Anuario Estadístico de América Latina y el Caribe 2009 = Statistical Yearbook of Latin America and the Caribbean 2009

The present edition of the Yearbook has introduced improvements to the design of the four preceding editions; a further selection has been made of the tables that used to be presented in print version, but which, for practical purposes, are more conveniently accessed electronically. In addition, as far as possible, standard criteria have been adopted for countries, headings, groupings and so forth in the main chapters relating to social, economic and environmental issues. Despite these changes, efforts have been made to ensure continuity in the principal statistical series that ECLAC has been publishing in the Yearbook since 1973.
The Yearbook comprises four chapters. The first covers demographic and social indicators, reflecting special efforts to mainstream the gender perspective in statistical information. The second chapter presents basic economic, trade and balance-of-payments statistics as well as national accounts. Taking account of the growing concern of the regional and international community for sustainable development, the third chapter provides the quantitative information available on the environment.