Population and Demographics

The culture, customs and language of the Panamanians are predominantly Caribbean and Spanish. Ethnically, the majority of the population is Mestizo or mixed Spanish, Chinese , Amerindian, and African descent. Spanish is the official and dominant language; English is a common second language spoken by the West Indians and by many in business and professional fields. More than half the population lives in the Panama City?Colón metropolitan corridor.

There are seven types of indigenous peoples in Panama:

• Emberá
• Wounaan
• Ngöbe
• Buglé
• Kuna
• Naso (Teribe)
• Bribri

The country is also the smallest in Spanish-speaking Latin America in terms of population, with Uruguay as the second smallest (by almost 4,000,000). However, since Panama has the highest birth rate, it is likely that in the coming years its population will surpass Uruguay's.

The overwhelming majority of Panamanians are Roman Catholic, accounting for over 80% of the population. Although the Constitution recognises Catholicism as the religion of the great majority, Panama has no official religion. Minority religions in Panama include Protestantism, Islam, the Bahá'í Faith, Buddhism, Greek Orthodox, Judaism and Hinduism. The Jewish community in Panama, with over 10,000 members, is by far the biggest in the region (including Central America, Colombia and the Caribbean). Jewish immigration began in the late 19th century, and at present there are synagogues in Panama City, as well as two Jewish schools. Within Latin America, Panama has one of the largest Jewish communities in proportion to its population, surpassed by Uruguay and Argentina. Panama's communities of Muslims, East Asians, and South Asians, are also among the largest.

Panama City hosts a Bahá'í House of Worship, one of only eight in the world. Completed in 1972, it is perched on in high hole looking up to the canal, and is constructed of local mud laid in a pattern reminiscent of Native American fabric designs.

Facts and Figures

• Population: 3,242,173
• Age Structure:
  • 0-14 years: 30% (male 496,195/female 476,508)
  • 15-64 years: 63.6% (male 1,044,139/female 1,016,805)
  • 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 97,365/female 111,161)
• Median Age:
  • Total: 26.4 years
  • Male: 26 years
  • Female: 26.7 years
• Population Growth Rate: 1.564%
• Birth Rate: 21.45 births/1,000 population
• Death Rate: 5.44 deaths/1,000 population
• Net Migration Rate: -0.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population
• Sex Ratio:
  • At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  • Under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female
  • 15-64 years: 1.027 male(s)/female
  • 65 years and over: 0.876 male(s)/female
  • Total population: 1.021 male(s)/female
• Infant Mortality Rate:
  • Total: 15.96 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Male: 17.33 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Female: 14.54 deaths/1,000 live births
• Life Expectancy at Birth:
  • Total population: 75.19 years
  • Male: 72.69 years
  • Female: 77.8 years
• Total Fertility Rate: 2.66 children born/woman
• HIV/AIDS:
  • Adult prevalence rate: 0.9%
  • People living with HIV/AIDS: 16,000
• Ethnic Groups:
  • Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%
  • Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%
  • White 10%
  • Amerindian 6%
• Religions:
  • Roman Catholic 85%
  • Protestant 15%
• Languages:
  Note - many Panamanians bilingual
  • Spanish (official)
  • English 14%
• Literacy:
  • Total population: 92.6%
  • Male: 93.2%
  • Female: 91.9%