SEDLAC
April, 2010 *
The poverty map in Latin America and the Caribbean
According to information from the Socio-Economic Database for Latin America and the
Caribbean (SEDLAC) there are significant differences in the degree of material
deprivation among regions in Latin America and the Caribbean. The following map,
illustrates the regional heterogeneity in terms of monetary deprivation. In particular, it
plots the incidence of income poverty, calculated with the international poverty line of
USD 2.5-a-day per person.1
The poverty map in Latin America and the Caribbean
Percentage of poor people
International poverty line (US$ 2.5-a-day)
Poverty in Latin America
and the Caribbean
Poverty headcount
(%)
<5
5 - 10
10 - 15
15 - 20
20 - 30
30 - 40
40 - 50
50 - 60
> 60
No data
Source: SEDLAC (CEDLAS and The World Bank)
The regions with the highest poverty rates are the central areas of the Andean countries,
particularly the Bolivian Altiplano, and some areas of Central America. Poverty also
*
Please cite as SEDLAC (2009). Socioeconomic Database for Latin America and the Caribbean,
CEDLAS and the World Bank, Brief 8, April 2010.
1
The USD-2.5-a-day line adjusted for purchasing parity power (PPP) ratios is an international poverty
line that allows poverty comparisons across countries. It coincides with the median value of the extreme
poverty lines chosen by the Latin American countries.
1
SEDLAC
reaches above average rates in rural areas of Paraguay, northeastern Brazil and in the
outskirts of many large cities in the region. Haiti suffers the highest poverty rates in all
Latin America and the Caribbean.
The poverty map in Central America and the Caribbean
Percentage of poor people
International poverty line (US$ 2.5-a-day)
Poverty in Central America
and The Caribbean
Poverty headcount
(%)
<10
10 - 15
15 - 20
20 - 30
30 - 40
40 - 50
50 - 60
60 - 70
> 60
Sin datos
Source: SEDLAC (CEDLAS and The World Bank)
2