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Population and Housing Censuses Indicators of Latin America and the Caribbean: 1960-2017

By Social Sector (VPS/SCL/SCL)

The Population and Housing Censuses database contains censuses harmonized in such a way as to provide comparable census information over time and across countries. The variables are constructed under a common approach and structure, with standardized names, definitions, and disaggregations, and stored in a single file for each country.

About the harmonization

National population and housing censuses are extraordinarily rich but are designed and coded differently in each country and each census round, which makes direct comparison difficult. This database addresses that by harmonizing the censuses so that indicators share a consistent definition and structure across countries and over time. Currently, the harmonization includes databases for 22 countries. The management and harmonization of this database are provided by the Social Sector (SCL) of the Inter-American Development Bank's Vice Presidency of Knowledge and Sectors, to strengthen the analytical content of projects and studies.

Themes and disaggregations

The indicators are categorized into seven themes: demographics, education, labor market, housing, income, migration, and diversity. When possible, multiple disaggregations are added to indicators. The available disaggregations are ethnicity, gender, age, education level, and area of geographic residence, enabling distributional and equity-focused analysis within and across countries.

Coverage

The database covers census-based indicators for Latin American and Caribbean countries spanning the period 1960–2017, allowing long-run analysis of demographic and socioeconomic change.

What is included

The data are distributed as a consolidated CSV file of harmonized indicators, suitable for direct loading into statistical and data-analysis tools.

Intended uses

The database supports comparative research and policy analysis on demographics, education, labor, housing, income, migration, and diversity. Typical users include researchers, statisticians, social-policy analysts, journalists, and students working on development, poverty, and inequality in the region.

Access and reuse

The dataset is published as open data by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) under a Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–NoDerivs 3.0 IGO license, and carries a persistent DOI for stable citation.

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Metadata & use

Identifier https://doi.org/10.60966/hjgxycvx
License Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–NoDerivs 3.0 IGO
Citation

Inter-American Development Bank (2022). Population and Housing Censuses Indicators of Latin America and the Caribbean: 1960-2017. IDB Open Data. https://doi.org/10.60966/hjgxycvx
Published date 2022-03-16
Modified date 2026-06-25
Tags/Keywords Development · Education · Employment · Income · Poverty
Language
  1. English
Temporal coverage 1960-2017
Country
Argentina
Bolivia
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Jamaica
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Trinidad & Tobago
Uruguay
Venezuela
Region Latin America and the Caribbean
Publisher
Inter-American Development Bank
Author
Inter-American Development Bank
Data collection type Observational Data
Statistical type Cross-sectional Data
Data structure Structured Data
Data notes

What is this database?

It is a harmonized collection of population and housing censuses that provides census information that is comparable over time and across Latin American and Caribbean countries.

What does "harmonized" mean here?

Variables are constructed under a common approach and structure, with standardized names, definitions, and disaggregations, so indicators can be compared consistently across countries and census rounds.

How many countries and which years are covered?

The harmonization currently includes databases for 22 countries, and the indicators span the period 1960–2017.

What themes do the indicators cover?

The indicators are categorized into seven themes: demographics, education, labor market, housing, income, migration, and diversity.

What disaggregations are available?

When possible, indicators are disaggregated by ethnicity, gender, age, education level, and area of geographic residence.

Who manages and harmonizes the database?

The Social Sector (SCL) of the IDB's Vice Presidency of Knowledge and Sectors manages and harmonizes the database to strengthen the analytical content of projects and studies.

In what format is the data provided?

The harmonized indicators are distributed as a consolidated CSV file that can be loaded directly into statistical and data-analysis tools.

What can researchers use this for?

It supports comparative research and policy analysis on demographics, education, labor, housing, income, migration, and diversity, including equity-focused analysis using the available disaggregations.

What license applies to this dataset?

It is released under Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–NoDerivs 3.0 IGO (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/igo/), requiring attribution and restricting commercial use and derivatives.

How do I cite this dataset?

Inter-American Development Bank (2022). Population and Housing Censuses Indicators of Latin America and the Caribbean: 1960-2017. IDB Open Data. https://doi.org/10.60966/hjgxycvx

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