Latin American and Caribbean Public Debt Management Specialists Group (2023). Latin America and the Caribbean Standardized Public Debt Database: Data as of December 2021. IDB Open Data. https://doi.org/10.60966/vz0k-v143

1. English

What is this dataset?

The Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Public Debt Database — December 2021 Edition provides standardized and comparable data on government debt across the region.
Developed by the LAC Debt Group in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), it serves as a central public debt database that tracks government debt in Latin America (2021) and enables cross-country comparisons of fiscal indicators.

Why was this database created?

The LAC Debt Group designed this initiative to strengthen fiscal transparency and improve access to valid, comparable, and standardized debt data.
By harmonizing data definitions and collection methods, it supports evidence-based policymaking and consistent monitoring of public debt in Latin America and the Caribbean.

What information does the dataset include?

The 2021 edition contains data on:
- Central government and total public debt
- Currency composition (domestic vs. external)
- Creditor classification (official, commercial, multilateral)
- Debt instruments and maturity profiles
- Debt service payments and refinancing structures
- Historical series updated through December 2021

Each country’s Debt Management Office (DMO) submits these data using a standardized questionnaire, ensuring consistency across the region.

Which countries are included?

The dataset covers 26 LAC countries, including both Latin American and Caribbean members of the LAC Debt Group:

Latin America:
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Caribbean:
Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago

How is the data collected and standardized?

Each country’s DMO reports debt statistics via a harmonized questionnaire developed by the LAC Debt Group.
The process uses clear, objective, and homogeneous definitions of public debt, enabling users to make consistent cross-country and time-series comparisons.

What is the time coverage?

The December 2021 edition provides data through the end of 2021, with historical series for previous years available where national data are available.

How often is the dataset updated?

The dataset is updated yearly as new data are reported by participating countries and validated by the LAC Debt Group.

Where can I find other editions of the Public Debt Database?

The LAC Debt Group’s Public Debt Database is released biannually, providing comparable and standardized data on sovereign debt across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Each edition reflects the latest information reported by participating countries and allows users to track the evolution of Latin American government debt over time.

Below are links to all available editions on the IDB Open Data Portal:

• December 2023 Edition — Latin America and the Caribbean Public Debt Database (Dec 2023)
  Contains biannual data through December 2023.

• June 2023 Edition — Latin America and the Caribbean Public Debt Database (Jun 2023)
  Covers data through June 2023.

• June 2022 Edition — Latin America and the Caribbean Public Debt Database (Jun 2022)
  Includes data through June 2022.

• December 2021 Edition — Latin America and the Caribbean Public Debt Database (Dec 2021)
  Provides data through December 2021.

• December 2020 Edition — Latin America and the Caribbean Public Debt Database (Dec 2020)
  Covers data through December 2020.

• December 2019 Edition — Latin America and the Caribbean Public Debt Database (Dec 2019)
  Contains data through December 2019.

• June 2019 Edition — Latin America and the Caribbean Public Debt Database (Jun 2019)
  Includes data through June 2019.

Each release maintains a consistent structure, methodology, and variable definitions, ensuring comparability across editions.
Researchers can combine multiple editions to construct a continuous time series of public debt data and evaluate trends in Latin American government debt.

What are the main uses of this dataset?

This public debt database supports:
- Comparative analysis of Latin America government debt 2021
- Monitoring debt sustainability and fiscal trends
- Research on debt composition by instrument, maturity, or currency
- Policy design and macroeconomic analysis for debt management offices

What are its limitations?

• Coverage varies depending on data provided by national DMOs.
• Private and subnational debt are not included.
• Revisions or methodological updates may affect some time series.

What supporting materials are included?

The dataset package includes:
- Excel files with country-level debt indicators
- Metadata and methodological documentation
- A PDF guide describing definitions, data sources, and coverage

How do Latin American nations finance their national debt?

Governments finance debt through a mix of marketable instruments, bank loans, and lending from official institutions. The dataset distinguishes between debt under internal vs. external legislation and whether it is issued in domestic or foreign currency.

How did Latin American governments finance their debt in 2021?

Financing was split between official creditors (multilateral and bilateral) and non-official creditors (banks, markets, and other sources). The dataset tracks the composition of debt by creditor type and legislation.

What was the external debt vs domestic debt composition in Latin America in 2021?

The dataset provides ratios of external vs. internal legislation debt to total debt for each country. This allows analysis of reliance on foreign vs. domestic financing.