External health expenditure in Latin America & Caribbean
Latin America & Caribbean: External health expenditure was 0.3% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
External health expenditure in Latin America & Caribbean, 2000–2023
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of current health expenditure.
Analysis
Latin America & Caribbean recorded 0.3% for external health expenditure in 2023.
The figure is down 23.6% on the previous year and down 11.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external health expenditure in Latin America & Caribbean peaked at 1.6% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2019.
That places Latin America & Caribbean 31st out of 42 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External health expenditure in Latin America & Caribbean, year by year
| Year | % of current health expenditure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0.4% | — |
| 2001 | 0.5% | +15.4% |
| 2002 | 0.8% | +76.1% |
| 2003 | 0.7% | -14.4% |
| 2004 | 1.6% | +126.5% |
| 2005 | 0.6% | -60.8% |
| 2006 | 0.5% | -21.5% |
| 2007 | 0.4% | -20.8% |
| 2008 | 0.4% | +10.6% |
| 2009 | 0.5% | +6.8% |
| 2010 | 0.5% | +6.0% |
| 2011 | 0.6% | +23.6% |
| 2012 | 0.5% | -16.8% |
| 2013 | 0.4% | -28.5% |
| 2014 | 0.5% | +38.3% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | -10.8% |
| 2016 | 0.3% | -23.3% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | -18.5% |
| 2018 | 0.3% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 0.3% | +4.5% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | +48.1% |
| 2022 | 0.4% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 0.3% | -23.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean
- 28 Guinea-Bissau 25.1% compare
- 29 Djibouti 23.6% compare
- 30 Marshall Islands 22.9% compare
- 31 Chad 22.4% compare
- 32 Afghanistan 21.2% compare
- 33 Yemen 21.1% compare
- 34 Burkina Faso 20.9% compare
More health data for Latin America & Caribbean
- Population ages 05-09, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, male, annual growth rate 1.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per capita 0.033 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, annual growth rate 1.72 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per capita 0.0344 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per capita 0.0369 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external health expenditure in Latin America & Caribbean?
- External health expenditure in Latin America & Caribbean was 0.3% in 2023, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest external health expenditure recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The highest recorded value was 1.6% in 2004.
- What is the lowest external health expenditure recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2019.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean rank for external health expenditure?
- Latin America & Caribbean ranks 31st out of 42 groups with data for 2023.
- Is external health expenditure rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Latin America & Caribbean data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of External health expenditure (% of current health expenditure). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of current health expenditures funded from external sources. External sources compose of direct foreign transfers and foreign transfers distributed by government encompassing all financial inflows into the national health system from outside the country. External sources either flow through the government scheme or are channeled through non-governmental organizations or other schemes.