In the past decades, Argentina has made improvements in education and extreme poverty reduction. The country is the best performer in terms of net secondary enrolment rate (89.5%). Argentina has also one of the lowest shares of population living on less than USD 5.5 a day (2011 PPP) of the region (7.8%) and of population living on USD 5.5-13 a day (2011 PPP) (28.6%).

Brazil has made improvements in development outcomes during the past decades. In particular, the share of the population living on less than USD 5.5 a day (2011 PPP) decreased from 38.1% to 19.4% between 2005-15. Over the same period, the share of those living on USD 5.5-13 per day (2011 PPP) increased from 33.3% to 33.7%. At the same time, access to education improved as evidenced by a higher net secondary enrolment rate (82.3%). Life expectancy expanded from 65.3 years to 75.5 years between 1990-2016, while infant mortality fell from 52.6 to 13.2 per 1 000 live births between 1990-2017.

Chile’s record in improving development outcomes has been strong in the past decades. In particular, the share of the population living on less than USD 5.5 a day (2011 PPP) sharply decreased between 2003-15 from 29.8% to 10.1%. At the same time, the share of the population living on USD 5.5-13 a day (2011 PPP) decreased from 39.5% to 35.8%. Chile’s health indicators are now in line with the OECD average, with life expectancy at 79.5 years, infant mortality rate at 6.3 per 1 000 live births and maternal mortality ratio at 22 per 100 000 live births.

Colombia has made progress in several development indicators in recent decades. In particular, the net secondary enrolment rate has increased in the last decade up to 78.7%. The share of the population living on less than USD 5.5 a day (2011 PPP) also dropped from 42.6% to 28.5% over 2008-16. Meanwhile, the share of the population living on USD 5.5-13 a day (2011 PPP) increased from 32.8% to 37.7%, in line with the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) average of 36.5%.

Costa Rica has made development progress in the past decades. Today, only 10.7% of the population lives on less than USD 5.5 a day (2011 PPP), relative to 24% in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The share of the population living on USD 5.5-13 a day (2011 PPP) is also lower than the LAC average of 36.5%, but nonetheless remains at 32.5%. Moreover, life expectancy is in line with the OECD average and above many higher-income economies in the region.

The Dominican Republic has improved in several development indicators in the past decades. The country is one of the fastest growing economies. The share of the population living on less than USD 5.5 a day (2011 PPP) fell significantly between 2007-16, from 34.1% to 21.%. The country increased its GDP per capita by more than two-and-a-half times between 1990-2017, but it still lags behind in poverty, unemployment and satisfaction with public institutions. The consolidated middle class remains low and 40.8% of the population lives on USD 5.5-13 a day (2011 PPP). Similarly, while unemployment levels remain in line with the regional average, vulnerable employment represents 40.9% of total employment. The net secondary enrolment rate also remains below average at 66.5%.

Ecuador has made progress in some development indicators in the past decades. In particular, the country has made improvements in the net secondary enrolment rate (87.2%), which is now on the same level as Chile (87.1%), and above the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) average of 74.4%. Life expectancy at birth improved from 69 to 76.3 years between 1990-2016. The infant mortality rate is 12.5 per 1 000 live births, slightly below the LAC average of 14.7. The homicide rate, at 6.5 per 100 000 inhabitants, is more than three times lower than the LAC average of 21.9.

El Salvador has made improvements in the last decades in health and education. The country’s infant mortality rate (12.5 per 1 000 live births) is below the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) average (14.7), although far from the OECD average (5.7). Concurrently, life expectancy at birth has increased to 73.5 from 64 in 1990, in line with the LAC average of 75.6, and the maternal mortality ratio has improved to 54 per 100 000 live births, below the LAC average (74.4). The country’s net secondary enrolment rate also improved between 2000-16 from 48.2% to 64.3%.

Guatemala has made progress in some development indicators in the past decades. In particular, the maternal mortality ratio has decreased substantially, from 205 to 88 per 100 000 live births between 1990 and 2015. However, the rate remains higher than the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) average of 74.4. The infant mortality rate decreased from 60.1 to 23.1 per 1 000 live births between 1990-2015.

Mexico has made progress in several development indicators over the last decade, including education, health and employment; yet challenges remain to sustain them, while improving other indicators such as confidence in institutions and security policies. Mexico ranks above the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) average in net secondary enrolment rate (77.2% vs. 74.4% in LAC), life expectancy at birth (77.1 years vs. 75.6 years in LAC), maternal mortality ratio (38 per 100 000 live births vs. 74.4 in LAC) and infant mortality rate (11.5 per 1 000 live births vs. 14.7 in LAC).

Panama has made progress in several development indicators in the last decade. The share of the population living on less than USD 5.5 a day (2011 PPP) decreased from 26.7% to 14.6% between 2008-16. Over the same period, the population living on USD 5.5-13 a day (2011 PPP) shrank from 33.3% to 27%. Life expectancy improved to 78 years and is now slightly below the OECD average of 80.1 years. The infant mortality rate is 13.9 per 1 000 live births, just below the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) average of 14.7. However, the maternal mortality ratio remains high, at 94 per 100 000 live births.

Paraguay has made progress in some development indicators in the last decades. The net secondary enrolment rate remains below the 74.4% average of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) at 64.9%. However, the country has improved its infant mortality rate (18 per 1 000 live births) and life expectancy at birth (73.1 years). Moreover, the share of the population living on less than USD 5.5 a day (2011 PPP) decreased from 35% to 20.1% between 2005-16. The share of the vulnerable population – those living on USD 5.5-13 a day (2011 PPP) – has remained stable, at around 39.3%, over the same period.

Peru has made progress in a range of development indicators in the past decades. Between 2005-16, the share of the population living on less than USD 5.5 a day (2011 PPP) was halved. It dropped from 52.2% to 24.3% in line with the 24% average in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). At the same time, the share of the vulnerable population living on USD 5.5-13 a day (2011 PPP) increased from 31.9% to 39.6%. The country’s infant mortality rate sharply decreased from 57 to 12 per 1 000 live births between 1990 and 2016.

Uruguay has made strong improvements in development outcomes during the last decades. The country performs well compared to other LAC countries on a range of indicators, including education, poverty reduction, health, environmental sustainability, corruption and citizen security. The share of the population living on less than USD 5.5 a day (2011 PPP) decreased by more than four times from 17.1% to 3.7% over 2006-16. The share of vulnerable population – those living on USD 5.5-13 a day (2011 PPP) – also decreased from 38.1% to 23.8% over the same period. This decrease made Uruguay the best performer in the region for its achievements in poverty reduction. Moreover, the maternal mortality ratio and the infant mortality rate are 15 per 100 000 live births and 7 per 1 000 live births, respectively. These rates are well below the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) average and in line with the OECD average of 14 and 5.7 respectively.