Peru has the fastest-growing middle class of any country in Latin America since the start of the century, a positive sign for the emerging economy.

Poverty levels in Peru fell from 50.5 percent in 2000 to 24.2 percent in 2010, according to the United Nations Development Program. During the same period, the percent of people moving into the middle class grew from 15.2 percent to 34.3 percent, according to Peru This Week.

"Between 2000 and 2012, Peru became the country in Latin America and the Caribbean with the largest number of people lifted from poverty into the middle class, being the nation with the highest relative increase in this group," the UN report said.

In Latin America as a whole, the poor population -- comprising people who make less than $4 per day -- fell from 41.7 percent in 2000 to 25.3 percent in 2012. The middle class grew by 82 million people, jumping from 21.9 percent of the population to 34.3 percent of the population.

People in between poverty and the middle class -- those making between $4 and $10 per day -- ticked up slightly from 35 percent to 38 percent of the population.

"Despite these achievements, a very high share of the population is living in constant uncertainty," said Jessica Faieta, UNDP director of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Jamaica Observer reported. "They are neither classified as living in poverty, nor have they gained access to a stable middle class status."

The report studied 18 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean and found that if these decreases in poverty are to continue, the countries need more investment in social programs.

"Clearly, if countries of the region do not reduce their vulnerabilities and strengthen their resilience to financial crises and natural disasters, we won't able to guarantee, let alone expand, progress in the social, economic and environmental realms," Faieta said.