MigrantoImmigrants in Panama
476.1K foreigners live in Panama — 11% of the country's population
Immigrants in Panama by country
The 3 largest groups make up 62% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| Venezuela | 182386 |
| Colombia | 77349 |
| China | 34214 |
| USA | 25732 |
| Nicaragua | 23672 |
| Dominican Republic | 14815 |
| Costa Rica | 14218 |
| Mexico | 8850 |
| India | 8212 |
| Peru | 7864 |
| Spain | 6784 |
| El Salvador | 6326 |
| Ecuador | 4883 |
| Argentina | 4671 |
| United Kingdom | 3695 |
| Brazil | 3670 |
| Cuba | 3347 |
| Chile | 3323 |
| Canada | 3312 |
| Guatemala | 2937 |
| Philippines | 2934 |
| Honduras | 2741 |
| Italy | 2421 |
| Israel | 2041 |
| Germany | 1951 |
| Russia | 1818 |
| France | 1774 |
| Uruguay | 1394 |
| Puerto Rico | 1320 |
| Jamaica | 1266 |
| Haiti | 993 |
| Lebanon | 964 |
| Ukraine | 920 |
| Netherlands | 883 |
| Bolivia | 828 |
| South Korea | 737 |
| Japan | 680 |
| Switzerland | 670 |
| Greece | 593 |
| Hong Kong | 514 |
| Australia | 511 |
| Syria | 502 |
| Belgium | 494 |
| Portugal | 465 |
| Sweden | 387 |
| Poland | 359 |
| Romania | 328 |
| Palestine | 304 |
| Denmark | 268 |
| Thailand | 261 |
| Indonesia | 246 |
| Paraguay | 221 |
| Jordan | 215 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 215 |
| Turkey | 204 |
| Austria | 197 |
| Croatia | 185 |
| Myanmar | 178 |
| Ireland | 166 |
| Belize | 157 |
| Iran | 151 |
| Pakistan | 151 |
| Morocco | 143 |
| Norway | 139 |
| Egypt | 133 |
| Bulgaria | 133 |
| Vietnam | 105 |
| Hungary | 105 |
| Georgia | 104 |
| Dominica | 104 |
| Saudi Arabia | 90 |
| New Zealand | 90 |
| Guyana | 87 |
| South Africa | 84 |
| Singapore | 84 |
| Finland | 84 |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 84 |
| Lithuania | 82 |
| Bangladesh | 78 |
| Libya | 69 |
| Czech Republic | 69 |
| Nigeria | 66 |
| Slovakia | 66 |
| Barbados | 58 |
| Curaçao | 56 |
| Malaysia | 50 |
| Serbia | 47 |
| Grenada | 47 |
By region of origin
77% of immigrants come from Latin America
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Key facts
Immigrants in Panama in numbers
The immigrant population has grown 53% since 2020
The number of foreigners living in Panama rose from 312.1K to 476.1K in four years.
Venezuelans are the largest group by a wide margin
38% of all immigrants were born in Venezuela, while the next group accounts for just 16%.
28% of all emigrants from Costa Rica live in Panama
No other country has more people born in Costa Rica.
More immigrants come from a single country than in 1990
The largest group's share rose from 22% to 38%, and today that group is people born in Venezuela.
Immigration drives population growth
20% of the population growth of Panama since 1990 came from immigrants.
The map of origins has changed since 1990
3 countries have entered the top 20 origins since 1990: United Kingdom, Canada, Guatemala. United Kingdom climbed from outside the top 20 to #15.
Immigrant population in Panama over time
Foreigners living in Panama, by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 62485 |
| 1995 | 70440 |
| 2000 | 82912 |
| 2005 | 108969 |
| 2010 | 157254 |
| 2015 | 184061 |
| 2020 | 312100 |
| 2024 | 476124 |
Largest groups over time
The 5 largest groups in Panama, by year
| Year | Venezuelans | Colombians | Chinese | Americans | Nicaraguans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 487 | 13968 | 10235 | 3318 | 4553 |
| 1995 | 715 | 17179 | 10439 | 4134 | 4593 |
| 2000 | 989 | 21473 | 11300 | 5212 | 4923 |
| 2005 | 4276 | 31157 | 12365 | 7807 | 7240 |
| 2010 | 8441 | 47190 | 15942 | 11993 | 11032 |
| 2015 | 9883 | 55251 | 18665 | 14040 | 12915 |
| 2020 | 119553 | 50702 | 22427 | 16867 | 15517 |
| 2024 | 182386 | 77349 | 34214 | 25732 | 23672 |
Fastest-changing groups
How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year
Share of each diaspora living in Panama
Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in Panama
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in Panama?
Around 476.1K immigrants live in Panama — the world's #80 largest immigrant population.
What percentage of the population of Panama are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 11% of the population of Panama — that's 476.1K out of a total population of 4.5M.
Where do most immigrants in Panama come from?
Most immigrants in Panama come from Venezuela, Colombia and China — these three countries account for about 62% of all immigrants.
How many Venezuelans live in Panama?
Around 182.4K Venezuelans live in Panama — about 38% of all immigrants, the largest group.
Is the immigrant population in Panama growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in Panama has grown from 184.1K to 476.1K, about 159%.
Where does the data on immigrants in Panama come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in Panama. Their children born in Panama are not included.
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Living in Panama
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