Latin American and Caribbean Public Debt Management Specialists Group (2020). Latin America and the Caribbean Standardized Public Debt Database: Data as of December 2019. IDB Open Data. https://doi.org/10.60966/j11a-2v95

1. English

Why was this database created?

The LAC Debt Group believes that sound debt management requires valid, comparable, and standardized data.
This dataset helps policymakers, researchers, and financial analysts understand the composition and evolution of public debt in Latin America and the Caribbean.

What information does the dataset contain?

The database includes detailed statistics reported by national Debt Management Offices (DMOs) on:
- Central government and total public debt
- Currency composition (domestic vs. external)
- Debt by creditor type and financial instrument
- Maturity structure and debt service profile
- Annual time-series data up to 2019 (2019 II edition)

How is the data collected?

Each DMO provides information using a standardized questionnaire developed by the LAC Debt Group.
This ensures that all indicators are defined according to clear and consistent methodological standards, allowing for cross-country comparability.

Which countries are included in the dataset?

The LAC Public Debt Database (2019 II) includes standardized debt data reported by the Debt Management Offices (DMOs) of 26 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean.

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

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

Each participating country reports using a standardized questionnaire, ensuring comparability across indicators such as debt by instrument, creditor, maturity, and currency composition.

What is the temporal coverage?

The 2019 II edition presents consolidated public debt data available up to December 2019, with comparable historical series for earlier years.

How often is the dataset updated?

Updates are released yearly, reflecting new submissions from participating DMOs and revisions in national data reporting.

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 dataset’s limitations?

• Coverage is limited to countries that are members of the LAC Debt Group.
• Some reporting differences may exist due to national definitions or data availability.
• The database focuses on sovereign (public sector) debt and excludes private debt data.

What can users do with this dataset?

Users can:
- Analyze Latin America government debt (2019) composition and structure
- Compare debt sustainability indicators across LAC countries
- Monitor public debt trends by maturity, currency, and creditor type
- Support fiscal policy design and sovereign risk assessments

What does the dataset include?

• Excel files with detailed country data
• Metadata and methodological notes describing definitions and coverage
• A PDF user guide explaining variables and classification methods

What public debt information is available for Latin American countries in 2019?

The dataset coverage includes total central government gross debt and debt‑to‑GDP ratios for 26 countries across the region.

How is external versus domestic debt broken down?

Debt is classified by legislation (external vs. internal), enabling analysis of composition and relative shares.

Are USD‑denominated debt values included?

Yes. Total debt values are provided in currency terms and as ratios to GDP.

How do Brazil and Mexico compare in debt‑to‑GDP ratios?

Country‑level ratios allow direct comparison; Brazil’s ratio is higher than Mexico’s in 2019.

Is maturity information available for sovereign debt?

Yes. Average remaining maturity and short/medium/long‑term breakdowns are provided.

What debt information is available for Colombia in 2019?

Colombia’s central government debt levels and maturity structure are included. Fiscal rule compliance is not.

Does the dataset show the amount of debt foreign investors hold?

Holdings are broken down by Central Bank vs. other holders, but not by foreign vs. domestic investor categories.