Palma ratio in Panama

Panama: Palma ratio was 3.23 in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
3.23
Change on year
up 6.0%
World rank
6th
of 120 countries
All-time high
6.37
in 1989
All-time low
3.05
in 2023
Years of data
30
1979–2024

Palma ratio in Panama, 1979–2024

02461979200120241979: 3.11989: 6.41991: 5.91995: 5.61997: 5.61998: 5.31999: 4.92000: 52001: 5.22002: 4.82003: 4.72004: 4.42005: 4.22006: 4.42007: 3.92008: 3.82009: 3.62010: 3.62011: 3.52012: 3.62013: 3.62014: 3.42015: 3.42016: 3.32017: 3.32018: 3.12019: 3.22021: 3.42023: 32024: 3.2

Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for palma ratio in Panama is 3.23, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of up 6.0% on the previous year and down 4.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, palma ratio in Panama peaked at 6.37 in 1989 and was at its lowest, 3.05, in 2023.

Panama ranks 6th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 30 years of available data.

Palma ratio in Panama, year by year

Annual values for Palma ratio in Panama, 1979 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1979 3.06
1989 6.37 +108.2%
1991 5.86 -8.0%
1995 5.63 -4.0%
1997 5.57 -1.1%
1998 5.31 -4.7%
1999 4.92 -7.2%
2000 4.97 +0.9%
2001 5.18 +4.2%
2002 4.83 -6.6%
2003 4.68 -3.2%
2004 4.45 -4.9%
2005 4.17 -6.3%
2006 4.39 +5.3%
2007 3.89 -11.3%
2008 3.82 -1.9%
2009 3.6 -5.7%
2010 3.57 -0.9%
2011 3.52 -1.3%
2012 3.62 +2.6%
2013 3.58 -1.0%
2014 3.37 -6.0%
2015 3.42 +1.6%
2016 3.35 -2.1%
2017 3.25 -2.8%
2018 3.13 -3.7%
2019 3.25 +3.6%
2021 3.39 +4.4%
2023 3.05 -10.2%
2024 3.23 +6.0%

Panama compared with similar countries

  • Panama's 3.23 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.23, 2.6× the median. (42 countries reporting)
  • Panama's 3.23 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 2.37, 1.4× the median. (18 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Palma ratio in Panama changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1989 +108.2% 3.06 6.37

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 3.06 3.06 3.06 1
1980s 6.37 6.37 6.37 1
1990s 5.46 4.92 5.86 5
2000s 4.4 3.6 5.18 10
2010s 3.41 3.13 3.62 10
2020s 3.22 3.05 3.39 3

Countries ranked near Panama

  1. 3 South Africa 4 compare
  2. 4 Zambia 3.5 compare
  3. 5 Brazil 3.28 compare
  4. 7 Mozambique 3.08 compare
  5. 8 Nicaragua 2.6 compare
  6. 9 Ecuador 2.57 compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More reference data data for Panama

All data for Panama →

Frequently asked questions

What is palma ratio in Panama?
Palma ratio in Panama was 3.23 in 2024, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest palma ratio recorded in Panama?
The highest recorded value was 6.37 in 1989.
What is the lowest palma ratio recorded in Panama?
The lowest recorded value was 3.05 in 2023.
How does Panama rank for palma ratio?
Panama ranks 6th out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
Is palma ratio rising or falling in Panama?
Over the last ten years it is down 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Panama data come from?
The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Palma ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Palma ratio in Panama. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/palma-ratio-wb/panama/

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About this data

Indicator
Palma ratio
Source
World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
120 places, 2,148 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed

The Palma ratio is a measure of inequality that divides the share received by the richest 10% by the share of the poorest 40%. Higher values indicate higher inequality.