Remittances to Latin America and the Caribbean in 2009: The impact of the global financial crisis

In 2009 remittance flows to Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) declined as a result of the impact of the global financial crisis on countries in which migrants from the region live and work. The recessions in major remittance-sending countries such as the United States, Spain, and Japan had a strong impact on the employment and income of remittance senders, and, as a result, the annual accumulated volume of remittances to LAC dropped substantially, reaching $US 58.8 billion at the end of the year.