Share of population living in the capital city in Panama

Panama: Share of population living in the capital city was 32.7% in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
32.7%
World rank
29th
of 170 countries
All-time high
32.7%
in 2020
All-time low
10.8%
in 1950
Years of data
15
1950–2020

Share of population living in the capital city in Panama, 1950–2020

1015202530351950198520201950: 10.8 %1955: 12.1 %1960: 13.3 %1965: 14.5 %1970: 15.8 %1975: 16.4 %1980: 17.2 %1985: 18.1 %1990: 20.4 %1995: 24.4 %2000: 28.7 %2005: 29.1 %2010: 29.7 %2015: 30.3 %2020: 32.7 %

Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Panama recorded 32.7% for share of population living in the capital city in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.

The figure is up 9.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population living in the capital city in Panama peaked at 32.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 10.8%, in 1950.

That places Panama 29th out of 170 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.

Share of population living in the capital city in Panama, year by year

Annual values for Share of population living in the capital city in Panama, 1950 to 2020.
Year % Change
1950 10.8%
1955 12.1% +11.3%
1960 13.3% +10.0%
1965 14.5% +8.8%
1970 15.8% +9.4%
1975 16.4% +3.7%
1980 17.2% +5.2%
1985 18.1% +5.2%
1990 20.4% +12.4%
1995 24.4% +19.6%
2000 28.7% +17.8%
2005 29.1% +1.2%
2010 29.7% +2.3%
2015 30.3% +2.0%
2020 32.7% +7.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 11.5% 10.8% 12.1% 2
1960s 13.9% 13.3% 14.5% 2
1970s 16.1% 15.8% 16.4% 2
1980s 17.7% 17.2% 18.1% 2
1990s 22.4% 20.4% 24.4% 2
2000s 28.9% 28.7% 29.1% 2
2010s 30.0% 29.7% 30.3% 2
2020s 32.7% 32.7% 32.7% 1

Countries ranked near Panama

  1. 26 Uruguay 36.6% compare
  2. 27 Liberia 34.3% compare
  3. 28 Chile 33.9% compare
  4. 30 Estonia 32.4% compare
  5. 31 French Polynesia 31.9% compare
  6. 32 Trinidad and Tobago 31.6% compare

See the full ranking of 170 places →

More population data for Panama

All data for Panama →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population living in the capital city in Panama?
Share of population living in the capital city in Panama was 32.7% 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 population living in the capital city recorded in Panama?
The highest recorded value was 32.7% in 2020.
What is the lowest share of population living in the capital city recorded in Panama?
The lowest recorded value was 10.8% in 1950.
How does Panama rank for share of population living in the capital city?
Panama ranks 29th out of 170 countries with data for 2020.
Is share of population living in the capital city rising or falling in Panama?
Over the last ten years it is up 9.9%. 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 population living in the capital city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of population living in the capital city in Panama. Statizoid, drawing on European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-population-living-in-the-capital-city/panama/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of population living in the capital city
Unit
%
Source
European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
170 places, 2,330 data points, 1950–2020
Last refreshed

Percentage of the total population living in the country's capital city. City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.