Book excerpt: The Demographic Observatory 2017, devoted to the topic of mortality, supports analysis of mortality differentials by sex and age in the Latin American countries between 1950 and 2020. The tables presented in this edition were obtained by interpolation of the life tables implicit in 2017 revision of the population estimates and projections prepared by CELADE-Population Division of ECLAC, jointly or in consultation with the countries' national statistical offices. As usual, an analytical chapter is included, on this occasion presenting mortality differentials by age and sex in selected countries, thereby providing an overview of mortality and some of its particular features in the region in this period.