Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Panama instead of United States, you would:

Health

be 37.3% less likely to be obese

In United States, 36.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Panama, that number is 22.7% of people as of 2016.

live 3.0 years less

In United States, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2022. In Panama, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

pay a 36.9% lower top tax rate

United States has a top tax rate of 39.6% as of 2016. In Panama, the top tax rate is 25.0% as of 2016.

make 57.8% less money

United States has a GDP per capita of $60,200 as of 2020, while in Panama, the GDP per capita is $25,400 as of 2020.

be 57.8% more likely to be unemployed

In United States, 3.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2018. In Panama, that number is 6.1% as of 2018.

be 46.4% more likely to live below the poverty line

In United States, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2010. In Panama, however, that number is 22.1% as of 2016.

Life

have 46.5% more children

In United States, there are approximately 12.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Panama, there are 18.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022.

be 2.7 times more likely to die during childbirth

In United States, approximately 19.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In Panama, 52.0 women do as of 2017.

be 3.2 times more likely to die during infancy

In United States, approximately 5.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Panama, on the other hand, 16.4 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 29.7% less likely to have internet access

In United States, approximately 91.0% of the population has internet access as of 2020. In Panama, about 64.0% do as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 38.0% less on education

United States spends 5.0% of its total GDP on education as of 2014. Panama spends 3.1% of total GDP on education as of 2019.

spend 54.8% less on healthcare

United States spends 16.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2019. In Panama, that number is 7.6% of GDP as of 2019.

Geography

see 87.5% less coastline

United States has a total of 19,924 km of coastline. In Panama, that number is 2,490 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, General Directorate of Revenues, Panama, Internal Revenue Service.

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

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