In 2023, four Caribbean nations were the countries with the highest gross national income per capita in Latin America and the Caribbean. On average, the national gross income amounted to around 31,990 U.S. dollars per person in the Bahamas, an island country which also had one of the highest gross domestic product per capita in this region. Outside the Caribbean Excluding the Caribbean, the economies with the highest national income per capita are generally located in South America, with the exceptions of Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico. Guyana leads among continental states with a national income of around 20.360 U.S. dollars per person. Gross national income (GNI) is the aggregated sum of the value added by residents in an economy, plus net taxes (minus subsidies) and net receipts of primary income from abroad. The biggest economies Brazil and Mexico are still miles ahead in the race for the biggest economy of Latin America. As of 2023, both nations exceeded the two trillion U.S. dollars mark in their Gross Domestic Product (GDP). While Argentina's GDP, third place, slightly surpassed the 600 billion U.S. dollars. Nonetheless, both nations also ranked as the most populated by far in the region.
Guyana was the South American country 20360the highest gross national income per capita, with 20,360 U.S. dollars per person in 2023. Uruguay ranked second, registering a GNI of 19,530 U.S. dollars per person, based on current prices. Gross national income (GNI) is the aggregated sum of the value added by residents in an economy, plus net taxes (minus subsidies) and net receipts of primary income from abroad. Which are the largest Latin American economies? Based on annual gross domestic product, which is the total amount of goods and services produced in a country per year, Brazil leads the regional ranking, followed by Mexico, Argentina, and Chile. Many Caribbean countries and territories hold the highest GDP per capita in this region, measurement that reflects how GDP would be divided if it was perfectly equally distributed among the population. GNI per capita is, however, a more exact calculation of wealth than GDP per capita, as it takes into consideration taxes paid and income receipts from abroad. How much inequality is there in Latin America? In many Latin American countries, more than half the total wealth created in their economies is held by the richest 20 percent of the population. When a small share of the population concentrates most of the wealth, millions of people don't have enough to make ends meet. For instance, in Brazil, about 5.32 percent of the population lives on less than 3.2 U.S. dollars per day.
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Graph and download economic data for Gross National Income for Developing Countries in Latin America and Caribbean (NYGNPMKTPCDLAC) from 1960 to 2024 about Caribbean Economies, Latin America, GNI, and income.
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Graph and download economic data for Population Growth: All Income Levels for Latin America and Caribbean (SPPOPGROWLCN) from 1961 to 2024 about Caribbean Economies, Latin America, income, population, and rate.
In 2022, less than eight percent of the population in Latin America had either a high or upper-middle income level. Slightly over a fifth of the population fell in the non-poor with low incomes' stratum.
In 2023, the regional average income per capita in Latin America and the Caribbean reached 9,566.22 U.S. dollars, up from some 8,827.08 dollars per person in the previous year. At that point in time, five Caribbean states and Uruguay registered the highest gross national income per capita in Latin America and the Caribbean. Gross national income (GNI) is the aggregated sum of the value added by residents in an economy, plus net taxes (minus subsidies) and net receipts of primary income from abroad.
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The average for 2021 based on 12 countries was 34.3 percent. The highest value was in Colombia: 43.7 percent and the lowest value was in El Salvador: 29 percent. The indicator is available from 1963 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.
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Graph and download economic data for Population Ages 15 to 64: All Income Levels for Latin America and Caribbean (SPPOP1564TOZSLCN) from 1960 to 2024 about Caribbean Economies, Latin America, 15 to 64 years, income, and population.
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United States US: Imports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Imports: Latin America & The Caribbean data was reported at 17.755 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 17.642 % for 2015. United States US: Imports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Imports: Latin America & The Caribbean data is updated yearly, averaging 14.701 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 23.170 % in 1960 and a record low of 10.495 % in 1986. United States US: Imports: Low- and Middle-Income Economies: % of Total Goods Imports: Latin America & The Caribbean data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Imports. Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Latin America and the Caribbean are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from low- and middle-income economies in the Latin America and the Caribbean region according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are expressed as a percentage of total merchandise imports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.; ; World Bank staff estimates based data from International Monetary Fund's Direction of Trade database.; Weighted average;
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The average for 2021 based on 19 countries was 35.06 percent. The highest value was in Venezuela: 72.88 percent and the lowest value was in El Salvador: 19.25 percent. The indicator is available from 2000 to 2021. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.
Uruguay was the Latin American country with the highest average monthly salary as of 2024, with a net value of around ***** U.S. dollars per month, followed by Costa Rica, with *** U.S. dollars per month. Employment development areas in Latin America Following the recuperation in this sector after the job losses endured throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the unemployment rate persists in its endeavor to stabilize. Informal employment remains as the predominant actor across most Latin American countries, serving as a primary avenue for economic sustenance. Notably, the construction sector has experienced substantial growth, outpacing other relevant industries like tourism and hospitality. Poverty Throughout the past two decades, poverty levels in Latin America remain unchanged. Honduras takes the lead as the country bearing the highest poverty rate, with nearly half of its population dwelling in these circumstances. Across the region, the prevalent delineation is that of individuals classified within the non-extreme and lower-middle poverty strata, characterized by modest income levels.
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Gross National Income: All Income Levels for Latin America and Caribbean was 6814890215366.80960 Current $ in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Gross National Income: All Income Levels for Latin America and Caribbean reached a record high of 6814890215366.80960 in January of 2023 and a record low of 80147493382.99750 in January of 1960. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Gross National Income: All Income Levels for Latin America and Caribbean - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.
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The average for 2021 based on 19 countries was 59.48 percent. The highest value was in Venezuela: 77.95 percent and the lowest value was in Chile: 45.21 percent. The indicator is available from 2000 to 2021. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.
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Population, Total: All Income Levels for Latin America and Caribbean was 657611624.00000 Persons in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Population, Total: All Income Levels for Latin America and Caribbean reached a record high of 657611624.00000 in January of 2023 and a record low of 219828794.00000 in January of 1960. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Population, Total: All Income Levels for Latin America and Caribbean - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.
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Constant GDP per capita: All Income Levels for Latin America and Caribbean was 9084.67549 2010 U.S. $ in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Constant GDP per capita: All Income Levels for Latin America and Caribbean reached a record high of 9084.67549 in January of 2023 and a record low of 3280.49935 in January of 1960. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Constant GDP per capita: All Income Levels for Latin America and Caribbean - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.
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This is the replication package for Astorga, Pablo. 2024. Revealing the diversity and complexity of long-term income inequality in Latin America: 1920-2011. Journal of Economic History, 84(4).This paper analyses and documents new long-term income inequality series for Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela based on dynamic social tables with four occupational groups. This enables the calculation of comparable Overall (4 groups) and Labor Ginis (3 groups) with their between- and within-groups components. The main findings are: the absence of a unique inequality pattern over time; country outcomes characterized by trajectory diversity and level divergence during industrialization, and by commonality and convergence post 1980; the occurrence of inequality-levelling episodes with different timing and length; and significant changes in trends, but also evidence indicating persistence.
Brazil is one of the most unequal countries in terms of income in Latin America. In 2022, it was estimated that almost 57 percent of the income generated in Brazil was held by the richest 20 percent of its population. Among the Latin American countries with available data included in this graph, Colombia came in first, as the wealthiest 20 percent of the Colombian population held over 59 percent of the country's total income.
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Graph and download economic data for Gross National Income: All Income Levels for Latin America and Caribbean (NYGNPMKTPCDLCN) from 1960 to 2024 about Caribbean Economies, Latin America, national income, GNI, gross, and income.
Narrative ID: NW17Narrative Title: Income and unpaid work in Latin America: intersection of gender and race inequalities [ECLAC]Theme: Economic empowermentSDG indicators: Beijing objectives: Related-narratives: Labels: App ID: [ITEM_ID]
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Population Growth: All Income Levels for Latin America and Caribbean was 0.69007 % Chg. at Annual Rate in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Population Growth: All Income Levels for Latin America and Caribbean reached a record high of 2.77565 in January of 1962 and a record low of 0.57891 in January of 2021. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Population Growth: All Income Levels for Latin America and Caribbean - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.
In 2023, four Caribbean nations were the countries with the highest gross national income per capita in Latin America and the Caribbean. On average, the national gross income amounted to around 31,990 U.S. dollars per person in the Bahamas, an island country which also had one of the highest gross domestic product per capita in this region. Outside the Caribbean Excluding the Caribbean, the economies with the highest national income per capita are generally located in South America, with the exceptions of Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico. Guyana leads among continental states with a national income of around 20.360 U.S. dollars per person. Gross national income (GNI) is the aggregated sum of the value added by residents in an economy, plus net taxes (minus subsidies) and net receipts of primary income from abroad. The biggest economies Brazil and Mexico are still miles ahead in the race for the biggest economy of Latin America. As of 2023, both nations exceeded the two trillion U.S. dollars mark in their Gross Domestic Product (GDP). While Argentina's GDP, third place, slightly surpassed the 600 billion U.S. dollars. Nonetheless, both nations also ranked as the most populated by far in the region.