Demographics & population — Panama
Population size, age structure, migration, ethnicity, language, education, and health indicators.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Demographics & population at a glance
Population size, age structure, migration, ethnicity, language, education, and health indicators. Key figure for Panama: 3,894,082
Immigration rules and fees change frequently — confirm current requirements on official government or embassy websites.
Population overview
- Population
3,894,082
- Population Growth Rate
1.38%
- Urban Population
- Population in Major Urban Areas
PANAMA CITY (capital) 1.426 million
Age & family
- Age Structure
- Median Age
- Birth Rate - births/1,000 population
19
- Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population
4.73
- Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman
2.4
- Contraceptive Prevalance Rate - female 12-49
52.2%
- Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 12-49
52.2%
- Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female
Migration
- Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population
-0.35
Ethnicity & language
- Ethnic Groups
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%
- Language Note
Spanish is the official language although many Panamanians in business and the professions speak English.
- Nationality Noun
Panamanian(s)
Education
- Literacy - total population
91.9%
- Literacy - male
93.2%
- Literacy - female
91.9%
- Literacy Definition
age 15 and over can read and write
- Education Expenditures - percent of GDP
3.5%
- Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)
Health & living conditions
- Life Expectancy at Birth
- Infant Mortality Rate
- Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births
- Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births
92
- Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population
1.5
- Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population
2.4
- Health Expenditures - percent of GDP
8.2%
- Major Infectious Diseases - degree of risk
intermediate
- Obesity - adult prevalence rate
25.4%
- Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved
- Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved
- Underweight - percent of children under five years
3.9%