The combined findings of this series, which also includes volumes on Europe, Africa, and Asia and the Pacific, are published at 6-month intervals over a 2-year period. Each volume highlights features of social security programmes in the particular region.

In this volume on the Americas, the data reported are based on laws and regulations in force in July 2011 or on the last date for which information has been received.

The data and scheme descriptions may also be consulted in the ISSA Country Profiles, and data of two countries be compared using the Scheme Description Comparison.

Social Security Programs Throughout the World  is the product of a cooperative effort between the US Social Security Administration (SSA) and the International Social Security Association (ISSA).

Published by the US Social Security Administration. This report and other publications are available on the SSA Website:

http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/progdesc/ssptw/2010-2011/americas/index.html