Research at the National Archives

Electronic Records in the National Archives Pertaining to Latin America

Reference Report #6


Record Group 29: Records of the Bureau of the Census

U.S. Import and Export Data since 1964; Export Non Con Data Bank (EA 694 & 695) [Annual Trade Summaries Between the U.S. and U.S. Possessions]; 1970 Census of Population and Housing, Public Use Sample, Puerto Rico, 20%, 1/100 Sample. Separate Summary Tape Files and Public Use Sample files for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are also available from the Decennial Census of Population and Housing, 1990.

Series Name Number
of Files		 Documentation
Export Data Bank, Annual, 1964-1995 35 Custom, min=41, max=82
Import Data Bank, Annual, 1964-1995 38 Custom, min=46, max=88
Export Non Con Data Bank 1981-1988 (EA 694) 8 Custom, min=33 max=42
Export Non Con Data Bank 1989-1995 (EA 695) 6 Custom
1970 Census, PUS, Puerto Rico, 20%, 1/100 Sample 3 315 pages


Record Group 77: Records of the Office of the Chief of Engineers

Domestic and International Transportation of U.S. Foreign Trade, 1970 (1 data file, 77 doc. pages).

The surveys include data on a 1% sample of shipments of commodities through ports within the 48 contiguous states which were transported on the international leg by vessel or air. The commodities sampled are those which could be defined as general cargo, non-bulk, or merchandise traffic. They include all items in U.S. foreign trade except those listed in Appendix A of the documentation. The major exceptions are wheat, corn, other unmilled grains, cotton, oil seeds and oil nuts, iron ores, nonferrous metal scrap, stone, sand and gravel, coal, coke and petroleum, and items "not classified by kind." Since the means of transportation on the international leg specifically includes only waterborne and airborne commerce, the survey excludes land transport by rail and highway between the U.S. and Canada and Mexico. However, air and water transport to and from these countries is included.

Record Group 197: Records of the Civil Aeronautics Board
Origin and Destination Surveys, Passenger, Ticket Origin and Destination, Data Bank 1, 1968-9/1978; Origin and Destination Surveys, Passenger, Ticket Dollar Value Origin and Destination, Data Bank 1A, 10/1978-12/1984; Origin and Destination Surveys, Directional, (International/ Territorial), Data Bank 2A, 1968-1984; Service Segment Data, Data Bank 23, 1970-1984.

Series Name Number
of Files 		Documentation
Data Bank 1,
1968-9/1978 		35 9
Data Bank 1A,
10/1978-12/1984 		25 8
Data Bank 2A,
1968-1984 		14 5
Data Bank 23,
1970-1984 		15 11


Record Group 286: Records of the Agency for International Development (AID)

Demographic and Health Survey Programs (DHS)

The focus of these surveys is fertility, family planning, and maternal and child health in a number of Latin American, Asian, and African countries. Surveys were conducted at both the household and individual levels. Some governments where the A.I.D. DHS have been undertaken have imposed restrictions on the use of the data. Please consult the reference staff for information about access to specific DHS files. Consult title list and documentation for more specific information. The series of surveys includes:

  1. Maternal and Child Health in Bolivia, February-July 1989 (Bolivia)
  2. Brazil, 1986 (Brazil)
  3. Colombia, 1987 (Colombia)
  4. Dominican Republic, 1986 (Dominican Rep.)
  5. Ecuador, 1987 (Ecuador)
  6. Guatemala, 1987 (Guatemala)
  7. Peru, 1986 (Peru)
  8. Trinidad and Tobago, 1987 (Trinidad & Tobago)


Series Name Number
of Files		 Documentation
Bolivia 10 (3 SPSS Control Statements) Custom
Brazil 9 (3 SPSS Control Statements) Custom
Colombia 18 (4 SPSS Control Statements, 3 ISSA Files) Custom
Dominican Rep 15 (5 SPSS Control Statements, 1 ISSA Files) Custom
Ecuador 12 (4 SPSS Control Statements, 1 ISSA Files) Custom
Guatemala 12 (4 SPSS Control Statements, 1 ISSA Files) Custom
Peru 11 (4 SPSS Control Statements) Custom
Trinidad & Tobago 8 (3 SPSS Control Statements) Custom

Development Information System Database (DIS), 1950-April 25, 1989
Two data files; one containing information about documents related to developmental assistance and the second containing information about projects related to developmental assistance. The data files are part of A.I.D.'s program and policy coordination files which act as institutional memory for field projects funded from Washington, DC. The files include evaluation and contractor reports that are the key materials representing A.I.D.'s experience with development. DIS is designed to provide A.I.D. project designers with information on development of projects and programs, technical data related to project technologies, and bibliographic material to be used in analyzing project oriented problems.

Economic and Social Indicators for Eighteen Latin American Nations, 1960-1971
This study consists of 78 variables for 18 Central and South American countries by year, 1960-1971. Data elements include government expenditures in various areas, food production, education, membership in cooperatives and health. Series consists of one data file. Also available from the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR, Study No. 5030).

Record Group 306: Records of the United States Information Agency (USIA)

International public opinion surveys taken on behalf of the USIA (USIA World Wide Surveys). Many surveys were conducted in Latin America. Examples of USIA surveys conducted in Latin America include: Radio, Continuing Audience Analysis Programs; Attitude Surveys of Foreign Perceptions of International Strength and Security; and Attitude Surveys of National Concerns/Problems. Consult title list and USIA inventories for more specific information. The Center currently has USIA studies conducted ca. 1975 (a few earlier) through 1992.

Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense

Over 138 polls (83 surveys) taken of the attitudes of US servicemen and women toward their participation and experiences during and after World War II. Six data files (3 data, 3 documentation) concern Latin America:

  • a) General Attitudinal Surveys: Attitudes in the Carribbean (AMS-115A), January-February 1944
  • General Attitudinal Surveys: Attitudes in the Carribbean (AMS-115B), January-February 1944
  • General Attitudinal Surveys: Attitudes in the Carribbean (AMS-115C), January-February 1944

Record Group 373: Records of the Defense Intelligence Agency

Extract Containing Fiche Number and Document Summary of the Index to the Fiche of the Captured Grenada Documents, October 1983 (text file).

The units of observation are captured Grenadian documents, which are available on fiche for inspection in the National Archives. There is one record for each document captured in Grenada by the combined forces of the United States and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States in October 1983. Each record contains the date of the information, the date of the document, and the date the information was entered into the system. Each document is described by 200 characters of free text. There is space for 21 keywords in each record and contains a fiche sheet designator.

Record Group 434: General Records of the Department of Energy

Report of Oil Imports Into the United States and Puerto Rico, 1977-1985; 1986-1988; and January-November 1992 [Monthly Imports Reports]. This series consists of three data files covering the time period noted.

Record Group 443: Records of the National Institutes of Health

The Longitudinal Study of Malnutrition and Mental Development in Guatemala, 1969-1977.

The Longitudinal Study of Malnutrition and Mental Development in Guatemala, 1969-1977 is a nutritional intervention study. The focus of this investigation was the relationship between malnutrition and mental development in four selected villages in rural Guatemala. Unlike the majority of nutrition studies which addressed severe malnutrition, this study emphasized mild to moderate malnutrition, a much more common malady among children. The study was funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development under contract with the Pan American Health Organization and conducted by the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP).

Series Name Number
of Files 		Documentation
16 General Doc. +
Anthropometry (ANTHRO) 1 16
Census (CENSUS) 1 6
Childhood Intelligence Status (CISCARDS) 1 9
Diet Nutrient File for Mothers (DIETMCLE) 1 3
Diet Nutrient File for Children (DIETNINO) 1 3
Child's Diet (DIETSC) 1 36
Mother's Diet (DIETSM) 1 19
Mother's Anthropometry (FORM019) 1 10
Morbidity File, Summary (MORBID) 1 57
Morbidity Files, Detailed (MORC & MORM) 23 57
Psychology, 3 to 7 years (PSY3A7) 1 55
Psychology, 5 to 7 years (PSY5A7) 1 60
Socio-Economic Status File, 252 (SES252) 1 16
Socio-Economic Status File, 253 (SES253) 1 10
Supplementation of the Child File, Summary (SUPPLE) 1 52
Weekly Supplement Files, Detailed SUPL files 18 40
X-Ray File (XRAY12) 1 32

Record Group 467: Records of the Research and Special Programs Administration (Transportation) and
Record Group 398: General Records of the Department of Transportation

Origin and Destination Surveys, Passenger Ticket Dollar Value Origin and Destination, Data Bank 1A, 1985-1995; Origin and Destination Surveys, Directional, (International/Territorial), Data Bank 2A, 1985-1995; Service Segment Data, (ER-586, Domestic and International) Data Bank 23T, 1985-1989; Combined Service Segment and T-9 (Domestic and International), Data Bank 27T, 1984-1989. The series T-100 and T-100(f) International Market Data (28IM), 1990-1992, and T-100 and T-100(f) International Segment Data (28IS), 1990-1992, supercede the international portions of the Data Bank 23T and Data Bank 27T series.

Series Name Number
of Files		 Documentation
Data Bank 1A,
1985-1995		 17 51
Data Bank 2A,
1985-1995 		17 47
Data Bank 23T
1985-1989 		5 91
Data Bank 27T
1984-1989 		6 
Data Bank 28IS
1990-1992 		3 
Data Bank 28IM
1990-1992 		3 

Record Group 510: Records of the Agency for Health Care Policy Research

World Health Organization/International Collaborative Study of Medical Care Utilization, 1968-1969 (Buenos Aires) (1 data file, 136 doc. pages).

The data is derived from household interviews and is recorded by individual responses as well as aggregates for each study area. Similar studies were conducted in Canada (4), Finland (1), Poland (1), the United Kingdom (1), the United States (2), and Yugoslavia (2). Information is provided on selected demographic characteristics, attitudinal and socioeconomic factors, and respondent's perceptions of illness and its severity. Data on use of health services includes use of physician services within two weeks and twelve months of interview, of hospital services within twelve months, of selected categories of medicine within two days, of dental services within one month, and of selected other services including optometrists, nurses, midwives, chiropractors, adn naturopaths. Information is also provided on appointment practices, location of ambulatory contacts, respondents' satisfaction with contacts, and immunization.

For general information about available data sources on Latin America, we also suggest you contact the following:
Mr. Craig VanGrasstek, Project Coordinator
c/o Dr. Zdenek V. David
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Smithsonian Institution Building
1000 Jefferson Drive, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20560
(202) 357-2567

Mr. VanGrasstek is project coordinator for the publication and Dr. David the editor of Scholars' Guide to Washington, D.C. for Latin American and Caribbean Studies published by the Johns Hopkins University Press in Fall 1992.

National Archives and Records Administration
Center for Electronic Records
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740-6001
(301) 837-0470
e-mail: cer@nara.gov

THEODORE J. HULL
Archives Specialist
Center for Electronic Records

July 1991 (rev. 7/97)

Footnote 1: 'Latin America' is defined as those countries or territories in the Caribbean, South America, and Central America (including Mexico).

Footnote 2: Custom - Documentation page counts dependent upon specific data files ordered. Reference staff will provide customized documentation page count.

Footnote 3: For more recent records, see Records of the Research and Special Programs Administration (Transportation; Record Group 467) and General Records of the Department of Transportation (Record Group 398). Some data files are restricted release. Researchers interested in ordering copies of these data files must contact the Director, Office of Airline Information, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590. The telephone number is (202) 366-4385.

Footnote 4: Custom - Documentation page counts dependent upon specific data files ordered. Reference staff will provide customized documentation page count.

Footnote 5: cf. Read, Merrill S., Jean-Pierre Habicht, Aaron Lechtig, and Robert E. Klein, "Maternal Malnutrition, Birth Weight, and Child Development," Modern Problems in Pediatrics 14 (1975): 203-215.

Footnote 6: Some of these files are currently unprocessed.

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