Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Panama
Panama: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 19.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Panama, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Panama is 19.8%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 69.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Panama peaked at 33.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 9.6%, in 2012.
Panama ranks 51st of 187 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, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Panama, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 13.3% | — |
| 1992 | 13.1% | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 13.2% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 13.4% | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 13.6% | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 14.0% | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 13.9% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 13.7% | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 13.4% | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 13.5% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 13.8% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 13.9% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 13.9% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 13.6% | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 13.5% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 13.3% | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 13.1% | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 13.0% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 13.3% | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 13.4% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 11.1% | -17.4% |
| 2012 | 9.6% | -13.7% |
| 2013 | 9.9% | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 11.5% | +16.4% |
| 2015 | 11.7% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 12.3% | +5.3% |
| 2017 | 14.8% | +20.5% |
| 2018 | 14.1% | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 17.1% | +21.5% |
| 2020 | 33.0% | +92.9% |
| 2021 | 22.3% | -32.4% |
| 2022 | 19.2% | -14.1% |
| 2023 | 16.8% | -12.6% |
| 2024 | 19.7% | +17.4% |
| 2025 | 19.8% | +0.4% |
Panama compared with similar countries
- Panama's 19.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 13.8%, 1.4× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Panama's 19.8% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 14.0%, 1.4× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total 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 | +92.9% | 17.1% | 33.0% |
| 2021 | -32.4% | 33.0% | 22.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.5% | 13.1% | 14.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 13.5% | 13.0% | 13.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.6% | 9.6% | 17.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.8% | 16.8% | 33.0% | 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 total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Panama?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Panama was 19.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 33.0% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.6% in 2012.
- How does Panama rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Panama ranks 51st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is up 69.3%. 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 total (% of total 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.