Unemployment rate in Panama
Panama: Unemployment rate was 8.36 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate in Panama, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate in Panama is 8.36, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and up 92.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Panama peaked at 14.66 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.67, in 2013.
Panama ranks 51st of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Panama, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 6.44 | — |
| 1992 | 6.32 | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 6.37 | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 6.43 | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 6.51 | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 6.73 | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 6.59 | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 6.4 | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 6.17 | -3.6% |
| 2000 | 6.19 | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 6.29 | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 6.3 | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 6.3 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 6.1 | -3.3% |
| 2005 | 5.97 | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 5.79 | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 5.67 | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 5.64 | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 5.86 | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 5.84 | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 4.03 | -31.1% |
| 2012 | 3.69 | -8.4% |
| 2013 | 3.67 | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 4.39 | +19.5% |
| 2015 | 4.33 | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 4.72 | +8.8% |
| 2017 | 5.34 | +13.2% |
| 2018 | 5.16 | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 6.26 | +21.2% |
| 2020 | 14.66 | +134.4% |
| 2021 | 10.18 | -30.6% |
| 2022 | 8.09 | -20.5% |
| 2023 | 6.54 | -19.1% |
| 2024 | 8.45 | +29.1% |
| 2025 | 8.36 | -1.1% |
Panama compared with similar countries
- Panama's 8.36 is above the median for high income countries, which is 5.04, 1.7× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Panama's 8.36 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 5.99, 1.4× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment rate in Panama changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +134.4% | 6.26 | 14.66 |
| 2011 | -31.1% | 5.84 | 4.03 |
| 2021 | -30.6% | 14.66 | 10.18 |
| 2024 | +29.1% | 6.54 | 8.45 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.44 | 6.17 | 6.73 | 9 |
| 2000s | 6.01 | 5.64 | 6.3 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.74 | 3.67 | 6.26 | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.38 | 6.54 | 14.66 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Panama
More work & labour data for Panama
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.192 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1956 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.1888 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.03 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.09 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 4,652 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,175 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,950 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,955 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,905 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Panama?
- Unemployment rate in Panama was 8.36 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 14.66 in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.67 in 2013.
- How does Panama rank for unemployment rate?
- Panama ranks 51st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is up 92.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Panama data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).