Latin American and Caribbean Public Debt Management Specialists Group (2024). Latin America and the Caribbean Standardized Public Debt Database: Data as of June 2023. IDB Open Data. https://doi.org/10.60966/zeff-1h11

1. English

What is this dataset?

The Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Public Debt Database — 2023 I Edition compiles standardized and comparable sovereign debt data from 26 LAC countries.
Developed by the LAC Debt Group and managed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), it is the region’s central public debt database for analyzing Latin American government debt (2023) and monitoring fiscal trends.

What does the dataset include?

The database provides biannual sovereign debt data classified by: - Legislation (domestic or external)
- Creditor type (official, multilateral, or private)
- Currency denomination (domestic or foreign)
- Maturity structure (short-, medium-, and long-term)
- Debt instruments (bonds, loans, and others)

These indicators allow users to examine both the composition and evolution of public debt across Latin America and the Caribbean.

What is the time coverage of the data?

The dataset covers biannual data from 2006 through June 2023, providing nearly two decades of standardized debt information for the region.

Why was this database created?

The LAC Debt Group established this initiative to strengthen fiscal transparency, regional policy coordination, and evidence-based decision-making.
By standardizing reporting methods, the database ensures that data are valid, comparable, and consistent across LAC countries.

How is the data collected?

Each participating country’s Debt Management Office (DMO) provides official data using a standardized questionnaire developed by the LAC Debt Group.
This ensures that all statistics are based on objective and homogeneous definitions of public debt, enabling accurate cross-country comparisons.

Which countries are included in this edition?

The 2023 I Public Debt Database covers 26 Latin American and Caribbean countries:

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

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 use multiple editions together to construct a continuous time series of public debt data and evaluate Latin American government debt trends over time.

What are the dataset’s main uses?

This public debt database supports:
- Analyzing Latin America government debt (2023) structure and composition
- Comparing debt sustainability and fiscal policy across countries
- Conducting research on sovereign debt management and financial stability
- Supporting transparency initiatives and macroeconomic policy design

What are the dataset’s limitations?

• Private-sector and subnational debt are not included.
• Data coverage varies slightly by country.
• Updates depend on periodic submissions from participating DMOs.

What supporting materials are available?

The dataset package includes:
- Excel file containing country-level debt statistics
- Metadata and methodological documentation
- A PDF guide explaining definitions, classifications, and coverage

Where can I find global public debt data?

For Latin America and the Caribbean, the IDB’s Standardized Public Debt Database provides biannual sovereign debt statistics from 2006 to 2023. Globally, the IMF’s Global Debt Database and the World Bank’s International Debt Statistics are the main repositories.

Does the IDB dataset provide national debt statistics by country?

The IDB dataset covers 26 LAC countries, with debt classified by legislation (internal vs external), creditor type, currency, and maturity. Each country’s central government and central bank debt is included, allowing national-level comparisons.

What are the key historical trends in global public debt levels?

The LAC database tracks the evolution of debt from 2006 through June 2023. It shows rising debt-to-GDP ratios post-2008 crisis and again after the COVID-19 pandemic, with notable increases in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.

What is the economic impact of rising public debt on GDP growth?

The dataset provides debt-to-GDP ratios, enabling analysis of how high debt burdens correlate with slower growth. For example, countries with debt ratios above 80% of GDP (such as Argentina and Jamaica) face tighter fiscal space and higher borrowing costs.