Personal remittances, received in Latin America & Caribbean
Latin America & Caribbean: Personal remittances, received was 2.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Personal remittances, received in Latin America & Caribbean, 1979–2025
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Latin America & Caribbean recorded 2.0% for personal remittances, received in 2025.
That represents a change of down 19.0% on the previous year and up 46.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, personal remittances, received in Latin America & Caribbean peaked at 2.6% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1979.
Latin America & Caribbean ranks 25th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Personal remittances, received in Latin America & Caribbean, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 0.2% | — |
| 1980 | 0.3% | +50.7% |
| 1981 | 0.3% | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 0.3% | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 0.4% | +16.6% |
| 1984 | 0.4% | +4.3% |
| 1985 | 0.4% | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 0.5% | +15.9% |
| 1987 | 0.5% | +13.3% |
| 1988 | 0.5% | -2.1% |
| 1989 | 0.5% | +3.8% |
| 1990 | 0.6% | +7.0% |
| 1991 | 0.6% | +12.6% |
| 1992 | 0.7% | +12.8% |
| 1993 | 0.6% | -12.2% |
| 1994 | 0.7% | +8.8% |
| 1995 | 0.7% | +7.1% |
| 1996 | 0.7% | -7.9% |
| 1997 | 0.7% | -2.7% |
| 1998 | 0.7% | +11.2% |
| 1999 | 0.9% | +25.2% |
| 2000 | 0.9% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 1.1% | +23.1% |
| 2002 | 1.4% | +29.1% |
| 2003 | 1.9% | +28.8% |
| 2004 | 1.9% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 1.9% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 1.9% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 1.7% | -8.6% |
| 2008 | 1.5% | -12.8% |
| 2009 | 1.3% | -9.9% |
| 2010 | 1.1% | -18.0% |
| 2011 | 1.0% | -6.6% |
| 2012 | 1.0% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 1.0% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 1.1% | +5.3% |
| 2015 | 1.4% | +25.7% |
| 2016 | 1.5% | +10.1% |
| 2017 | 1.5% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 1.7% | +12.2% |
| 2019 | 1.9% | +10.0% |
| 2020 | 2.4% | +26.9% |
| 2021 | 2.6% | +8.3% |
| 2022 | 2.5% | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 2.4% | -4.6% |
| 2024 | 2.5% | +3.7% |
| 2025 | 2.0% | -19.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1980s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.6% | 0.9% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.3% | 1.0% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.4% | 2.0% | 2.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean
- 22 Uzbekistan 14.3% compare
- 23 Yemen 12.0% compare
- 24 Cape Verde 11.7% compare
- 25 Egypt 11.4% compare
- 26 Georgia 11.2% compare
- 27 Bosnia and Herzegovina 10.7% compare
- 28 Senegal 10.6% compare
More economy & growth data for Latin America & Caribbean
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 4.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 1,782 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 2.15 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 0.1354 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 1,502 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 7,621 current US$ per person (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 0.5777 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015) 2.5 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.1607 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) 0.6869 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is personal remittances, received in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Personal remittances, received in Latin America & Caribbean was 2.0% in 2025, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest personal remittances, received recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The highest recorded value was 2.6% in 2021.
- What is the lowest personal remittances, received recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1979.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean rank for personal remittances, received?
- Latin America & Caribbean ranks 25th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is personal remittances, received rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Latin America & Caribbean data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Personal remittances, received (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Personal remittances comprise personal transfers and compensation of employees. Personal transfers consist of all current transfers in cash or in kind made or received by resident households to or from nonresident households. Personal transfers thus include all current transfers between resident and nonresident individuals. Compensation of employees refers to the income of border, seasonal, and other short-term workers who are employed in an economy where they are not resident and of residents employed by nonresident entities. Data are the sum of two items defined in the sixth edition of the IMF's Balance of Payments Manual: personal transfers and compensation of employees.