Demographics of Panama
Encyclopedia
This article is about the demographic
features of the population
of Panama
, including population density
, ethnicity
, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
is predominantly Caribbean
Spanish
. Panama has a very diverse population which is largely of mixed Spanish, black, and Native American descent/ancestry. According to the CIA World Factbook, Panama has a population of more than 3,400,000; 70% is mestizo
(mixed white, Native American, and/or black) and mulattoes (mixed white, and black ancestry), 14% is primarily black and mulattoes, 10% white and 6% Native Americans. Some East Asians like the Chinese
are less than one percent.
and Irish
, Dutch
, French
, Germans
, Italians, Portuguese
, Poles, Russians
or Ukrainians
(a large number are Jews
), U.S. Americans
and West Indies/Caribbean
(esp. Afro-Caribbean) nationalities, in which thousands of Barbadian
and Jamaican workers played a role in the construction of the Panama Canal. Also important was the immigration of Arabs and Asians: in particular Chinese, Lebanese
, Palestinians, South Asians (from India
and Pakistan
) and Syrians
.
.
-Colón
metropolitan corridor. Panama City was enriched by the past century of American influences in terms of additions to the country's Latin culture, economics (the US was involved in development of roads, schools and medical care), and international trade by the nearby Panama Canal
, once was under US jurisdiction: the Canal Zone
territory from 1903 to 1979.
Demographics
Demographics are the most recent statistical characteristics of a population. These types of data are used widely in sociology , public policy, and marketing. Commonly examined demographics include gender, race, age, disabilities, mobility, home ownership, employment status, and even location...
features of the population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, including population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
, ethnicity
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Ethnic and Racial origins
The culture, customs, and language of PanamaPanama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
is predominantly Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Panama has a very diverse population which is largely of mixed Spanish, black, and Native American descent/ancestry. According to the CIA World Factbook, Panama has a population of more than 3,400,000; 70% is mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
(mixed white, Native American, and/or black) and mulattoes (mixed white, and black ancestry), 14% is primarily black and mulattoes, 10% white and 6% Native Americans. Some East Asians like the Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
are less than one percent.
Immigration
Immigration to Panama are represented by ethnic groups in the 19th and 20th centuries: BritishBritish people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
and Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
, French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, Italians, Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
, Poles, Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
or Ukrainians
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
(a large number are Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
), U.S. Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and West Indies/Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
(esp. Afro-Caribbean) nationalities, in which thousands of Barbadian
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
and Jamaican workers played a role in the construction of the Panama Canal. Also important was the immigration of Arabs and Asians: in particular Chinese, Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Palestinians, South Asians (from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
) and Syrians
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
.
Religion
The majority of Panamanians are Christian, most are Roman Catholics by centuries of Spanish colonial influence. Other faiths exist in Panama by the country's tolerance and freedom of religion, there are large Protestant, Jewish,Baha, Muslim and Hindu religious groups in Panama. One known Panamanian of the Jewish faith was baseball player Rod CarewRod Carew
Rodney Cline "Rod" Carew is a former Major League Baseball first baseman, second baseman and coach. He played from 1967 to 1985 for the Minnesota Twins and the California Angels and was elected to the All-Star game every season except his last. In 1991, Carew was inducted into the National...
.
Languages
Many languages, including seven indigenous languages, are spoken in Panama, although Spanish is the official and dominant language. English is sometimes spoken by many professionals and those working in the business or governmental sectors of society.Population density
More than half the population lives in the Panama CityPanama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
-Colón
Colón, Panama
Colón is a sea port on the Caribbean Sea coast of Panama. The city lies near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is capital of Panama's Colón Province and has traditionally been known as Panama's second city....
metropolitan corridor. Panama City was enriched by the past century of American influences in terms of additions to the country's Latin culture, economics (the US was involved in development of roads, schools and medical care), and international trade by the nearby Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
, once was under US jurisdiction: the Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
territory from 1903 to 1979.
CIA World Factbook demographic statistics
Age structure
- 0–14 years: 28.6% (male 504,726/female 484,291)
- 15–64 years: 64.2% (male 1,123,777/female 1,098,661)
- 65 years and over: 7.2% (male 115,425/female 133,582) (2011 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth: 1.045 male(s)/female
- under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15–64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
- total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Infant mortality rate
- total: 11.64 deaths/1,000 live births
- male: 12.41 deaths/1,000 live births
- female: 10.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
- total population: 77.79 years
- male: 75.02 years
- female: 80.68 years (2011 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk: intermediate
- food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
- vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria
- water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
Ethnic groups
- mestizo (mixed white and Native American) and mulattoes (mixed white and black ancestry) 70%, Blacks/African descent 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6% and East Asian 1%.
Languages
Spanish (official) 97% as first and second language, English 14%(as first and second language); note –Literacy
- definition: age 15 and over can read and write
- total population: 91.9%
- male: 92.5%
- female: 91.2% (2000 census)
| Province | Capital city | Population(2010 Est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Bocas del Toro Bocas del Toro Province Bocas del Toro is a province of Panama. Its extension is 4,643.9 square kilometers comprising the mainland and nine main islands. The province consists of the Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Bahía Almirante , Laguna de Chiriquí , and adjacent mainland. The capital is the city of Bocas del Toro on Isla... |
Bocas del Toro | 118,405 |
| Coclé Coclé Province Coclé is a province of central Panama on the nation's southern coast. The capital is the city of Penonomé. This province was created by the Act of September 12, 1855 with the title of Department of Coclé during the presidency of Dr. Justo de Arosemena. It became a province, Decretory Number 190,... |
|Penonomé Penonomé Penonomé is the capital of the Panamanian province of Coclé. The town is located along the Inter-American Highway in the wide, flat lowlands of central Coclé.... |
237,840 |
| Colón Colón Province Colón is a province of Panama. The capital is the city of Colón.This province has traditionally been focused in commerce , but also has natural resources that are being developed as tourist attraction, such as coral reefs and rainforests... |
Colón Colón, Panama Colón is a sea port on the Caribbean Sea coast of Panama. The city lies near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is capital of Panama's Colón Province and has traditionally been known as Panama's second city.... |
250,802 |
| Chiriquí Chiriquí Province Chiriquí is a province of Panama, it is located on the western coast of Panama, and it is also the second most developed province in the country, after the Panamá Province. Its capital is the city of David. It has a total area of 6,490.9 km², with a population of 416,873 as of the year 2010... |
David David, Panama David is a city located in the west of Panama. It is the capital of the province of Chiriquí and has an estimated population of 144,858 inhabitants as confirmed in 2010. It is a relatively affluent city with most families and houses having basic living requirements, such as concrete houses, clean... |
426,790 |
| Darién Darién Province Darién is a province in eastern Panama. It is also the largest province in Panama. It is hot, humid, heavily forested, and sparsely populated, having 48,378 habitants... |
La Palma La Palma, Panama La Palma is located at the mouth of the Río Tuira, where the wide river meets the Golfo de San Miguel. The Chucunaque joins the Tuira farther south. La Palma is the provincial capital of Darién Province and the most populous town in the region. However, despite its lofty position as capital of the... |
46,011 |
| Herrera Herrera Province Herrera is a province in Panama. Named after General Tomás Herrera, the province was founded on January 18, 1915 after a division of the Los Santos province. The capital city of Herrera is Chitré, which is located near the province's coastline... |
Chitré Chitré Chitré is the capital of the Panamanian province Herrera. Chitré is located about 7 km inland from the Gulf of Panama on the Azuero Peninsula The name Chitre comes from the native tribe Chitra . In the city, there is a district, also called Chitré, which is subdivided into five corregimientos... |
112,538 |
| Los Santos Los Santos Province Los Santos is a province of Panama. The capital city is Las Tablas, which is famous for its carnivals, the Festival Nacional de la Pollera , and the Festival of the Patron Santa Librada; and the Festival Nacional de la Mejorana in Guararé... |
Las Tablas | 90,984 |
| Panamá Panamá Province Panamá is a major province of the country of Panama, containing the capital city, Panama City. The governor of the province is Mayin Correa, a former mayor of Panama City and elected by President Martinelli after being sworn in on July 1, 2009.-Districts:... |
Ciudad de Panamá | 1,796,674 |
| Veraguas Veraguas Province Veraguas is a province of Panama, located in the centre-west of the country. The capital is the city of Santiago de Veraguas. The province covers 10,677.2 km² and is divided into twelve districts.-History:... |
Santiago | 226,847 |
| Comarca | Capital city | Population |
| Emberá-Wounaan | Unión Choco | 9,497 |
| Kuna de Madugandí | N/D | N/D |
| Kuna Yala Kuna Yala Guna Yala is an autonomous territory or comarca in Panama, inhabited by the Kuna indigenous people.The name means "Guna-land" or "Guna mountain" in the Kuna language... |
El Porvenir El Porvenir -Places:Bolivia*Porvenir Municipality,Chile*Porvenir, ChileEl Salvador*El Porvenir, Santa AnaEcuador* El Porvenir Parish, Palanda Canton, Zamora-ChinchipeHonduras*El Porvenir, Atlántida,*El Porvenir, Francisco MorazánMexico*El Porvenir, Chiapas... |
37,545 |
| Kuna de Wargandí | N/D | N/D |
| Ngöbe-Buglé Ngöbe-Buglé Ngöbe-Buglé is a comarca in Panama. It was formed in 1997 with lands from the provinces of Bocas del Toro, Chiriquí, and Veraguas. The capital is Chichica... |
Buabidi | 150,550 |
See also
- PanamaPanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
- Ethnic groups in Central AmericaEthnic groups in Central AmericaCentral America is a region formed by 6 Latin American countries and one Anglo American nation...