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

Health

be 80.2% less likely to die by suicide

France has a suicide rate of 16.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Panama, it is 3.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 3.7 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In France, 0.3% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2023. In Panama, that number is 1.1% of people as of 2024.

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live 3.2 years less

In France, the average life expectancy is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 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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be 3.4 times more likely to be obese

In France, 11.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Panama, that number is 37.7% of people as of 2024.

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see 51.7% less spent on your healthcare

France spends $6,868 per person on healthcare as of 2024 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Panama spends $3,318 as of 2023.

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have 50.5% fewer doctors per person

France has 32.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Panama has 16.2 as of 2022.

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Economy

be 10.9% more likely to be unemployed

In France, 7.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Panama, that number is 8.4% as of 2025.

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be 39.1% more likely to live below the poverty line

In France, 15.6% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Panama, however, that number is 21.7% as of 2023.

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make 59.6% less money

France has a GDP per capita of $48,986 as of 2025, while in Panama, the GDP per capita is $19,790 as of 2025.

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Life

have 63.6% more children

In France, there are approximately 9.7 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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be 5.3 times more likely to die during childbirth

In France, approximately 7.0 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 3.5 times more likely to die during infancy

In France, approximately 3.4 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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Basic Needs

be 17.9% less likely to have internet access

In France, approximately 88.7% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Panama, about 72.8% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 53.6% less on education

France spends 5.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Panama spends 2.5% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 27.8% less on healthcare

France spends 11.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2024. In Panama, that number is 8.3% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 48.7% less coastline

France has a total of 4,853 km of coastline. In Panama, that number is 2,490 km.

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Safety

be 8.7 times more likely to be murdered

France has a homicide rate of 1.3 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Panama, that number is 11.7 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 55.3% more likely to die in a road accident

In France, road accidents kill 4.7 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Panama, they kill 7.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 95.8% less strain on fresh water

France withdraws 21% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Panama withdraws 1% as of 2022.

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find 62.9% less home broadband

France has 48.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Panama has 18.1 as of 2023.

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use 57.9% less electricity

France uses 6,447 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2024. Panama uses 2,715 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 31.5% less CO2

France emits 4.0 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Panama emits 2.7 tonnes as of 2024.

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be 70.0% more likely to die from air pollution

In France, air pollution causes 10.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Panama, it causes 17.0 as of 2019.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), 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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