Panama vs South Africa: Share of population covered by social protection
Panama
76.8%
in 2023
South Africa
78.4%
in 2021
Panama rank
12th
South Africa rank
10th
Share of population covered by social protection over time
- Panama
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 78.4% against 76.8% in Panama, a difference of 1.6%.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 6 shared years of data; in 2010 it was Panama ahead.
Panama ranks 12th and South Africa ranks 10th of 37 countries.
Across the 2 decades both report, Panama averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Panama | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 70.9% | 76.6% | 5.7% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 86.3% | 78.4% | 7.9% | Panama |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of population covered by social protection, Panama or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 78.4% against 76.8% in Panama as of 2021.
- What is the difference in share of population covered by social protection between Panama and South Africa?
- 1.6%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Panama and South Africa?
- 6 years are reported by both, from 2010 to 2021.
- How do Panama and South Africa rank globally for share of population covered by social protection?
- Panama ranks 12th and South Africa ranks 10th of 37 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- ASPIRE: The Atlas of Social Protection, World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Share of population covered by social protection. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
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About this data
The share of the population participating in social insurance, social safety net, and unemployment benefits and active labor market programs. Estimates include both direct and indirect beneficiaries.