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Statute

United Nations of America 2010

Organization of American States

	Country	Population	GDP in billions	Per capita	ODA Millions 2008	Con.
52	America	927,421,954	21,711	$23,420	31,627 -7,214	1945 2003
3	North America	451,911,120	17,027	37,670	31,627 -149	1994
1	Canada	33,487,208	1,285	$38,400	4,785	1867
2	Mexico	111,211,789	1,482	$13,500	-149	1810
3	United States	307,212,123	14,260	$46,400	26,842	1776
7	Central America	42,108,880	252	$6,000	-2,194	2005
4	Belize	307,899	2.485	$8,100	-25	1981
5	Costa Rica	4,253,877	48.63	$10,900	-66	1821
6	El Salvador	7,185,218	42.92	$7,100	-233	1821
7	Guatemala	13,276,517	69.21	$5,200	-536	1821
8	Honduras	7,833,696	33.17	$4,200	-564	1821
9	Nicaragua	5,891,199	16.53	$2,800	-741	1821
10	Panama	3,360,474	40.32	$11,900	-29	1903
13	South America	392,366,329	4,064	$10,367	-3,354
5	Andean Community	124,387,525	1157	$9,330	-2,383	1969
11	Bolivia	9,775,246	45.11	$4,600	-628	1825
12	Colombia	43,677,372	401	$9,200	-972	1810
13	Ecuador	14,573,101	108.2	$7,400	-231	1822
14	Peru	29,546,963	253	$8,600	-466	1821
15	Venezuela	26,814,843	350.1	$13,100	-59	1811
7	Other Southern States	267,978,804	2,907	$10,847	-971
16	Argentina	40,913,584	558	$13,800		1816
17	Brazil	198,739,269	2,025	$10,200	-460	1822
18	Chile	16,601,707	243.7	$14,700	-73	1810
19	Guyana	752,940	2.844	$3,800	-166	1966
20	Paraguay	6,995,655	28.27	$4,100	-134	1811
21	Suriname	481,267	4.274	$9,000	-102	1975
22	Uruguay	3,494,382	44.52	$12,700	-33	1825
30	Caribbean Community	41,021,128	367	$8,951	-137.2	2001
13	Independent	35,339,267	273	$7,800	-29.1
23	Antigua & Barbuda	85,632	1.55	18,100	-8	1981
24	Bahamas	307,552	5.295	$29,800		1973
25	Barbados	284,589	4.569	$18,500	-9.1	1966
26	Cuba	11,451,652	111.1	$9,700	-127	1902
27	Dominican Republic	9,650,054	80.53	$8,300	-153	1844
28	Dominica	72,660	0.743	$10,200	-22	1978
29	Grenada	90,739	1.156	$10,800	-33	1974
30	Haiti	9,035,536	11.9	$1,300	-912	1804
31	Jamaica	2,825,928	23.24	$8,200	-79	1962
32	Saint Kitts & Nevis	40,131	0.753	$15,200	-46	1983
33	Saint Lucia	160,267	1.75	$10,900	-19	1979
34	Saint Vincent & Grenadines	104,574	1.55	$18,100	-27	1979
35	Trinidad & Tobago	1,229,953	28.41	$23,100	-12	1962
8	British Dependencies	194,615	8	$41,025	-108.1
36	Anguilla	14,436	0.175	$12,200	-3
37	Bermuda	67,837	4.5	$69,900
38	Falkland Islands	3,140	0.105	$35,400
39	Cayman Islands	49,035	2.25	$43,800
40	British Virgin Islands	24,491	0.872	$38,500		1976
41	Montserrat	5,097	0.029	$3,400	-35
42	Saint Helena, Ascension & Tristan da Cunha	7,637	0.018	2,500	-66
43	Turks & Caicos	22,942	0.216	11,500	-4.1
2	US Dependencies	4,076,038	70	$17,500
44	Puerto Rico	3,966,213	68.14	$17,200		1952
45	Virgin Islands	109,825	1.577	$14,500
1	Dutch Dependency	103,065	2.258	$21,800
46	Aruba	103,065	2.258	$21,800
5	French Dependencies	1,088,185	11	$10,110
47	Guadeloupe	448,713[1]	3.513	$7,900
48	French Guiana	199,509[2]	1.551	$8,300
49	Saint Pierre & Michelon	7,063	0.0483	$7,000
50	Martinique	432,900[3]	6.117	$14,400
51	Saint Barthelemy	7,406
1	French and Dutch	219,958	2.8	$16,000
52	Netherlands Antilles	219,958	2.8	$16,000

Vital Statistics

Country	Population	Growth	Births per 000	Deaths per 000	Immi gration per 000	Infant Mortal ity per 000	Life Expec tancy	AIDS rate	Literacy	Penal Pop.	Penal Pop. Per 00,000
America	927,421,954									3,468,708	374
Anguilla	14,436	2.272%	13.02	4.36	14.06	3.52	80.65		95%	55	401
Antigua & Barbuda	85,632	1.301%	16.95	5.94	2.38	16.25	74.76		85.8%	229	329
Argentina	40,913,584	1.053%	17.94	7.41	0	11.44	76.56	0.5%	97.2%	52,457	132
Aruba	103,065	1.478%	12.79	7.71	9.7	13.79	75.28		97.5%	277	269
Bahamas	307,552	0.925%	16.41	7.16	0	14.84	69.92	3%	95.6%	1,301	376
Barbados	284,589	0.383%	12.55	8.41	-0.31	12.29	73.94	1.5%	99.7%	899	326
Belize	307,899	2.154%	27.33	5.8	0	23.07	68.2	2.1%	76.9%	1,400	449
Bermuda	67,837	0.647%	11.57	7.3	2.2	2.46	80.43	0.3%	98%	261	394
Bolivia	9,775,246	1.772%	25.82	7.05	-1.05	44.66	66.89	0.2%	86.7%	7,778	80
Brazil	198,739,269	1.199%	18.43	6.35	-0.09	22.58	71.99	0.6%	88.6%	469,546	242
British Virgin Islands	24,491	1.837%	14.62	4.37	8.13	14.65	77.26		97.8%	117	488
Canada	33,487,208	0.88%	10.28	7.74	5.63	5.04	81.23	0.4%	99%	39,132	117
Cayman Islands	49,035	2.394%	12.36	4.89	16.48	6.94	80.44		98%	194	346
Chile	16,601,707	0.881%	14.64	5.84		7.71	77.34	0.3%	95.7%	52,403	305
Colombia	43,677,372	1.219%	18.09	5.22	-0.69	17.37	74.07	0.6%	90.4%	76,500	167
Costa Rica	4,253,877	1.356%	17.43	4.34	0.47	8.77	77.58	0.4%	94.9%	10,318	224
Cuba	11,451,652	0.233%	11.13	7.24	-1.56	5.82	77.45	0.1%	99.8%	60,000	531
Dominica	72,660	0.208%	15.73	8.2	-5.45	13.65	75.55		94%	235	324
Dominican Republic	9,650,054	1.489%	22.39	5.28	-2.22	25.96	73.7	1.1%	87%	19,100	189
Ecuador	14,573,101	1.497%	20.77	4.99	-0.81	20.9	75.3	0.3%	91%	10,808	79
El Salvador	7,185,218	1.656%	25.31	5.47	-3.27	21.52	72.33	0.8%	80.2%	22,969	370
Falkland Islands	3,140	0.011%								0
French Guiana	199,509	1.96%	20.46	4.88	4.01	11.76	77.27		83%	746	365
Grenada	90,739	0.468%	21.32	6.09	-10.55	13.23	65.95		96%	372	358
Guadeloupe	448,713	0.92%	15.42	6.06	-0.15	8.6	77.9		90%	790	174
Guatemala	13,276,517	2.066%	27.98	5.11	-2.21	27.84[4]	70.29	0.8%	69.1%	9,993	70
Guyana	752,940	0.634%	18.31	7.34	-17.31	39.11	66.31	2.5%	98.8%	1,989	261
Haiti	9,035,536	1.838%	29.1	8.65[5]	-2.07	59.69	60.78	2.2%	52.9%	8,301	83
Honduras	7,833,696	2.002%	26.23	4.96	-1.3	21.68	70.45	0.7%	80%	11,348	151
Jamaica	2,825,928	0.755%	19.68	6.43	-5.7	15.22	73.58	1.6%	87.9%	4,709	174
Martinique	432,900	0.76%	14.14	6.44	-0.04	7.09	79.04		97.7%	0	163
Mexico	111,211,789	1.13%	19.71	4.8	-3.61	18.42	76.06	0.3%	91%	224,749	204
Montserrat	5,097	0.392%	12.36	8.44		16.08	72.76		97%	0
Netherlands Antilles	227,049	0.732%	14.19	6.48	-0.39	9.09	76.65		96.7%	713	319
Nicaragua	5,891,199	1.784%	23.25	4.3	-1.11	25.02	71.5	0.2%	67.5%	6,060	107
Panama	3,360,474	1.503%	20.18	4.66	-0.49	12.67	77.25	1%	91.9%	10,370	296
Paraguay	6,995,655	2.364%	28.17	4.46	-0.07	24.68	75.77	0.6%	94%	5,889	95
Peru	29,546,963	1.229%	19.38	6.14	-0.95	28.62	70.74	0.5%	92.9%	0	126
Puerto Rico	3,966,213	0.298%	11.72	7.78	-0.96	8.28	78.52		94.1%	12,130	303
Saint Barthelemy	7,406									0
Saint Helena	7,637	0.445%	11.13	6.68		17.63	78.44		97%	0
Saint Kitts & Nevis	40,131	0.847%	17.67	8.05	-1.15	13.94	73.2		97.8%	262	660
Saint Lucia	160,267	0.416%	15.1	6.8	-4.14	13.43	76.45		90.1%	550	303
Saint Pierre	7,063	0.099%	12.74	6.8	-4.96	7.03	79.08		99%	0
Saint Vincent	104,574	-0.34%	15.27	6.91	-11.8	15.14	73.65		96%	410	346
Suriname	481,267	1.103%	16.8	5.51	-0.26	18.81	73.73	2.4%	89.6%	0	356
Trinidad & Tobago	1,229,953	-0.102%	14.36	8.11	-7.28	29.93	70.86	1.5%	98.6%	5,803	293
Turks & Caicos	22,942	2.563%	20.79	4.18	9.02	13.86	75.42		98%	0
United States	307,212,123	0.977%	13.83	8.38	4.32	6.22	78.11	0.6%	99%	2,304,115	753
Uruguay	3,494,382	0.466%	13.91	9.09	-0.16	11.32	76.35	0.6%	98%	8,749	261
Venezuela	26,814,843	1.508%	20.61	5.12	-0.42	21.54	73.61	0.7%	93%	24,069	85
Virgin Islands	109,825	-0.029%	11.95	6.75	-5.49	7.56	79.05		90%	612	561

Sources: CIA World Fact Book July 2009; World Prison Brief 18 March 2010

Economics

Country	Population	GDP PPP billions	GDP Ex. rate trillions	Economic Growth	Per capita PPP	Labor 000s	Unem ploy ment	Below Poverty Line	Budget Revenue billions	Budget Expense billions	Surplus Deficit billions	Deficit % GDP Ex. rate	Public Debt % GDP	Inflation	Exports billions	Imports billions	Trade Balance billions	Trade Balance % GDP	External Debt billions	ODA millions 2008
America	927,414,548	21,711	16,200		$23,420	430,959			3,295	5,089	-1,794	-11%			2,042	2,483	-441	-2.7%	15,256	31,627 -7,214
Anguilla	14,436	0.175	0.175	-8.5	$12,200	6	8%	23%	0.0228	0.0225	0.0003	1.7%		5.3%	0.119	0.143	-0.024	-13.7%	0.0088	-3
Antigua & Barbuda	85,632	1.55	1.194	-6.5%	$18,100	30	11%		0.230	0.294	-0.064	-5.3%	130%	1.5%	0.084	0.523	-0.439	-36.8%	0.360	-8
Argentina	40,913,584	558	304.9	-2.5%^[6]	$13,800	16,540	9.6%	13.9%	84.3	86.2	-1.9	-0.6%	49.1%	7.7%	55.7	38.71	16.99	5.6%	108.6
Aruba	103,065	2.258	2.258	2.4%	$21,800	41.5	6.9%		0.508	0.578	-0.07	-3.1%	46.3%	3.4%	0.124	1.054	-0.93	-41.2%	0.479
Bahamas	307,552	5.278	7.49	-4%	$29,800	184	7.6%	9.3%	1.03	1.03	0	0%		2.4%	0.674	2.401	-1.727	-23%	343
Barbados	284,589	4.569	3.637	-2.8%	$18,500	175	10.7%		0.847	0.886	-0.039	-1.1%		5.5%	0.385	1.586	-1.201	-33%	0.668	-5
Belize	307,899	2.485	1.424	-1.5%	$8,100	122.3	8.1%	33.5%	0.377	0.413	-0.036	-2.5%		0.3%	0.395	0.616	-0.221	-15.5%	0.954	-25
Bermuda	67,837	4.5		4.6%	$69,900	38	2.1%	19%	0.738	0.665	0.073	1.6%		2.8%	0.763	1.162	-0.399		0.160
Bolivia	9,775,246	45.11	17.76	2.8%	$4,600	4,536	8.5%	60%	7.946	8.319	-0.373	-2.1%	44%	4.3%	4.837	4.166	0.671	3.8%	5.349	-628
Brazil	198,739,269	2,025	1,499	-0.2%^[7]	$10,200	95,210	7.4%	26%	244	219.9			46.8%	4.2%	159	136	23	1.5%	216.1	-460
British Virgin Islands	24,491	0.853	1.095	-0.6%	$38,500	13	3.6%		0.205	0.180	0.025	2.3%		7.1%	0.0253	0.187	-0.162	-14.8%	0.036
Canada	33,487,208	1,285	1,335	-2.5%	$38,400	18,400	8.5%	10.8%	514.5	547.2	-32.7	-2.4%	72.3%	0.2%	298.5	305.2	-6.7	-0.5%	633.8	4,785
Cayman Islands	49,035	2.25	2.25	1.1%	$43,800	39	4%		0.424	0.393	0.031	1.4%		4.1%	0.014	0.877	-0.863		0.070
Chile	16,601,707	243.7	152.1	-1.7%[8]	$14,700	7,420	10%	18.2%	31.31	37.87	-6.56	-4.3%	9%	1.7%	48.85	40.91	7.94	5.2%	60.9	-73
Colombia	43,677,372	401	231.3	-0.1%[9]	$9,200	21,530	12%	46.8%	72.55	74.6	-2.05	-0.8%	46.1%	2%	31.34	31.67	-0.33	-0.1%	47.33	-972
Costa Rica	4,253,877	48.63	29.64	-1.6%[10]	$10,900	2,090	6.4%	16%	3.795	4.908	-1.143	-3.85%	49.3%	8.3%	8.096	10.53	-2.434	-8.2%	8.057	-66
Cuba	11,451,652	111.1	56.52	1.4%	$9,700	4,968	1.6%		39.11	42.58	-3.47	-6.1%	34.8%	4.3%	3.253	10.86	-7.607	-13.5%	19.44	-127
Dominica	72,660	0.743	0.380	1.1%[11]	$10,200	25	23%	30%	0.0739	0.0844	-0.01	-2.7%	85%	2.7%	0.094	0.296	-0.202	-53%	0.213	-22
Dominican Republic	9,650,054	80.53	45.24	1.8%[12]	$8,300	4,417	15.1%	42.2%	6.361	7.588	-1.227	-2.7%	41.5%	1.4%	5.372	12.14	-6.768	-14.9%	11.85	-153
Ecuador	14,573,101	108.2	56.27	-1%[13]	$7,400	4,430	7.9%	35.1%	15.58	17.58	-2	-3.6%	20.2%	4.3%	13.76	14.09	-0.34	-0.6%	13.28	-231
El Salvador	7,185,218	42.92	22.43	-3%[14]	$7,100	2,917	7.2%	30.7%	3.798	4.803	-1.005	-4.5%	55.4%	1%	4.086	7.215	-3.13	-13.9%	11.51	-233
Falkland Islands	3,140	0.105	0.105		$35,400	2			0.066	0.068	-0.002	-1.9%[15]		3.6%	0.125	0.090	0.035	33%	0.470
French Guiana	199,509	1.551			$8,300	62	19.2%		0.225	0.390	-0.165	-10.6%		1%	0.155	0.625	-0.47		0.8
Grenada	90,739	1.156	0.691	-4%	$10,800	42.3	12.5%	32%	0.0858	0.102	-0.0162	-2.3%		3.7%	0.038	0.343	-0.305	-44%	0.347	-33
Guadeloupe	448,713	3.513	0		$7,900	191.4	27.8%		0.225	0.390					0.140	1.7	-1.56		0
Guatemala	13,276,517	69.21	36.9	-0.5%[16]	$5,200	4,157	3.2%	56.2%	4.07	5.563	-1.493	-4%	32.7%	2.2%	6.768	10.91	-4.42	-11.9%	7.489	-536
Guyana	752,940	2.844	1.21	-1.7%	$3,800	333.9	11%		0.494	0.597	-1.03	-8.5%	120%	5.2%	0.652	1.066	-0.414	-34.2%	0.804	-166
Haiti	9,035,536	11.9	6.989	2%[17]	$1,300	3,643	66%	80%	0.961	1.186	-0.225	-3.2%		0.4%	0.524	2.023	-1.499	-21.5%	0.426	-912
Honduras	7,833,696	33.17	14.75	-3%[18]	$4,200	3,052	6%	59%	2.819	3.4	-0.581	-3.9%	24.3%	5.9%	5.25	7.571	-2.321	-15.7%	3.315	-564
Jamaica	2,825,928	23.24	12.06	-4.2%[19]	$8,200	1,311	14.5%	14.8%	2.898	4.332	-1.434	-11.9%	131.7%	8.6%	1.442	4.625	-3.183	-26.4%	11.55	-79
Martinique	432,900	6.117	0		$14,400	0	27.2%		0.9	2.5				3.9%	0.250	2			0.180
Mexico	111,211,789	1,482	1,017	-6.5%[20]	$13,500	47,000	5.6%	18.2%	208.6	229	-20.4	-2%	37.7%	3.6%	230	234	-4	-0.4%	177	-149
Montserrat	5,097	0.029	0	-1%[21]	$3,400	0	6%		0.0314	0.0316	-0.0002	-6.9%		2.6%	0.0007	0.017	-0.0163		8.9	-35
Netherlands Antilles	227,049	2.8	0	1%	$16,000	91.47	15.5%		0.758	0.950	-0.192	-6.9%		2.1%	3.71	15.74	-12.03		2.68
Nicaragua	5,891,199	16.53	6.372	-2.9%[22]	$2,800	2,383	5.9%	48%	1.286	1.483	-0.197	-3.1%	87%	4.3%	2.344	3.968	-1.624	-25.5%	4.7	-741
Panama	3,360,474	40.32	25.04	2.4%[23]	$11,900	1,423	7.1%	28.6%	5.667	6.527	-0.86	-3.4%	49.5%	2.3%	11.41	13.62	-2.21	-8.8%	12.04	-29
Paraguay	6,995,655	28.27	13.77	-3.5%[24]	$4,100	2,981	7.9%	19.4%	2.323	2.444	-0.121	-0.88%	24%	1.9%	3.167	6.497	-3.33	-24%	3.22	-134
Peru	29,546,963	253	128.9	0.9%[25]	$8,600	10,260	9%	44.5%	33.55	37.97	-4.42	-3.4%	26.1%	1.2%	23.07	20.3	2.77	2.1%	30.04	-466
Puerto Rico	3,966,213	68.14	87.79	-3.9%[26]	$17,200	1,479	12%		6.7	9.6	-2.9[27]	-3.3%		6.5%	46.9	29.1	17.8	19.9%	0
Saint Helena	7,637	0.018	0		$2,500	0	14%		0.0112	0.011				3.2%	0.017	0.042	-0.025		0	-66
Saint Kitts & Nevis	40,131	0.753	0.553	-2%	$15,200	18	4.5%		0.0897	0.1262	0.0365	-6.6%	185%	4.5%	0.084	0.383	-0.299	-54%	0.314	-46
Saint Lucia	160,267	1.75	1.003	-2.5%	$10,900	80	20%		0.141	0.147	-0.006	-0.6%		1.9%	0.288	0.791	-0.503	-50%	0.257	-19
Saint Pierre	7,063	0.0483	0		$7,000	3.5	10.3%		0.070	0.060	0.01	20.7%		8.1%	0.005	0.068	-0.063		0
Saint Vincent	104,574	1.55	0.632	-6.5%	$18,100	58	15%	47.5%	0.0946	0.0858	0.0088	0.6%		6.1%	0.193	0.578	-0.385	-60.9%	0.223	-27
Suriname	481,267	4.274	3.184	-2.2%[28]	$9,000	166	9.5%	70%	0.393	0.426	-0.033	-1%		6.4%	1.391	1.297	0.094	2.9%	0.504	-102
Trinidad & Tobago	1,229,953	28.41	23.27	-3.5%[29]	$23,100	629	7.5%	17%	6.176	7.415	-1.239	-5.4%	26.7%	7.6%	10.64	7.449	3.191	13.7%	2.079	-12
Turks & Caicos	22,942	0.216	0	4.9%	$11,500	4.8	10%		0.047	0.0336	0.0134	6.2%		4%	0.1692	0.1756	-0.0064		0
United States	307,212,123	14,260	14,430	-2.4%[30]	$46,400	154,100	9.3%	12%	1,914	3,615	-1,701	-11.8%	52.9%	-0.7%	994.7	1,445	-450.3	-3.1%	13,450	26,842
Uruguay	3,494,382	44.52	31.98	1.7%[31]	$12,700	1,636	7.9%	27.4%	8.841	9.666	-0.825	-2.6%	58.7%	7.3%	6.32	6.576	-0.256	-0.8%	12.61	-33
Venezuela	26,814,843	350.1	357.6	-2.9%[32]	$13,100	12,670	10.9%	37.9%	65.14	92.04	-26.9	-7.5%	19.4%	27.1%	51.99	41.04	10.95	3%	43.41	-59
Virgin Islands	109,825	1.577	0	2%	$14,500	50	6.2%	28.9%	0.837	0.837	0	0%		2.2%	4.234	4.609	-0.375		0

 Sources: CIA World Fact Book July 2009; OECD Development Aid at a Glance: Statistics by Region 8 February 2010

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[1] There is no entry for Guadalupe in the CIA World Factbook 2009

[2] There is no entry for French Guiana in the CIA World Factbook 2009

[3] There was no CIA World Factbook entry for Martinique in 2009

[4] The distribution of income remains highly unequal with the richest decile comprising over 40% of Guatemala's overall consumption. More than half of the population is below the national poverty line and 15% lives in extreme poverty. Poverty among indigenous groups, which make up 38% of the population, averages 76% and extreme poverty rises to 28%. 43% of children under five are chronically malnourished, one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world.

[5] The earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010 took the lives of an estimated 212,000, reducing the population of July 2009 to 8,823,536, not taking into consideration growth of 1.838% annually. So 6 months at 0.9% annual growth and a population of 9,035,536, 9,1185,725, less 212,000 for a 2010 estimate of 8,906,572.

[6] A severe depression, growing public and external indebtedness, and a bank run culminated in 2001 in the most serious economic, social, and political crisis in the country's turbulent history. Interim President Adolfo RODRIGUEZ SAA declared a default - the largest in history - on the government's foreign debt in December of that year, and abruptly resigned only a few days after taking office. His successor, Eduardo DUHALDE, announced an end to the peso's decade-long 1-to-1 peg to the US dollar in early 2002. The economy bottomed out that year, with real GDP 18% smaller than in 1998 and almost 60% of Argentines under the poverty line. Real GDP rebounded to grow by an average 8.5% annually over the subsequent six years, taking advantage of previously idled industrial capacity and labor, an audacious debt restructuring and reduced debt burden, excellent international financial conditions, and expansionary monetary and fiscal policies.

[7] Brazil's economy outweighs that of all other South American countries and Brazil is expanding its presence in world markets. Since 2003, Brazil has steadily improved macroeconomic stability, building up foreign reserves, reducing its debt profile by shifting its debt burden toward real denominated and domestically held instruments, adhering to an inflation target, and committing to fiscal responsibility. In 2008, Brazil became a net external creditor and two ratings agencies awarded investment grade status to its debt. After record growth in 2007 and 2008, the onset of the global financial crisis hit Braxil in September 2008. Brazil's currency and its stock market - Bovespa - saw large swings as foreign investors pulled resources out of Brazil. Brazil experienced two quarters of recession, as global demand for Brazil's commodity-based exports dwindled and external credit dried up. However, Brazil was one of the first emerging markets to begin a recovery. Consumer and investor confidence revived and GDP growth returned to positive in the second quarter, 2009. The Central Bank expects growth of 5% for 2010.

[8] Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade and a reputation for strong financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. Exports account for more than one-fourth of GDP, with commodities making up some three-quarters of total exports. Copper alone provides one-third of government revenue. Sovereign wealth funds - kept mostly outside the country and separate from Central Bank reserves - amounted to more than $20 billion. Chile used $4 billion from this fund to finance a fiscal stimulus package to fend off recession. The economy was starting to show signs of a rebound in the fourth quarter, 2009, although GDP still fell more than 1% for the year. In December 2009, the OECD invited Chile to become a full member, after a two year period of compliance with organization mandates. The magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile in February 2010 was one of the top ten strongest earthquakes on record. It caused considerable damage near the epicenter, located about 70 miles from Concepcion - and about 200 miles southwest of Santiago.

[9] In Columbia foreign direct investment reached a record $10 billion in 2008. Because of the global financial crisis and weakening demand for Colombia's exports, Colombia's economy grew only 2.6% in 2008, and contracted slightly in 2009.

[10] Prior to the global economic crisis, Costa Rica enjoyed stable economic growth. The economy contracted by about 2% in 2009.

[11] In 2003, the government began a comprehensive restructuring of the economy - including elimination of price controls, privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases - to address an economic and financial crisis and to meet IMF requirements. This restructuring paved the way for an economic recovery - real growth for 2006 reached a two-decade high - and helped to reduce the debt burden, which remains at about 85% of GDP. Hurricane Dean struck the island in August 2007 causing damages equivalent to 20% of GDP. In 2009, growth slowed as a result of the global recession and is projected to pick up only slightly in 2010.

[12] The Dominican Republic economy is highly dependent upon the US, the destination for about two-thirds of exports. Remittances from the US amount to about a tenth of GDP, equivalent to almost half of exports and three-quarters of tourism receipts. The financial crisis and the US recession caused GDP to dip in 2009, but a rebound is expected in 2010.

[13] Ecuador suffered a severe economic crisis, with GDP contracting by more than 6%. Poverty increased significantly, the banking system collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its external debt later that year. In March 2000, Congress approved a series of structural reforms that also provided for the adoption of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the economy, and positive growth returned in the years that followed, helped by high oil prices, remittances, and increased non-traditional exports. From 2002-06 the economy grew 5.5%, the highest five-year average in 25 years. The poverty rate declined during this period but remained high at 38% in 2006. After moderate growth in 2007, the economy reached a growth rate of 6.5% in 2008, in large part due to high global petroleum prices. Poverty levels declined to about 35% by the end of 2008. In December 2008 Ecuador defaulted on $3.2 billion in international bonds, representing over 80% of Ecuador's private external debt. The Ecuadorian economy contracted in 2009, mainly due to the global financial crisis, and also the sharp decline in world oil prices and remittance flows.

[14] Economic growth in El Salvador has been modest in recent years and contracted by 2.6% in 2009. El Salvador leads the region in remittances per capita with inflows equivalent to nearly all export income and about a third of all households receive these financial inflows. In late 2006, the government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation signed a five-year, $461 million compact to stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty in the country's northern region, the primary conflict zone during the civil war, through investments in education, public services, enterprise development, and transportation infrastructure. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency in 2001, El Salvador lost control over monetary policy. Any counter-cyclical policy response to the downturn must be through fiscal policy, which is constrained by legislative requirements for a two-thirds majority to approve any international financing.

[15] Budget information for the Falkland Islands and others are from 99/00.

[16] The Guatemalan economy contracted in 2009 as export demand from US and other Central American markets fell and foreign investment slowed amid the global recession. The economy will likely recover gradually in 2010 and return to more normal growth rates by 2012.

[17] Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with 80% of the population living under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the agricultural sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, and remain vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters, exacerbated by the country's widespread deforestation. The apparel sector accounts for two-thirds of Haitian exports and nearly one-tenth of GDP. Remittances are the primary source of foreign exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP and more than twice the earnings from exports. Haiti suffers from a lack of investment because of insecurity and limited infrastructure, and a severe trade deficit. In 2005, Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way for reengagement with the Bank. Haiti received debt forgiveness for about $525 million of its debt through the Highly-Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative in 2009. The government relies on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability.

[18] Honduras, the second poorest country in Central America, suffers from extraordinarily unequal distribution of income, as well as high unemployment and underemployment. Nearly half of Honduras's economic activity is directly tied to the US, with exports to the US equivalent to 30% of GDP and remittances for another 22%. The economy is expected to register marginally positive economic growth in 2010, insufficient to improve living standards for the nearly 60% of the population in poverty. Despite improvements in tax collections, the government's fiscal deficit is growing due to increases in current expenditures from increasing public wages.

[19] Remittances account for nearly 20% of GDP, but have declined 15% since the onset of the Global recession. Tourism revenues account for 20% of GDP, and arrivals have remained strong, up 4% in 2009, although total revenues have declined due to discounts offered to retain visitors. Jamaica's onerous debt burden - the fourth highest per capita - is the result of government bailouts to ailing sectors of the economy, most notably to the financial sector in the mid-to-late 1990s. The Government of Jamaica signed a $1.27 billion, 27-month Standby Agreement with the International Monetary Fund for balance of payment support in February 2010.

[20] Mexico has a free market economy in the trillion dollar class. It contains a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation, natural gas distribution, and airports. Per capita income is roughly one-third that of the US; income distribution remains highly unequal.

[21] Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998 but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcanic activity and on public sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade. Statistics are from 2002.

[22] Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America, has widespread underemployment and poverty. GDP fell by almost 3% in 2009, due to decreased export demand in the US and Central American markets, lower commodity prices for key agricultural exports, and low remittance growth - remittances are equivalent to almost 15% of GDP.

[23] Economic growth will be bolstered by the Panama Canal expansion project that began in 2007 and is scheduled to be completed by 2014 at a cost of $5.3 billion - about 25% of current GDP. The expansion project will more than double the Canal's capacity, enabling it to accommodate ships that are now too large to transverse the transoceanic crossway, and should help to reduce the high unemployment rate. The United States and China are the top users of the Canal, and while a lower volume of cargo is expected to transit the Canal with the global economic slowdown, higher transit fees will result in a net increase in revenues. Strong economic performance has not translated into broadly shared prosperity as Panama has the second worst income distribution in Latin America. About 30% of the population lives in poverty, however, during TORRIJOS's term poverty was reduced from 40% to 30% and unemployment dropped from 12% to 6%. In 2009, the world recession reduced the amount of revenues Panama earned through global shipping that transits the Canal. Not a CAFTA signatory, Panama in December 2006 independently negotiated a free trade agreement with the US, which, when implemented, will help promote the country's economic growth.

[24] Paraguay’s economy grew rapidly between 2003 and 2008 as growing world demand for commodities combined with high prices and favorable weather to support Paraguay's commodity-based export expansion. Paraguay is the sixth largest soy producer in the world. Drought hit in 2008, reducing agricultural exports and slowing the economy even before the onset of the global recession. The economy fell 3.5% in 2009, as lower world demand and commodity prices caused exports to contract. The government reacted by introducing fiscal and monetary stimulus packages. Political uncertainty, corruption, limited progress on structural reform, and deficient infrastructure are the main obstacles to growth.

[25] The Peruvian economy grew by more than 4% per year during the period 2002-06, with a stable exchange rate and low inflation. Growth jumped to 9% per year in 2007 and 2008, driven by higher world prices for minerals and metals and the government's aggressive trade liberalization strategies, but then fell to 1% in 2009 in the face of the world recession and lower commodity export prices. Peru's rapid expansion has helped to reduce the national poverty rate by about 15% since 2002,

[26] Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum wage laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and other livestock products as the main source of income in the agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important source of income with estimated arrivals of more than 3.6 million tourists in 2008. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy, recovered in 2004-05, but declined again in 2006-08.

[27] Puerto Rican budget figures are from 99/00

[28] The economy is dominated by the mining industry, with exports of alumina, gold, and oil accounting for about 85% of exports and 25% of government revenues, making the economy highly vulnerable to mineral price volatility. The economy contracted in 2009, however, as investment waned and the country earned less from its commodity exports when global prices for most commodities fell. As trade picks up, Suriname's economic outlook for 2010 has improved, but the government's budget is likely to remain strained, with increased social spending in this election year. Suriname's economic prospects for the medium term will depend on continued commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote competition.

[29] In Trinidad and Tobago economic growth between 2000 and 2007 averaged slightly over 8%, significantly above the regional average of about 3.7% for that same period; however, it has slowed down since then and contracted about 2.7% in 2009.

[30] The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $46,900. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. Soaring oil prices between 2005 and the first half of 2008 threatened inflation and unemployment, as higher gasoline prices ate into consumers' budgets. Imported oil accounts for about two-thirds of US consumption. The merchandise trade deficit reached a record $840 billion in 2008 before shrinking to $450 billion in 2009. The global economic downturn, the sub-prime mortgage crisis, investment bank failures, falling home prices, and tight credit pushed the United States into a recession by mid-2008. GDP contracted until the third quarter of 2009, making this the deepest and longest downturn since the Great Depression. To help stabilize financial markets, the US Congress established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) in October 2008. In January 2009 the US Congress passed and President Barack OBAMA signed a bill providing an additional $787 billion fiscal stimulus to be used over 10 years - two-thirds on additional spending and one-third on tax cuts - to create jobs and to help the economy recover. Approximately two-thirds of these funds will have been injected into the economy by the end of 2010. In March 2010, President OBAMA signed a health insurance reform bill into law that will extend coverage to an additional 32 million American citizens by 2016, through private health insurance for the general population and Medicaid for the impoverished.

[31] Uruguay's economy is characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated work force, and high levels of social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually during 1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major downturn, stemming largely from the spillover effects of the economic problems of its large neighbors, Argentina and Brazil. In 2001-02, Argentine citizens made massive withdrawals of dollars deposited in Uruguayan banks after bank deposits in Argentina were frozen, which led to a plunge in the Uruguayan peso, a banking crisis, and a sharp economic contraction. Real GDP fell in four years by nearly 20%, with 2002 the worst year. The unemployment rate rose, inflation surged, and the burden of external debt doubled. Financial assistance from the IMF helped stem the damage. Uruguay restructured its external debt in 2003 without asking creditors to accept a reduction on the principal. Economic growth for Uruguay resumed, and averaged 8% annually during the period 2004-08. The 2008-09 global financial crisis put a brake on Uruguay's vigorous growth, which decelerated to 2.9% in 2009. Nevertheless, the country managed to avoid a recession and keep positive growth rates, mainly through higher public expenditure and investment.

[32] Fueled by high oil prices, record government spending helped to boost GDP by about 10% in 2006, 8% in 2007, and nearly 5% in 2008, before the world recession caused a contraction in 2009. This spending, combined with recent minimum wage hikes and improved access to domestic credit, has created a consumption boom but has come at the cost of higher inflation - roughly 20% in 2007 and more than 30% in 2008. CHAVEZ announced a dual exchange rate system for the fixed rate bolivar. The system offers a 2.6 bolivar per dollar rate for imports of essentials, including food, medicine, and industrial machinery, and a 4.3 bolivar per dollar rate for imports of other products, including cars and telephones.