Starting in the 1950s, Latin America and the Caribbean underwent a rapid urbanization process, making it one of the most urbanized regions in the world. Today, 82% of the population lives in urban areas, compared to the global average of 58% (Figure 1). While cities can offer abundant opportunities for improved well-being, they also present challenges, especially during times of crises, that can make households more vulnerable to poverty. This #GraphForThought examines urbanization and poverty trends in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) using data from ECLAC and UNDESA. Over the last two decades, LAC has made very significant progress both in terms of extreme poverty and poverty reduction. Despite setbacks since 2014, 2022 saw the region’s lowest poverty rate ever (26%), with slight declines projected for 2023 (25.2%) and 2024 (25%).
