Panama — GDP growth
GDP Growth (Annual %) for Panama, 1961–2025.
GDP growth for Panama was 4.35% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 16.47% in 2021. The lowest was -17.82% in 2020 (about -4.1× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -1.43% per year.
Panama ranks 70 of 212 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 33%. The median for Latin America & Caribbean is 3.38%, so Panama sits above it. It peaked in 2021 and has fallen 74% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 17%. Within Latin America & Caribbean it ranks 11 of 40 economies; Guatemala (4.28%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 795% in 1978. That is 3% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 10th of 107 in 1961 → 42nd of 119 in 1970 → 9th of 152 in 1980 → 23rd of 176 in 1990 → 98th of 199 in 2000 → 64th of 209 in 2010 → 196th of 209 in 2020 → 63rd of 186 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.35% | +1.6 pp |
| 2024 | 2.75% | -4.4 pp |
| 2023 | 7.17% | -3.9 pp |
| 2022 | 11.04% | -5.4 pp |
| 2021 | 16.47% | +34.3 pp |
| 2020 | -17.82% | -20.9 pp |
| 2019 | 3.1% | -0.8 pp |
| 2018 | 3.92% | -1.8 pp |
| 2017 | 5.74% | +1.2 pp |
| 2016 | 4.57% | -0.7 pp |
| 2015 | 5.27% | +0.6 pp |
| 2014 | 4.63% | -1.7 pp |
| 2013 | 6.32% | -3.3 pp |
| 2012 | 9.63% | -2.3 pp |
| 2011 | 11.91% | +5.8 pp |
| 2010 | 6.07% | +4.5 pp |
| 2009 | 1.61% | -8.6 pp |
| 2008 | 10.2% | -3.0 pp |
| 2007 | 13.15% | +3.3 pp |
| 2006 | 9.86% | +1.6 pp |
| 2005 | 8.28% | +0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 8.18% | +3.1 pp |
| 2003 | 5.1% | +2.6 pp |
| 2002 | 2.51% | +1.6 pp |
| 2001 | 0.95% | -3.3 pp |
| 2000 | 4.21% | -1.0 pp |
| 1999 | 5.21% | -3.2 pp |
| 1998 | 8.39% | +0.7 pp |
| 1997 | 7.71% | +3.6 pp |
| 1996 | 4.08% | +2.3 pp |
| 1995 | 1.75% | -1.1 pp |
| 1994 | 2.85% | -2.6 pp |
| 1993 | 5.46% | -2.7 pp |
| 1992 | 8.2% | -1.2 pp |
| 1991 | 9.42% | +1.3 pp |
| 1990 | 8.1% | +6.5 pp |
| 1989 | 1.56% | +14.9 pp |
| 1988 | -13.38% | -11.6 pp |
| 1987 | -1.81% | -5.4 pp |
| 1986 | 3.57% | -1.4 pp |
| 1985 | 4.94% | +2.2 pp |
| 1984 | 2.71% | +7.2 pp |
| 1983 | -4.49% | -9.8 pp |
| 1982 | 5.35% | -3.9 pp |
| 1981 | 9.21% | -3.9 pp |
| 1980 | 13.08% | +8.6 pp |
| 1979 | 4.51% | -5.3 pp |
| 1978 | 9.79% | +8.7 pp |
| 1977 | 1.09% | -0.6 pp |
| 1976 | 1.66% | -0.1 pp |
| 1975 | 1.74% | -0.7 pp |
| 1974 | 2.45% | -2.9 pp |
| 1973 | 5.36% | +0.8 pp |
| 1972 | 4.58% | -5.0 pp |
| 1971 | 9.62% | +2.7 pp |
| 1970 | 6.96% | -1.5 pp |
| 1969 | 8.44% | +1.5 pp |
| 1968 | 6.98% | -1.6 pp |
| 1967 | 8.55% | +1.0 pp |
| 1966 | 7.58% | -1.6 pp |
| 1965 | 9.16% | +4.7 pp |
| 1964 | 4.43% | -4.1 pp |
| 1963 | 8.54% | +0.3 pp |
| 1962 | 8.24% | -2.7 pp |
| 1961 | 10.93% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Panama’s GDP growth in 1962?
8.24% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Panama’s GDP growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -60.2% in total — about 1.4% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 4.35%; 2024: 2.75%; 2023: 7.17%; 2022: 11.04%; 2021: 16.47%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG — GDP Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.