Rural population in Panama
Panama: Rural population was 30.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Panama, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Panama recorded 30.1% for rural population in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 10.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Panama peaked at 52.4% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 30.1%, in 2024.
Panama ranks 125th of 214 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Rural population in Panama, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 52.4% | — |
| 1971 | 52.1% | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 51.8% | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 51.5% | -0.5% |
| 1974 | 51.2% | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 51.0% | -0.5% |
| 1976 | 50.7% | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 50.4% | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 50.1% | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 49.8% | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 49.6% | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 49.2% | -0.7% |
| 1982 | 48.9% | -0.7% |
| 1983 | 48.5% | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 48.2% | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 47.9% | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 47.5% | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 47.2% | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 46.8% | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 46.5% | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 46.1% | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 45.2% | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 44.4% | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 43.5% | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 42.7% | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 41.9% | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 41.0% | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 40.2% | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 39.4% | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 38.5% | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 37.8% | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 37.5% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 37.2% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 36.9% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 36.6% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 36.3% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 36.0% | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 35.7% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 35.4% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 35.1% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 34.9% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 34.6% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 34.3% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 33.9% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 33.6% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 33.3% | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 33.0% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 32.6% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 32.3% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 31.9% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 31.6% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 31.2% | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 30.9% | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 30.5% | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 30.1% | -1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 51.1% | 49.8% | 52.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 48.0% | 46.5% | 49.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 42.3% | 38.5% | 46.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.5% | 35.1% | 37.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.4% | 31.9% | 34.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.9% | 30.1% | 31.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Panama
More population data for Panama
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 5,736 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.11 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.4333 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.197 (2100)
- Population density 79.6 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 267,694 (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development -0.197 (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 1.11 % change on previous year (2030)
- Fertility and wanted fertility, annual growth rate -0.6135 % change on previous year (2024)
- Refugee population by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled 2,658 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Panama?
- Rural population in Panama was 30.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 52.4% in 1970.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.1% in 2024.
- How does Panama rank for rural population?
- Panama ranks 125th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Panama data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release