The Latin America and Caribbean Population Database project contributes to a goal of several research and development organizations to provide digital population maps for the major developing-world regions. This project follows as closely as possible the design and methodology of previously-developed Asian and African databases (Deichmann 1994, Deichmann 1996a). The database has been updated since previous versions were published on the United Nations Environment Program's spatial data clearinghouse (UNEP 2000) and on CIAT?s web site. The new maps include new information from the 2000 census round for 16 countries. We improved the spatial resolution of the new map by collecting data at more detailed administrative levels for several countries, increasing the number of administrative units substantially compared to our previous release.
We include information on the sources of the population and administrative boundary data, procedures for compiling the data, and some indicators of the quality of the data set. Documentation of the methods to create the maps was derived from the earlier work for Africa and Asia. The raster population surfaces are based on a data set of over 18,300 administrative units and 10,700 populated places. Population growth rates were use to project population totals acquired at the date of each country census back to 1960 and forward to 2000. This documentation also includes appendices with information on data resolution and quality, data sources for population and administrative boundary information.
The main difference between this verison and previous efforts is that it includes a mechanism that incorporates new census and administrative data as they become available, and which ensures consistency with other sources and provides easy access to the data.
