Literacy rate in Panama
Panama: Literacy rate was 96.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate in Panama, 1950–2024
Source: UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate in Panama is 96.2%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate in Panama peaked at 96.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 67.5%, in 1950.
Panama ranks 47th of 128 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
Literacy rate in Panama, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 67.5% | — |
| 1980 | 88.1% | +30.5% |
| 1990 | 88.8% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 91.9% | +3.5% |
| 2010 | 94.1% | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 95.4% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 95.7% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 96.2% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 96.1% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 96.2% | +0.1% |
Panama compared with similar countries
- Panama's 96.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 97.8%, 98% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Panama's 96.2% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 94.4%, 1.0× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 67.5% | 67.5% | 67.5% | 1 |
| 1980s | 88.1% | 88.1% | 88.1% | 1 |
| 1990s | 88.8% | 88.8% | 88.8% | 1 |
| 2000s | 91.9% | 91.9% | 91.9% | 1 |
| 2010s | 95.1% | 94.1% | 95.7% | 3 |
| 2020s | 96.2% | 96.1% | 96.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Panama
More education data for Panama
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 23,777 (2017)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 10,042 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 47,857 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 46,052 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 311,983 (2017)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 451,308 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.02 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0999 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rate in Panama?
- Literacy rate in Panama was 96.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rate recorded in Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 96.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest literacy rate recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.5% in 1950.
- How does Panama rank for literacy rate?
- Panama ranks 47th out of 128 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Panama data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO (1957) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of adults who can read and write a simple statement about their everyday life.