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

Health

be 87.8% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Namibia, 9.0% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Panama, that number is 1.1% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

live 12.3 years longer

In Namibia, the average life expectancy is 68 years (63 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.

View global rankings →

see 3.1 times more spent on your healthcare

Namibia spends $1,068 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Panama spends $3,318 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 2.9 times more doctors per person

Namibia has 5.5 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Panama has 16.2 as of 2022.

View global rankings →

have 23.8% more access to essential health services

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

View global rankings →

be 61.7% less likely to die by suicide

Namibia has a suicide rate of 8.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Panama, it is 3.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

be 2.1 times more likely to be obese

In Namibia, 18.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Panama, that number is 37.7% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Economy

be 56.7% less likely to be unemployed

In Namibia, 19.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Panama, that number is 8.4% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

make 4.1 times more money

Namibia has a GDP per capita of $4,876 as of 2025, while in Panama, the GDP per capita is $19,790 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

be 73.4% less likely to die during childbirth

In Namibia, approximately 139.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Panama, 37.0 women do as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 67.0% less likely to die during infancy

In Namibia, approximately 36.4 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.

View global rankings →

have 38.7% fewer children

In Namibia, there are approximately 25.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Panama, there are 15.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 71.1% more likely to have access to electricity

In Namibia, approximately 57% of people have electricity access (75% in urban areas, and 34% 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.

View global rankings →

be 12.2% more likely to have internet access

In Namibia, approximately 64.9% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Panama, about 72.8% do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 10.1% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Namibia, approximately 87% of people have access to drinking water (96% in urban areas, and 74% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Panama, that number is 95% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 88% in rural areas) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Expenditures

spend 72.8% less on education

Namibia spends 9.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Panama spends 2.5% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

View global rankings →

spend 12.1% less on healthcare

Namibia spends 9.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Panama, that number is 8.3% of GDP as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Geography

see 58.4% more coastline

Namibia has a total of 1,572 km of coastline. In Panama, that number is 2,490 km.

View global rankings →

Safety

be 66.8% less likely to die in a road accident

In Namibia, road accidents kill 22.0 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Panama, they kill 7.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

find 6.4 times more home broadband

Namibia has 2.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Panama has 18.1 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

use 2.2 times more electricity

Namibia uses 1,232 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Panama uses 2,715 kWh as of 2023.

View global rankings →

live with 2.9 times more strain on fresh water

Namibia withdraws 0% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Panama withdraws 1% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Environment

be 60.5% less likely to die from air pollution

In Namibia, air pollution causes 43.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Panama, it causes 17.0 as of 2019.

View global rankings →

emit 2.3 times more CO2

Namibia emits 1.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Panama emits 2.7 tonnes as of 2024.

View global rankings →


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.
Read more

How big is Panama compared to Namibia? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Panama or Namibia. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.