Panama — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Panama, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Panama was 8.36% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 14.66% in 2020. The lowest was 3.67% in 2013 (about 2.3× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.77% per year.
Panama ranks 51 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 27%. The median for Latin America & Caribbean is 5.99%, so Panama sits above it. It peaked in 2020 and has fallen 43% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 93%. Within Latin America & Caribbean it ranks 9 of 31 economies; Colombia (8.29%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 134% in 2020. That is 12% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1991 level: doubled by 2020. Doubling roughly every 90 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 90th of 187 in 1991 → 104th of 187 in 2000 → 106th of 187 in 2010 → 30th of 187 in 2020 → 47th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8.36% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 8.45% | +1.9 pp |
| 2023 | 6.54% | -1.5 pp |
| 2022 | 8.09% | -2.1 pp |
| 2021 | 10.18% | -4.5 pp |
| 2020 | 14.66% | +8.4 pp |
| 2019 | 6.26% | +1.1 pp |
| 2018 | 5.16% | -0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 5.34% | +0.6 pp |
| 2016 | 4.72% | +0.4 pp |
| 2015 | 4.34% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 4.39% | +0.7 pp |
| 2013 | 3.67% | -0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 3.69% | -0.3 pp |
| 2011 | 4.03% | -1.8 pp |
| 2010 | 5.85% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 5.86% | +0.2 pp |
| 2008 | 5.64% | -0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 5.67% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 5.79% | -0.2 pp |
| 2005 | 5.97% | -0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 6.1% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 6.3% | +0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 6.3% | +0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 6.29% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 6.19% | +0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 6.17% | -0.2 pp |
| 1998 | 6.4% | -0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 6.59% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 6.73% | +0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 6.51% | +0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 6.43% | +0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 6.37% | +0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 6.32% | -0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 6.44% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Panama’s Unemployment in 1992?
6.32% (1992). 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 % of total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Panama’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +29.8% in total — about 0.8% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. 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: 8.36%; 2024: 8.45%; 2023: 6.54%; 2022: 8.09%; 2021: 10.18%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment Rate. 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.