WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
Financial Data Schedule for Putnam Latin America Fund
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 1
<NAME> CLASS A
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> ANNUAL
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-2000
<PERIOD-END> AUG-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 2,708,407
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 3,315,724
<RECEIVABLES> 3,589
<ASSETS-OTHER> 61,508
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 3,380,371
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 24,344
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 14,190
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 38,534
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 3,217,457
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 385,621
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 293,282
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (3,406)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (479,557)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 607,343
<NET-ASSETS> 3,341,837
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 45,335
<INTEREST-INCOME> 1,782
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 42,656
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 4,461
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 172,749
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 555,312
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 732,522
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (5,815)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 119,320
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (27,680)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 699
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 1,588,560
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 1,375
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (655,733)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 2,339
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 44,862
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 2,718,959
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 5.98
<PER-SHARE-NII> .01
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 2.70
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.02)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 8.67
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.65
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING] 0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE] 0
</TABLE>
