GDP Per Capita for Latin America and the Caribbean as a single region is projected to increase from $9980 USD in 2010, to $12,000 in 2020 representing an increase of 120%, with a growth rate lagging behind most of the world according to data from The Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures.

The chart below is a comparison of GDP Per Capita projections for Latin America and the Caribbean, as compared with China, Chile, the United States, and a global average.

Of course, not all per capita incomes in Latin America are equal.

While citizens of Chile and Argentina enjoy annual incomes closer to $15,000, residents in Haiti or Nicaragua struggle far below global averages with incomes under $3,500.

Corruption levels across Latin America certainly place a drag on economic progress in the region, and while a few outliers (such as Chile and Colombia) represent bright spots for economic progress in the region, economic freedom is struggling across the region, and a few Latin American countries are nearly ranked the worst in the world.