This 1962 survey, while it contains 181 statistical tables, becomes more than an orderly compilation of facts and figures on Latin America’s trade, balance of payments, and production. In addition it analyzes the data for evidences of success or failure in the efforts of the Latin American countries to achieve Alliance for Progress goals of economic growth. For the first time it reviews specific evidences of progress made by each country in the preparation of long-term plans for economic development and in the achievement of agrarian and tax reforms.
The survey lists the area’s principal exports and the available markets. It also discusses Latin America’s capacity to import in conjunction with its balance of payments in direct relation to its total production, its rate and extent of capital formation and monetary development. In its study of Latin America’s manufacturing sector it subjects to separate treatment the so-called traditional industries and the newer industries such as paper, chemicals, petroleum refining, cement, iron and steel, motor-vehicle, shipbuilding, and industrial machinery and equipment.
In recognition of the rapid forward march of the Central American common market, in contrast to the more halting advance of the larger LAFTA common market group based in Montevideo, the survey devotes to it an entire section under the heading “Characteristics and Development of the Central American Productive Structure,” discussing in turn (1) the structure, recent development, and prospects of Central American exports, (2) the main characteristics and development of the area’s productive structure, and (3) the evolution and structure of the area’s imports and prospects for trade within Central America.
The survey examines Latin America’s foreign trade both as to composition and direction and comments on economic activity in the territories of each of Latin America’s principal trading partners. It also makes an exhaustive study of the international market conditions existing for each of the principal world market commodities produced by Latin America.
To the specialist in Latin America this volume will serve as a handbook. To the layman it can be taken as a trustworthy introduction to what may to him have been up to now a little-known area.
