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Little information is available about the reproductive and growth performance of local pigs in the tropics. The present paper reviews studies on the Creole pigs of Guadeloupe and Cuba which both originate from an Iberian breed. It was found that Creole sows reached puberty at a younger age than exotic breeds, but Guadeloupe and Cuban Creole sows weaned, respectively, 0.7 and 1.3 piglets per litter fewer than imported females of improved breeds, resulting in fewer pigs weaned/sow/year. Creole pigs had a 14 to 17% lower average daily gain than exotic pigs, and their feed:gain ratio and fat percentage in the carcass were 0.8 and 6-8 percentage units higher, respectively. The higher body fatness in native pigs was accompanied by a 40% lower daily rate of muscle deposition. The effect of breed on postmortem pH, as a criterion of the technological quality of pork, was unclear. When the daily energy intake was sub-optimal, Guadeloupe Creole pigs had a lower average daily gain and a fatter carcass than Large White pigs. In terms of average daily gain and digestibility of fibre, Cuban Creole pigs showed no ability to take advantage of a fibrous diet, but finishing Creole pigs were not adversely affected by a sub-optimal level of dietary crude protein, suggesting that they could be used under conditions of limited protein resources. Guadeloupe Creole pigs benefited from sprinkling and shading to alleviate heat stress under the tropical climate. It is suggested that the indigenous pigs of the Caribbean and Latin America areas would be most useful for the production of high quality transformed products or where conditions of feeding and management were poor.