Cover page    Contents       

March - April 2000

To defeat geography, get the facts



Want to know what is the average height of Brazilians? Need a map of a Brazilian city? Curious to know how many colored television sets Brazilians own?

The Brazilian Geographical and Statistical Institute has it all, from detailed census data, to topographical maps, to up-to-date economic data. It amounts to a high-resolution statistical snapshot of the country that individuals, companies and governments continually use to make informed decisions. Much of these data are available at the institute’s website (www.ibge.gov.br).

Another statistical powerhouse is Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics. The Institute’s data collection and dissemination services cover the country’s almost 93 million inhabitants and nearly 2 million square km of territory. The institute’s seven bureaus provide statistical information on social, demographic and economic issues, along with geographic, ecological and territorial data. The site, which contains materials in English as well as Spanish, is at www.inegi.gob.mx .

Unfortunately, information institutes such as these are the exception in Latin America. In most of the smaller countries, individuals, firms and governments needing data for setting policy and making decisions must obtain it on their own or rely on private sources.



HOME       ABOUT THE IDB        BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES      DEPARTMENTS      POLICIES 

PRESS & PUBLICATIONS       PRIVATE SECTOR      PROJECTS      RESEARCH & STATISTICS