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

Health

live 7.1 years longer

In Venezuela, the average life expectancy is 73 years (69 years for men, 77 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 17.8 times more spent on your healthcare

Venezuela spends $186 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Panama spends $3,318 as of 2023.

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be 61.9% less likely to die by suicide

Venezuela 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.

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be 83.3% more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Venezuela, 0.6% 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 64.1% more likely to be obese

In Venezuela, 23.0% 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 5.7 times more money

Venezuela has a GDP per capita of $3,495 as of 2025, while in Panama, the GDP per capita is $19,790 as of 2025.

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be 57.4% more likely to be unemployed

In Venezuela, 5.3% 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 83.7% less likely to die during childbirth

In Venezuela, approximately 227.0 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 43.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Venezuela, approximately 21.2 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 2.2 times more on healthcare

Venezuela spends 3.8% 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 11.1% less coastline

Venezuela has a total of 2,800 km of coastline. In Panama, that number is 2,490 km.

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Safety

be 44.7% less likely to die in a road accident

In Venezuela, road accidents kill 13.2 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 40.1% more home broadband

Venezuela has 12.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Panama has 18.1 as of 2023.

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live with 88.1% less strain on fresh water

Venezuela withdraws 8% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Panama withdraws 1% as of 2022.

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use 39.0% more electricity

Venezuela uses 1,953 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Panama uses 2,715 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 46.9% less likely to die from air pollution

In Venezuela, air pollution causes 32.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Panama, it causes 17.0 as of 2019.

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emit 19.2% less CO2

Venezuela emits 3.4 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 (2019–2021), 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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How big is Panama compared to Venezuela? See an in-depth size comparison.

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