If you lived in Panama instead of Eritrea, you would:

Health

live 10.9 years longer

In Eritrea, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024. In Panama, that number is 80 years (77 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 38.3 times more spent on your healthcare

Eritrea spends $87 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Panama spends $3,318 as of 2023.

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have 18.5 times more doctors per person

Eritrea has 0.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Panama has 16.2 as of 2022.

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have 73.3% more access to essential health services

Eritrea scores 45 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Panama scores 78 as of 2021.

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be 75.1% less likely to die by suicide

Eritrea has a suicide rate of 13.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Panama, it is 3.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 2.8 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Eritrea, 0.4% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Panama, that number is 1.1% of people as of 2024.

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be 8.7 times more likely to be obese

In Eritrea, 4.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Panama, that number is 37.7% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 39.8% more likely to be unemployed

In Eritrea, 6.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Panama, that number is 8.4% as of 2025.

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Life

be 87.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In Eritrea, approximately 291.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Panama, 37.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 51.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Eritrea, approximately 24.7 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Panama, on the other hand, 12.0 children do as of 2024.

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have 44.7% fewer children

In Eritrea, there are approximately 28.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Panama, there are 15.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 78.3% more likely to have access to electricity

In Eritrea, approximately 54% of people have electricity access (77% in urban areas, and 37% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Panama, that number is 97% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 91% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 2.7 times more likely to have internet access

In Eritrea, approximately 26.6% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Panama, about 72.8% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 2.3 times more on healthcare

Eritrea spends 3.7% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Panama, that number is 8.3% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 11.5% more coastline

Eritrea has a total of 2,234 km of coastline. In Panama, that number is 2,490 km.

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Safety

be 58.8% less likely to die in a road accident

In Eritrea, road accidents kill 17.7 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Panama, they kill 7.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 106.6 times more home broadband

Eritrea has 0.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Panama has 18.1 as of 2023.

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live with 91.9% less strain on fresh water

Eritrea withdraws 11% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Panama withdraws 1% as of 2022.

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use 22.0 times more electricity

Eritrea uses 123 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Panama uses 2,715 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 78.2% less likely to die from air pollution

In Eritrea, air pollution causes 78.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Panama, it causes 17.0 as of 2019.

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emit 12.5 times more CO2

Eritrea emits 0.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Panama emits 2.7 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

Panama: At a glance

Panama is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 74,340 sq km. Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the latter dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. In 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the subsequent decades. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the Canal, and remaining US military bases were transferred to Panama by the end of 1999. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious plan (estimated to cost $5.3 billion) to expand the Canal. The project, which began in 2007 and could double the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in 2015.
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