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Panama Population and Religion

Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a transcontinental country in Central America and South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the south. As per the UN World Population Prospects report, the population of  Panama in 2024 is 4,527,961 (4.5 million)

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Estimated Population of Panama  in 2024  – 4.5 million
 Panama 2024 Estimate
Total Population4,527,961
Central America Rank6th
Land Area 74,340 sq. km (28,700 sq. mi)
Area Rank4th
Pop. Density58 people/sq. km
Capital CityPanama City
Fertility Rate2.47
Infant mortality rate 12.6
Median Age  29.7 Years
Life Expectancy 79.10 years
Urban Population 68%

Source: UN World Population Prospects 

Religion in Panama

Christianity is the largest religion in Panama and  84.2% of the population follows Christianity. Among Christians in Panama , Catholics have the most adherents followed by the Evangelical Protestant.

For the Latest estimates, According to the 2020 report by the Latino barometer,  52.4% of the population followed Roman Catholicism and 31.8%  are Protestants (25.4% Evangelical;  0.2% Methodist; 0.7% Baptism; 3.2% Adventist and 0.7% others protestant churches). Other Christians include 1.1% Jehovah’s Witnesses, and 0.5% Mormon.

14% of the population don’t affiliate with any religion. Non-Christian-based faiths population is at 1.8%.

Non-Christian Faith includes Jewish, Islam, Baháʼí Faith, and Buddism are the main minority religions.

Religion Percentage in Panama 

Religion / AffiliationsPercent
Christianity84.2%
Catholic52.4%
Evangelical (no specific)25.4%
Evangelical baptism0.7%
Evangelical methodist0.2%
Evangelical Pentecostal0.1%
Adventist3.2%
Protestant0.6%
Jehovah’s Witnesses1.1%
Mormón0.5%
Believer, not belong to the church0.5%
Other1.3%
Unaffiliated14%
– Agnostic– 0.3%
– Atheist– 0.4%
– None– 13.1%
– Don´t know– 0.2%

Source: https://www.latinobarometro.org/

Race and Ethnicity in Panama

Panama is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different races, ethnicity, and national backgrounds.

The majority of the  population is composed of mestizos, roughly 65%. Mestizos are mixed Amerindian and European ancestry (majority of them being of Spanish descent).

About 12.30% of are indigenous, the descendants of the country’s original inhabitants. Major groups are Ngabe 7.6%, Kuna 2.4%, Embera 0.9%, Bugle 0.8%, other 0.4%, unspecified 0.2% 

The Mulatto segment (mix of white and black) represented 6.8% and 9.20% of Panama’s population is black and mainly African ancestry and 0.21% of Chinese ancestry.

The white population accounts for 6.70% of population and are primarily of Spanish descent, with significant numbers of Italian, German, English, Dutch, French, Irish, Portuguese, and Polish families, as well a sizable Jewish community. 

Panama has a considerable population of Asians origin; in particular Chinese, West Asians (Lebanese, and Palestinians and Syrians) and South Asians (from India and Pakistan). 

The racial composition is as follows

Race and EthnicityPercent
 Mestizos (mixed Amerindian and Europeans) 65%
 Native Panamanians  12.30%
 Black or African descent 9.20%
 Mulattos 6.80%
 White or European descent 6.70%

 

Top Cities in Panama by Population
#CityPopulation
1Panama City4,30,299
2San Miguelito3,15,019
3Las Cumbres1,27,440
4La Chorrera1,18,521
5Tocumen1,13,174
6Pacora1,03,960
7Arraiján96,676
8David81,957
9Vista Alegre55,114
10Santiago de Veraguas51,236
Panama Population 2024 | Religion in Panama