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Microplastics accumulation is an emerging environmental issue and a threat to marine life and human health. There is a growing number of investigations on the abundance and distribution of microplastics in different water bodies and biota worldwide, with relatively few studies conducted in Latin America, however, the current knowledge of microplastics sources, occurrence, transport, fate and potential impacts remains largely unexplored. This review presents the current trends and advances of microplastics on a lesser known region of the world by compiling the research performed to date in different environmental compartments. The sampling techniques and methods for microplastics extraction in the existing literature data are also summarized. Among 78 published studies reviewed, 34% of studies were from Brazil and 46% of studies have mainly focused on biota. The main findings showed that microplastics are not negligible across Latin America significantly varying in their distribution, with the prevalence of fibers comprising 62% of the total. Polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate and polystyrene have been identified as the most common polymer types, accounting for 80% of the total. Limited studies and lack of standardized methodologies render difficulties to establish fundamental information on microplastics abundance and types in most countries of this region. Therefore, this review will primarily serve as a baseline when evaluating the environmental relevance of microplastics in Latin America and would stimulate discussions focusing on this topic, calling for more research in future. Image 1 • 78 studies on microplastic contamination reported in Latin America were reviewed. • Majority of the surface water and sediment samples contained microplastics. • Low occurrences of microplastics in only 18% of biota samples. • The most abundant shape of microplastics was fibers (∼62%). • Microplastics of polyethylene (40%) and polypropylene (17%) were predominant. The present literature review focuses on a lesser known area of the world, Latin America, with respect to microplastic contamination reported in the coastal, freshwater and marine environments, biota and food categories. The findings of this review will primarily serve as a baseline when evaluating the environmental relevance of microplastics in Latin America and would stimulate discussions focusing on this topic, calling for more research in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]