Share of population living in urban areas in Panama
Panama: Share of population living in urban areas was 68.3% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban areas in Panama, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of population living in urban areas in Panama stood at 68.3%. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas in Panama peaked at 68.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 38.8%, in 1950.
Panama ranks 151st of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 39.8% | 38.8% | 40.7% | 2 |
| 1960s | 44.4% | 43.0% | 45.7% | 2 |
| 1970s | 49.7% | 48.4% | 51.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 53.5% | 52.4% | 54.7% | 2 |
| 1990s | 59.1% | 57.3% | 60.8% | 2 |
| 2000s | 64.3% | 63.6% | 64.9% | 2 |
| 2010s | 66.5% | 65.9% | 67.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 68.3% | 68.3% | 68.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Panama
- 148 Sweden 68.8% compare
- 149 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 68.8% compare
- 152 Cambodia 68.1% compare
- 153 Albania 67.9% compare
- 154 Northern Mariana Islands 67.7% compare
More reference data data for Panama
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.1111 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.8502 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.029 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.2956 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.1292 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 128.14 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas in Panama?
- Share of population living in urban areas in Panama was 68.3% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban areas recorded in Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 68.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.8% in 1950.
- How does Panama rank for share of population living in urban areas?
- Panama ranks 151st out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban areas rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Panama data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.