Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Panama
Panama: Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) was 15.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Panama, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Panama recorded 15.4% for unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in 2025.
The figure is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 62.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Panama peaked at 24.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 7.9%, in 2012.
That places Panama 73rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Panama, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 10.6% | — |
| 1992 | 10.4% | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 10.5% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 10.7% | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 10.9% | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 11.2% | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 11.1% | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 10.9% | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 10.6% | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 10.7% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 10.9% | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 11.0% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 11.0% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 10.8% | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 10.7% | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 10.5% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 10.4% | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 10.4% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 10.6% | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 10.8% | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 10.0% | -7.4% |
| 2012 | 7.9% | -21.1% |
| 2013 | 8.3% | +5.7% |
| 2014 | 10.3% | +23.1% |
| 2015 | 9.5% | -7.5% |
| 2016 | 10.3% | +9.1% |
| 2017 | 12.2% | +17.8% |
| 2018 | 10.7% | -11.9% |
| 2019 | 13.6% | +26.4% |
| 2020 | 24.3% | +79.3% |
| 2021 | 19.8% | -18.6% |
| 2022 | 16.9% | -14.8% |
| 2023 | 13.5% | -20.1% |
| 2024 | 15.0% | +11.3% |
| 2025 | 15.4% | +2.9% |
Panama compared with similar countries
- Panama's 15.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 13.9%, 1.1× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Panama's 15.4% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 13.0%, 1.2× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) 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 | +79.3% | 13.6% | 24.3% |
| 2019 | +26.4% | 10.7% | 13.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.8% | 10.4% | 11.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 10.7% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.4% | 7.9% | 13.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.5% | 13.5% | 24.3% | 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, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Panama?
- Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in Panama was 15.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 24.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.9% in 2012.
- How does Panama rank for unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24)?
- Panama ranks 73rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is up 62.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Panama data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.