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Photo: Brian Gratwicke derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 02 of 12 · Country Index 2026
Panama: Economy & Innovation
What does an economy do for the people inside it?
Panama is placed joint 61st of 150 countries on economy & innovation in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: GDP per Capita (PPP) 37,516 (2025); Economic Complexity Index 0.361 (2024).
Economy & Innovation
joint61st
of 150 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics
01The evidence
The 3 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Panama on economy & innovation — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country in that edition, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 3
GDP per Capita (PPP)
World Bank Group
Why it is a key: Output per person: the standard measure of an economy's size set against the population it has to support.
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
37,516
GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP)
Higher is better
Panama: 37,516. Across the 185 countries in this edition, values run from 1,067 (Burundi) to 139,593 (Singapore); the world median is 17,265.
- World median
- 17,265
- Best in Central America
- 37,516 Panama
- Land neighbours
- Colombia 18,779 · Costa Rica 28,443
Each grey tick is one of 185 countries in the 2025 edition.
Key 2 of 3
Economic Complexity Index
Growth Lab at Harvard University
Why it is a key: What an economy knows how to make, read from the diversity and rarity of what it exports.
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC0 1.0
0.361
ECI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3)
Higher is better
Ranked 57th of 145 by Growth Lab at Harvard University
Panama: 0.361. Across the 145 countries in this edition, values run from -3.53 (Chad) to 1.729 (Japan); the world median is 0.131.
- World median
- 0.131
- Best in Central America
- 0.942 Mexico
- Land neighbours
- Colombia 0.233 · Costa Rica 0.334
Each grey tick is one of 145 countries in the 2024 edition.
Key 3 of 3
Account Ownership at a Financial Institution
World Bank Group
Why it is a key: Whether ordinary adults are inside the financial system at all, which output per person does not reveal.
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
64.1
Adults with an account (% of population aged 15+)
Higher is better
Panama: 64.1. Across the 139 countries in this edition, values run from 14.83 (Niger) to 99.85 (Iceland); the world median is 72.83.
- World median
- 72.83
- Best in Central America
- 71.35 Costa Rica
- Land neighbours
- Colombia 57.06 · Costa Rica 71.35
Each grey tick is one of 139 countries in the 2024 edition.
02Over time
Which way Panama is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
GDP per Capita (PPP)
GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP) · higher is better
PanamaWorld median
Panama rose from 14,573 in 2000 to 37,516 in 2025; the world median went from 10,589 to 17,265.
Every year’s figures
Year Panama World median 2025 37,516 17,265 2024 36,395 18,108 2023 35,873 17,686 2022 33,915 16,933 2021 30,933 16,260 2020 26,882 15,631 2019 33,164 16,761 2018 32,681 16,349 2017 31,980 16,129 2016 30,765 15,512 2015 29,933 14,857 2014 28,932 14,475 2013 28,135 14,681 2012 26,927 14,631 2011 24,999 13,916 2010 22,739 14,101 2009 21,823 13,655 2008 21,868 14,030 2007 20,209 13,755 2006 18,190 12,983 2005 16,868 12,023 2004 15,875 11,608 2003 14,958 11,183 2002 14,507 11,144 2001 14,428 10,907 2000 14,573 10,589 Economic Complexity Index
ECI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3) · higher is better
PanamaWorld median
Panama fell from 0.383 in 2000 to 0.361 in 2024; the world median went from 0.016 to 0.131.
Every year’s figures
Year Panama World median 2024 0.361 0.1310 2023 0.133 0.0710 2022 0.149 0.0580 2021 0.187 0.0010 2020 0.752 0.0470 2019 0.718 0.0300 2018 0.706 -0.0150 2017 0.733 0.0080 2016 0.763 -0.0660 2015 0.787 -0.0600 2014 0.762 -0.0190 2013 0.801 0.0140 2012 0.789 0.0060 2011 0.783 -0.0140 2010 0.688 -0.0020 2009 0.686 0.0990 2008 0.641 0.0700 2007 0.538 -0.0080 2006 0.512 0.0740 2005 0.299 0.0510 2004 0.326 0.0505 2003 0.240 0.0450 2002 0.396 0.0100 2001 0.411 0.0470 2000 0.383 0.0160 Account Ownership at a Financial Institution
Adults with an account (% of population aged 15+) · higher is better
PanamaWorld median
Panama rose from 24.93 in 2011 to 64.1 in 2024; the world median went from 37.03 to 72.83.
Every year’s figures
Year Panama World median 2024 64 73 2021 45 74 2017 46 59 2014 44 52 2011 25 37
03In context
Panama beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 150 countries on economy & innovation, never a place within the region.
1st150thNot placed · 74 countries with too few key statisticsNo data
Panama and the countries it borders
The standing is each country’s place among all 150 placed on the topic; the other columns are the publishers’ own values, read at the edition the standing used.
| Country | Standing | GDP per Capita (PPP)GDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP) | Economic Complexity IndexECI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3) | Account Ownership at a Financial InstitutionAdults with an account (% of population aged 15+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panama | =61st | 37,516 | 0.361 | 64.1 |
 Costa Rica | 64th | 28,443 | 0.334 | 71.35 |
 Colombia | 75th | 18,779 | 0.233 | 57.06 |
“—” means the publisher gives no reading for that country in that edition. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed.
Across Central America
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 150.
Placed either side on economy & innovation
The countries immediately above and below Panama in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Panama is ahead of the world, and behind
26 more statistics filed under economy & innovation, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median10
Statistics on which Panama does better than the middle country measured.
Crop Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 106.23130.95106.23▲ Improved since 2012
Panama: 130.95 · world median 106.23 · Crop production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 53.79 to 189.93; higher is better.
Position 22nd of 195 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Adjusted Net SavingsWorld Bank Group · 2021 · world median 8.38919.428.389▼ Worsened since 2011
Panama: 19.42 · world median 8.389 · Adjusted net savings, including particulate emission damage (% of GNI). World Bank Group, 2021 edition, data for 2021.
Published values in that edition run from -81.62 to 32.18; higher is better.
Position 17th of 118 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Liner Shipping Connectivity IndexUNCTAD · 2026 · world median 56.21220.2956.21No real change since 2016
Panama: 220.29 · world median 56.21 · LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 4.13 to 1,319; higher is better.
Ranked 24th of 175 by UNCTAD.
Cereal YieldFAO · 2023 · world median 3,0724,4773,072▲ Improved since 2013
Panama: 4,477 · world median 3,072 · Cereal yield (kg per hectare). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 23 to 29,147; higher is better.
Position 51st of 179 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Food Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 106.08115.45106.08▲ Improved since 2012
Panama: 115.45 · world median 106.08 · Food production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 71.08 to 177.49; higher is better.
Position 57th of 195 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
GDP GrowthWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 3.3964.353.396▼ Worsened since 2015
Panama: 4.35 · world median 3.396 · GDP growth (annual %). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -5.847 to 19.34; higher is better.
Position 63rd of 186 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
World Energy Trilemma IndexWorld Energy Council · 2023 · world median 63.86763.8No earlier reading
Panama: 67 · world median 63.8 · Trilemma score (0–100). World Energy Council, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 27.7 to 83.2; higher is better.
Ranked 38th of 99 by World Energy Council.
Inequality-adjusted Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.6090.6640.609No real change since 2013
Panama: 0.664 · world median 0.609 · IHDI (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.226 to 0.923; higher is better.
Position 70th of 169 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Logistics Performance IndexWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 2.93.12.9▼ Worsened since 2014
Panama: 3.1 · world median 2.9 · LPI score (1–5). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.9 to 4.3; higher is better.
Ranked 57th of 139 by World Bank Group.
Regulatory QualityWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median -0.09-0.074-0.09▼ Worsened since 2014
Panama: -0.074 · world median -0.09 · Regulatory Quality (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from -2.035 to 2.132; higher is better.
Position 104th of 209 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Behind the world median5
Statistics on which Panama does worse than the middle country measured.
Livestock Production IndexFAO · 2022 · world median 107.06106.53107.06▼ Worsened since 2012
Panama: 106.53 · world median 107.06 · Livestock production index (2014–2016 = 100). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 35.52 to 190.08; higher is better.
Position 100th of 194 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Government AI Readiness IndexOxford Insights · 2025 · world median 40.1939.340.19▼ Worsened since 2020
Panama: 39.3 · world median 40.19 · AI readiness score (0–100). Oxford Insights, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 12.12 to 88.36; higher is better.
Ranked 102nd of 195 by Oxford Insights.
ICT Goods ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 0.9750.690.975▼ Worsened since 2014
Panama: 0.69 · world median 0.975 · ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 61.45; higher is better.
Position 70th of 119 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Global Innovation IndexWorld Intellectual Property Organization · 2025 · world median 28.5225.8828.52▲ Improved since 2022
Panama: 25.88 · world median 28.52 · GII score (0–100). World Intellectual Property Organization, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.94 to 65.96; higher is better.
Ranked 82nd of 139 by World Intellectual Property Organization.
Research and Development SpendingUIS · 2023 · world median 0.8140.1580.814▲ Improved since 2013
Panama: 0.158 · world median 0.814 · Gross domestic expenditure on R&D (% of GDP). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.006 to 6.346; higher is better.
Position 71st of 84 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
No better end11
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Gross Savings (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2024 · world median 22.063322.06Moved since 2014
Panama: 33 · world median 22.06 · Gross savings (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from -21.13 to 47.82.
Position 24th of 146 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Container Port TrafficUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 1,827,7889,570,7671,827,788Moved since 2014
Panama: 9,570,767 · world median 1,827,788 · Container port traffic (TEU, twenty-foot equivalent units). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 17,263 to 299,703,800.
Position 23rd of 103 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Livestock DensityFAO · 2023 · world median 0.5350.70.535No real change since 2013
Panama: 0.7 · world median 0.535 · Livestock units per hectare of agricultural land. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.02 to 43.97.
Position 70th of 188 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Fertilizer Consumption per HectareFAO · 2023 · world median 87.36112.5887.36Moved since 2013
Panama: 112.58 · world median 87.36 · Fertilizer consumption (kg per hectare of arable land). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 2,926.
Position 76th of 188 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Total Natural Resources Rents (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 1.7083.6651.708Moved since 2011
Panama: 3.665 · world median 1.708 · Natural resources rents (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2021 edition, data for 2021.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 61.03.
Position 79th of 180 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Industry Value Added including Construction (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 24.6524.924.65Moved since 2015
Panama: 24.9 · world median 24.65 · Industry, including construction, value added (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.228 to 75.09.
Position 77th of 158 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Public Sector Wage BillWorld Bank Group · 2022 · world median 7.9757.5067.975Moved since 2012
Panama: 7.506 · world median 7.975 · Public sector wage bill (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0.977 to 42.65.
Position 93rd of 168 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Agricultural LandFAO · 2023 · world median 37.9629.5237.96No real change since 2013
Panama: 29.52 · world median 37.96 · Agricultural land (% of land area). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.445 to 86.48.
Position 127th of 209 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 6.5722.6186.572Moved since 2015
Panama: 2.618 · world median 6.572 · Agriculture, forestry and fishing value added (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.025 to 47.59.
Position 116th of 158 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Net Official Development Assistance ReceivedOECD Development Assistance Committee · 2023 · world median 2.5790.5172.579Moved since 2013
Panama: 0.517 · world median 2.579 · Net ODA received (% of GNI). OECD Development Assistance Committee, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from -0.001 to 101.78.
Position 101st of 130 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Manufacturing Value Added (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 11.264.79611.26Moved since 2015
Panama: 4.796 · world median 11.26 · Manufacturing value added (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.481 to 43.97.
Position 117th of 132 — derived here by ordering the published values, counted from the highest value. The publisher ranks no country on this.
No current reading for Panama
Business Ready: Operational Efficiency, Business Ready: Public Services, Business Ready: Regulatory Framework, Debt Service on External Debt, Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP) (last 2024), External Debt Stocks (% of GNI), General Government Consumption (last 2024), Gini Index (last 2021), GNI per Capita (PPP) (last 2024), Gross Capital Formation (% of GDP) (last 2024), Household Consumption (last 2024), Imports of Goods and Services (% of GDP) (last 2024), Income Share Held by Lowest 20% (last 2021), Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day (last 2021), Prosperity Gap (last 2021) and Trade (% of GDP) (last 2024). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
05Country Index 2026
Economy & Innovation among Panama’s 12 topics
Economy & Innovation is Panama’s 7th best-placed topic of 12. Strongest first; each marker sits at the position divided by that topic’s field, so fields of different sizes compare fairly.
- Peace & Security39th of 1772/3 keys
- Development & Human Capital66th of 1943/3 keys
- Mobility & Connectivity52nd of 1473/3 keys
- Democracy & Civil Libertiesjoint 70th of 1983/3 keys
- Health & Wellbeing72nd of 2013/4 keys
- Gender & Equality71st of 1783/3 keys
- Economy & Innovationjoint 61st of 1503/3 keys
- Governance & Institutions84th of 1935/5 keys
- Environment & Sustainability71st of 1612/3 keys
- Risk & Resiliencejoint 99th of 1913/3 keys
- Education & Knowledge125th of 1824/4 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 146th of 1824/4 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on economy & innovation
The three countries placed highest of 150, and the leaders Panama can most readily be measured against.
1
IcelandNorthern Europe
1st of 150 · 2 of 3 keys
Photo: Hansueli Krapf · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
SwitzerlandWestern Europe
2nd of 150 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: Simon Koopmann derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 2.0 de, greyscale
3
AustriaWestern Europe
3rd of 150 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: chensiyuan · CC BY-SA 4.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Americas
United States17th3/3 keysHighest in Central America
Panama=61st3/3 keys
Positions out of 150 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Panama and economy & innovation
On economy & innovation
China Leads Global High-Technology Exports
The world’s ten largest high-technology exporters as a treemap, with the rest of the world beside them. Each country’s figure is its own most recent year, between 2022 and 2024.
On economy & innovation
India vs Pakistan 2025: Comparison of Hunger Index, Happiness, HDI, Rule of Law, Literacy & GDP
India and Pakistan on six published measures: hunger, happiness, human development, rule of law, literacy and GDP per capita. India is the better placed on five of them; Pakistan on one.
On economy & innovation
Countries in Asia with the highest average salaries 2024
Thirteen Asian countries by gross average monthly wage, each carrying its WORLD rank rather than an Asian one — so the numbers skip, from 11th place to 45th.
08Questions
Panama on economy & innovation: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Panama rank on economy & innovation?
Panama is placed joint 61st of 150 countries on Economy & Innovation in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics (GDP per Capita (PPP), Economic Complexity Index and Account Ownership at a Financial Institution). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest GDP per Capita (PPP) figure for Panama?
37,516 in 2025 (gDP per capita (constant 2021 international $, PPP)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 17,265.
What is the latest Economic Complexity Index figure for Panama?
0.361 in 2024 (eCI score (standardised, roughly −3 to +3)), according to Growth Lab at Harvard University. The world median in the same edition was 0.131.
How does Panama compare with Colombia on economy & innovation?
Colombia is placed 75th of 150, and Panama joint 61st. GDP per Capita (PPP): Colombia 18,779, Panama 37,516; Economic Complexity Index: Colombia 0.233, Panama 0.361; Account Ownership at a Financial Institution: Colombia 57.06, Panama 64.1.
How have Panama’s economy & innovation figures changed?
GDP per Capita (PPP) rose from 14,573 in 2000 to 37,516 in 2025; Economic Complexity Index fell from 0.383 in 2000 to 0.361 in 2024; Account Ownership at a Financial Institution rose from 24.93 in 2011 to 64.1 in 2024.
Which economy & innovation statistics are missing for Panama?
No current reading is published for Panama on Business Ready: Operational Efficiency, Business Ready: Public Services, Business Ready: Regulatory Framework, Debt Service on External Debt, Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP), External Debt Stocks (% of GNI), General Government Consumption, Gini Index, GNI per Capita (PPP), Gross Capital Formation (% of GDP), Household Consumption, Imports of Goods and Services (% of GDP), Income Share Held by Lowest 20%, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day, Prosperity Gap and Trade (% of GDP). They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Keep reading
Explore further
Panama, topic by topic
- Governance & Institutions84th of 193
- Work & Labour=146th of 182
- Education & Knowledge125th of 182
- Health & Wellbeing72nd of 201
- Development & Human Capital66th of 194
- Environment & Sustainability71st of 161
- Gender & Equality71st of 178
- Democracy & Civil Liberties=70th of 198
- Peace & Security39th of 177
- Risk & Resilience=99th of 191
- Mobility & Connectivity52nd of 147
- The full Panama profile
Nearby, on economy & innovation
The key statistics, for every country
10Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
The total size of an economy is deliberately left out: a very large economy spread over a very large population is not doing more for each person. Growth rates, trade shares and the structure of output (how much is farming, industry or services) are published here as context, because they describe an economy's shape rather than how well it serves people. Jobs and wages have their own topic, Work & Labour.
How the Economy & Innovation standing is decided, step by step
A standing is a place in a list, not a mark out of anything. This one is part of the Country Index 2026, and it is worked out like this.
- A few key indicators decide it; the rest are context. 3 indicators on this topic are keys and 44 are charted alongside them without a vote. That split is the point: if every statistic voted, importing five more of one kind would quietly change what the topic is about.
- Each key is read at one edition. ⚠ The keys behind this standing do not all describe the same year — they run from 2024 to 2025, because publishers release on their own schedules. Read the standing as “how this country places now”, not as a snapshot of one year.
- Every country’s published value is turned into a place within that one key’s own field, and then expressed as a share of that field — how far down this key’s list the country sits, rather than how many countries are above it. Keys where a higher published number is worse (terrorism, hunger, disaster risk) are turned round first, so the good end is always the same end.
- Dividing by the field first is the whole reason this works. A place carries the size of its list inside it: 22nd of 44 and 108th of 215 are the same showing, and averaging the numbers 22 and 108 says loudly that they are not. Fields on this site run from about 44 countries to about 215, so averaging raw places would reward a country for happening to be measured in small ones. Dividing each place by its own field removes the size and leaves only the showing.
- The shares are averaged, plainly. One key, one vote — no key is weighted above another, because any weighting would be this site’s opinion presented as a measurement. Countries are then put in order by that average, and the average itself is never published. It is our arithmetic with nothing anchoring it, so printing it would invite it to be read as a measurement somebody made. The position it produces, the band, and the keys it was built from are all published instead — every one of them checkable against the tables on this page.
- A country needs 2 of this topic’s 3 keys — half, rounded up, and never fewer than 2. A standing built from one reading, printed beside one built from four, is two different things sharing a column heading. 150 countries clear the bar here.
- A key has to earn its vote every edition. It must measure at least 120 countries (below that it starts measuring who was surveyed rather than the world), it must not have more than 10% of its field tied at either end, and it must not repeat another key in the same topic — Spearman correlation above 0.92 counts as repeating. A topic needs at least 2 surviving keys to place anyone at all; this one has 3.
- A standing is relative, and the grouping is ours. It says where a country places against the others measured alongside it, so it moves when they move. The publishers listed on this page did not agree to be read together, and each measures its subject its own way: the underlying numbers are theirs, the ordering on top is this site’s — the same method as the rest of the Country Index, applied to one subject instead of all of them.
The key statistics and their licences
- GDP per Capita (PPP) — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Economic Complexity Index — Growth Lab at Harvard University, CC0 1.0
- Account Ownership at a Financial Institution — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
The other 26 statistics on this page come from 9 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Panama’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Panama (banner) — Brian Gratwicke derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY 2.0
- Iceland — Hansueli Krapf, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Switzerland — Simon Koopmann derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 2.0 de
- Austria — chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Panama: Economy & Innovation — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/panama/economy