MigrantoPanamanian Diaspora
194.8K Panamanians live abroad — the #133 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 93% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| USA | 161903 |
| Costa Rica | 16546 |
| Colombia | 3506 |
| Mexico | 2241 |
| Italy | 1170 |
| Peru | 878 |
| Chile | 874 |
| Dominican Republic | 851 |
| China | 800 |
| Venezuela | 790 |
| Argentina | 598 |
| Brazil | 592 |
| Puerto Rico | 532 |
| El Salvador | 464 |
| Nicaragua | 439 |
| Ecuador | 422 |
| Honduras | 413 |
| Guatemala | 353 |
| Australia | 344 |
| Denmark | 184 |
| Greece | 168 |
| Cayman Islands | 165 |
| Bolivia | 135 |
| Norway | 95 |
| Jamaica | 75 |
| Bahamas | 57 |
| Portugal | 43 |
| Hungary | 34 |
| Finland | 34 |
| Luxembourg | 28 |
| Cyprus | 19 |
| Slovakia | 15 |
| Iceland | 11 |
| Bulgaria | 10 |
| Cuba | 8 |
| Estonia | 7 |
| Liechtenstein | 6 |
| Saint Lucia | 5 |
| Slovenia | 1 |
By destination region
North America is the leading destination region at 83%
161.9K
29.9K
1.8K
800
344
19
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Panama.
USA is the primary destination for emigrants
USA attracts 83% of all emigrants from Panama, while the second-largest destination receives just 8%.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 144087 |
| 1995 | 131983 |
| 2000 | 166111 |
| 2005 | 167840 |
| 2010 | 173244 |
| 2015 | 177743 |
| 2020 | 179794 |
| 2024 | 194816 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | USA | Costa Rica | Colombia | Mexico | Italy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 122158 | 8692 | 1797 | 1606 | 514 |
| 1995 | 111384 | 7652 | 1813 | 1650 | 608 |
| 2000 | 142983 | 10438 | 1734 | 1645 | 694 |
| 2005 | 149078 | 6205 | 1670 | 1704 | 799 |
| 2010 | 149120 | 11261 | 2055 | 1767 | 947 |
| 2015 | 152154 | 11424 | 2566 | 1842 | 984 |
| 2020 | 151193 | 13711 | 3113 | 1968 | 1127 |
| 2024 | 161903 | 16546 | 3506 | 2241 | 1170 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Panama as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Panama
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Panamanians move to?
Most Panamanians have moved to USA, Costa Rica and Colombia — these three countries account for about 93% of all Panamanians living abroad.
How many Panamanians live abroad?
Around 194.8K Panamanians live abroad, making it the #133-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Panama lives abroad?
About 4% of the population of Panama lives abroad — that's 194.8K out of a total population of 4.5M.
How has emigration from Panama changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Panama has grown from 177.7K to 194.8K people, a growth of about 10%.
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