Recent trends in external trade patterns in Latin America and the Caribbean

It is based primarily on data from the U.N. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). Readers will find that looking only at broad patterns leaves many questions unanswered. Problems with relying on aggregate regional or sub-regional totals include: (1) the distortions introduced by the change in the treatment of maquila exports and by wide swings in the prices of primary products, especially hydrocarbons; and (2) the failure of these aggregates to reflect significant diversification within broad export categories. (Author abstract, modified)