The tropical Caribbean and the temperate Southern Cone differ greatly by almost any measure of development. Within Brazil, there is a gulf between the dry, poor Northeast, the rich, temperate Southeast, and the still sparsely populated wet tropical Amazon region. In all of the neighboring countries with an Amazonian frontier, the jungle regions are a world apart. In Nicaragua, the malarial east coast is isolated from the more productive west coast. For Bolivia, being landlocked is a fundamental aspect of economic life, and the highlands, the valley region, and the tropical lowlands have each developed separate urban centers with limited connections between them.
Similar patterns hold for the distinct geographical zones of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Although more middle income countries exist in the tropics of Latin America than the rest of the tropics around the world, the geographical gradients within Latin America are nevertheless clear and dramatic. The variation in income by latitude within Latin America is more striking given that the countries in the region share many common aspects of colonial and cultural history. Two simple facts suggest the magnitude of the economic impacts of geography. Likewise, landlocked countries have an average income per capita of only one-third the income of countries with access to the sea. The economic disadvantage of the tropics can be largely attributed to lower agricultural productivity and a higher burden of disease.