Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Panama
Panama: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 47.8% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Panama, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Panama recorded 47.8% for share of urban population who live in the largest city in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Panama peaked at 47.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 27.9%, in 1950.
Panama ranks 30th of 179 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 28.8% | 27.9% | 29.6% | 2 |
| 1960s | 31.2% | 30.9% | 31.6% | 2 |
| 1970s | 32.4% | 32.1% | 32.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 33.0% | 32.9% | 33.2% | 2 |
| 1990s | 37.8% | 35.6% | 40.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 44.9% | 44.7% | 45.1% | 2 |
| 2010s | 45.1% | 45.1% | 45.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 47.8% | 47.8% | 47.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Panama
More population data for Panama
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.2% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 267,694 people (2100)
- Population density 79.6 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 2.11 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 2,658 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 2.11 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 2.11 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 1.1% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 2.12 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Panama?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Panama was 47.8% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 47.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.9% in 1950.
- How does Panama rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Panama ranks 30th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.1%. 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 minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of urban population who live in the largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the urban population living in the country's largest city (by population). City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.