Trujillo, Verónica, et al. (2018). FINLAC Data: Latin America and the Caribbean financial inclusion and performance dataset: 2005-2015. IDB Open Data. https://doi.org/10.60966/n28q-rb86

1. English

What is FINLAC?

FINLAC is a database developed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) that compiles detailed financial data on regulated financial institutions across Latin America and the Caribbean. It allows users to analyze the performance, outreach, and impact on inclusion of more than 2,000 institutions.

What type of information does FINLAC include?

The dataset contains over 50 financial and inclusion variables covering:
- Total assets, loans, and deposits
- Portfolio quality and profitability
- Capital adequacy and liquidity
- Branches and service points
- Financial inclusion indicators such as loan and deposit accounts by gender, sector, and geography

What period does the dataset cover?

FINLAC includes seven time periods from 2007 to 2021, allowing users to assess financial trends and institutional performance over time.

What is the source of FINLAC data?

FINLAC aggregates information from publicly available sources, financial regulators, and, in select cases, direct submissions from the institutions themselves to the IDB. All data undergo consistency and quality checks.

How can FINLAC data be used?

Researchers, analysts, and policymakers can use FINLAC to:
- Evaluate financial sector performance in the LAC region
- Measure progress in financial inclusion and institutional access
- Compare banks, cooperatives, and microfinance institutions across countries
- Support policy design for inclusive and sustainable financial systems

Which countries are covered in FINLAC?

FINLAC includes data from 25+ countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and others.

How often is the database updated?

The database is periodically updated as new financial data becomes available from national authorities and participating institutions. Updates ensure users have access to the most current information.

Is there documentation to help interpret the data?

Yes. The dataset includes technical documentation, variable definitions, and data dictionaries to support accurate analysis and replication.

Why is FINLAC important?

FINLAC helps track the progress of financial inclusion, measure institutional performance, and identify policy gaps across the LAC region. It provides a unique regional perspective on the role of financial institutions in economic development.

What types of institutions are represented?

FINLAC includes regulated banks, non-bank deposit-taking institutions, non-bank regulated lenders, cooperatives (regulated and non-regulated), and other supervised financial institutions.

What variables are available in the dataset?

Over 50 variables are included, grouped into:
- Financial performance: assets, equity, funding sources, operating expenses, net income, loan portfolio, provisions, non-performing loans, interest rates, deposits.
- Financial inclusion: loan types (SME, microcredit, consumer, housing), number of borrowers, deposit types, number of depositors, stratified deposit ranges, service points, credit/debit cards, transaction flows.

How is the data structured?

FINLAC provides:
- Micro data: institution-level information as reported by each country.
- Macro data: aggregated by institutional type.
- Standardized micro data: harmonized variables for regional comparability.
Metadata includes original variable names, definitions, and sources per country and year.

What is the methodology behind FINLAC?

The database was built from publicly available information reported by national financial authorities, supplemented by direct inputs from institutions in some cases. Variables were harmonized to ensure comparability across countries, with adjustments documented in the methodology annex.

What is the temporal coverage of FINLAC?

Data are available for the years 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.

Who created and maintains FINLAC?

The dataset was developed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and IDB Invest, with contributions from Verónica Trujillo, Sergio Navajas, and Camila Fonseca. It is published under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGO license.