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

Health

live 7.5 years longer

In India, the average life expectancy is 72 years (71 years for men, 74 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 9.6 times more spent on your healthcare

India spends $346 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Panama spends $3,318 as of 2023.

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have 2.2 times more doctors per person

India has 7.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2020. Panama has 16.2 as of 2022.

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have 23.8% more access to essential health services

India scores 63 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Panama scores 78 as of 2021.

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be 73.8% less likely to die by suicide

India has a suicide rate of 12.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Panama, it is 3.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 5.5 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In India, 0.2% 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 4.7 times more likely to be obese

In India, 8.0% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Panama, that number is 37.7% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

make 7.3 times more money

India has a GDP per capita of $2,702 as of 2025, while in Panama, the GDP per capita is $19,790 as of 2025.

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be 98.1% more likely to be unemployed

In India, 4.2% 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 53.8% less likely to die during childbirth

In India, approximately 80.0 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 23.1% more likely to be literate

In India, the literacy rate is 78.2% as of 2024. In Panama, it is 96.2% as of 2024.

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be 48.5% less likely to die during infancy

In India, approximately 23.3 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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Expenditures

spend 39.8% less on education

India spends 4.1% 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 2.5 times more on healthcare

India spends 3.3% 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 64.4% less coastline

India has a total of 7,000 km of coastline. In Panama, that number is 2,490 km.

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Safety

be 52.6% less likely to die in a road accident

In India, road accidents kill 15.4 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Panama, they kill 7.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 4.2 times more likely to be murdered

India has a homicide rate of 2.8 per 100,000 people as of 2022. In Panama, that number is 11.7 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

find 5.8 times more home broadband

India has 3.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Panama has 18.1 as of 2023.

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live with 98.6% less strain on fresh water

India withdraws 66% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Panama withdraws 1% as of 2022.

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use 2.3 times more electricity

India uses 1,182 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Panama uses 2,715 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 79.5% less likely to die from air pollution

In India, air pollution causes 83.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Panama, it causes 17.0 as of 2019.

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emit 26.3% more CO2

India emits 2.2 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 (2020–2025), 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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