Over the weekend, Facebook launched an app called Facebook Lite, which is optimized for low-end Android devices in emerging markets across Asia and Africa.

TechCrunch reports the app was launched in Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. It is being tested there with the intent for further expansion if all goes well.

The Facebook Lite app, which runs on Android 2.2 devices and up, enables users to post status updates, comment on the News Feed, message friends, upload photos and set up group conversations. It also includes Android features like camera integration and push notifications. The app is based on Snaptu, Facebook's free mobile application platform, and has received very positive user reviews to date.

Facebook's new app was designed to accommodate low-end and dated Android devices, and because its size is only 252KB -- significantly lower than the 25MB Facebook Android app and the 70.1MB Facebook iOS app -- Facebook Lite works well on 2G, making it ideal of countries with poor quality internet connections.

That is good news for mobile users in Latin America, as 2G currently accounts for 60 percent of mobile connections, according to a GSMA Latin America report.

"We are seeing a rapid technology migration in Latin America, which is proving to be a catalyst for new products and services that are playing key a role in addressing many of the region's social, economic and public services challenges, including enabling financial and digital inclusion," Anne Bouverot, director general of the GSMA, said. "The increasing adoption of smartphones -- alongside expanding mobile broadband coverage -- is unlocking new business opportunities for all players within the mobile value chain, as well as enabling millions of people to connect to the mobile internet."

In Latin America, there were 718 million mobile connections at the end of September 2014. 2G accounted for 60 percent of connections, 3G accounted for 39 percent (which is higher than the global average of 32 percent), and 4G currently makes up 1 percent.

According to GSMA Latin America, residents can expect a rapidly growing share as 4G deployments take place over the next few years.

Latin Link reports there were 341 million individual mobile users in Latin America at the end of 2014. By 2017, the GSMA predicts there will be 374 million.

Latin America's biggest market is Brazil with 112 million mobile users. Mexico currently has 97.6 million active mobile lines, while Argentina has 53 million mobile lines.

Facebook is the top social network in Latin America. Facebook revealed in 2013 it had 200 million Latin American users with nearly three of four logging in from mobile devices.

If you have an Android phone, you can check out Facebook Lite here.

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