Research & development spending as a share of GDP in Panama
Panama: Research & development spending as a share of GDP was 0.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Research & development spending as a share of GDP in Panama, 1996–2024
Source: UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for research & development spending as a share of gdp in Panama is 0.2%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 24.7% on the previous year and up 65.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, research & development spending as a share of gdp in Panama peaked at 0.4% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2013.
Panama ranks 92nd of 116 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.
Research & development spending as a share of GDP in Panama, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 0.3% | — |
| 1997 | 0.3% | -4.6% |
| 1998 | 0.3% | -10.9% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | +31.8% |
| 2001 | 0.4% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 0.3% | -5.6% |
| 2003 | 0.3% | -6.9% |
| 2004 | 0.2% | -30.3% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 0.2% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | -22.1% |
| 2008 | 0.2% | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | -30.9% |
| 2010 | 0.1% | +9.2% |
| 2011 | 0.2% | +19.5% |
| 2012 | 0.1% | -56.5% |
| 2013 | 0.1% | -17.7% |
| 2014 | 0.1% | +98.0% |
| 2015 | 0.1% | -12.7% |
| 2016 | 0.1% | +23.1% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 0.1% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 0.2% | +70.8% |
| 2021 | 0.2% | -23.9% |
| 2022 | 0.2% | +3.5% |
| 2023 | 0.2% | -13.7% |
| 2024 | 0.2% | +24.7% |
Panama compared with similar countries
- Panama's 0.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.5%, 13% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Panama's 0.2% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 0.2%, 87% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 4 |
| 2000s | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Panama
- 89 Burundi 0.2% compare
- 90 Azerbaijan 0.2% compare
- 91 Seychelles 0.2% compare
- 93 Peru 0.2% compare
- 94 Pakistan 0.2% compare
- 95 Kazakhstan 0.2% compare
More science & technology data for Panama
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 156.59 (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.57 units per person (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 6.98 million (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 94.12 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 2.98 % change on previous year (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 4.33 % change on previous year (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 282.01 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0001 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is research & development spending as a share of gdp in Panama?
- Research & development spending as a share of gdp in Panama was 0.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest research & development spending as a share of gdp recorded in Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 0.4% in 2000.
- What is the lowest research & development spending as a share of gdp recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2013.
- How does Panama rank for research & development spending as a share of gdp?
- Panama ranks 92nd out of 116 countries with data for 2024.
- Is research & development spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is up 65.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Panama data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Research & development spending as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 29 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Includes basic research, applied research, and experimental development.