100
4,890
75.1
91.9
62
(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
2006
2006
2005
2005
Paraguay
157,047
6,506,464
8,400
1,400
71.3
93.5
95
(2006)
(2007)
Peru
496,225
28,600,000
82,700
2,920
70.7
87.9
87
(2007)
St. Kitts and
101
42,696
428
8,840
70.0
97.8
54
Nevis
(2006)
St. Lucia
238
165,500
848
5,110
73.1
94.8
72
(2005)
St. Vincent
130
119,100
470
3,930
71.1
88.1
93
and the
(2005)
Grenadines
Suriname
63,037
492,829
1,446
3,200
69.6
89.6
85
(2004)
Trinidad
1,980
1,303,188
17,461
13,340
69.2
98.4
59
and Tobago
(2007)
(2007)
Uruguay
68,000
3,300,000
17,600
5,310
75.9
96.8
46
(2006)
Venezuela
352,143
26,023,528
164,000
6,070
73.2
93.0
74
(2007)

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 2008; life expectancy at birth, adult literacy rate, and human development
rank are from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Human Development Report 2007/2008.
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 (measured by life expectancy), being
educated (measured by adult literacy and enrollment at the primary, secondary, and tertiary level), and a decent standard of
living (measured by purchasing power parity, PPP, income). It is calculated for 177 countries and areas for which data are
available.
b. GDP from Country Report Bahamas, October 2007, Economist Intelligence Unit.
c. Estimated to be high income ($11,116 or more), World Development Report 2008.
d. GDP from World Bank development indicators.
e. GDP from Country Report Cuba, January 2008, Economist Intelligence Unit estimate.
f. Estimated to be lower middle income ($906-3,595), World Development Report 2008.

---

CRS-4
Table 2. Economic Classification by Income
High Income
Upper Middle Income
Lower Middle Income
Low Income
Antigua and
Argentina ($5,150)
Bolivia ($1,100)
Haiti ($480)
Barbuda ($11,210)
Belize ($3,650)
Colombia ($2,740)
Bahamas ( a )
Brazil ($4,730)
Cuba ( b )
Barbados ( a)
Chile ($6,980)
Dominican Republic
Trinidad and
Costa Rica ($4,980)
($2,850)
Tobago ($13,340)
Dominica ($3,960)
Ecuador ($2,840)
Grenada ($4,420)
El Salvador ($2,540)
Mexico ($7,870)
Guatemala ($2,640)
Panama ($4,890)
Guyana ($1,130)
St. Kitts and Nevis ($8,840)
Honduras ($1,200)
St. Lucia ($5,110)
Jamaica ($3,480)
St. Vincent and
Nicaragua ($1,000)
the Grenadines ($3,930)
Paraguay ($1,400)
Uruguay ($5,310)
Peru ($2,920)
Venezuela ($6,070)
Suriname ($3,200)
Source: World Bank, World Development Report 2008.
Notes: The economies are classified based on GNI per capita (2006). They include low income (LIC), $905 or
less; lower middle income (LMC), $906-$3,595; upper middle income (UMC), $3,596-$11,115; and high income,
$11,116 or more.
a. Estimated to be high income ($11,116 or more), World Development Report 2008.
b. Estimated to be lower middle income ($906-3,595), World Development Report 2008.

---