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

Latest (2024)
0.2%
Change on year
up 24.7%
World rank
92nd
of 116 countries
All-time high
0.4%
in 2000
All-time low
0.1%
in 2013
Years of data
29
1996–2024

Research & development spending as a share of GDP in Panama, 1996–2024

0.10.20.30.41996201020241996: 0.333 % of GDP1997: 0.318 % of GDP1998: 0.283 % of GDP1999: 0.283 % of GDP2000: 0.373 % of GDP2001: 0.368 % of GDP2002: 0.347 % of GDP2003: 0.323 % of GDP2004: 0.225 % of GDP2005: 0.228 % of GDP2006: 0.229 % of GDP2007: 0.178 % of GDP2008: 0.186 % of GDP2009: 0.129 % of GDP2010: 0.141 % of GDP2011: 0.168 % of GDP2012: 0.073 % of GDP2013: 0.06 % of GDP2014: 0.119 % of GDP2015: 0.104 % of GDP2016: 0.128 % of GDP2017: 0.131 % of GDP2018: 0.134 % of GDP2019: 0.136 % of GDP2020: 0.232 % of GDP2021: 0.177 % of GDP2022: 0.183 % of GDP2023: 0.158 % of GDP2024: 0.197 % of GDP

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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 89 Burundi 0.2% compare
  2. 90 Azerbaijan 0.2% compare
  3. 91 Seychelles 0.2% compare
  4. 93 Peru 0.2% compare
  5. 94 Pakistan 0.2% compare
  6. 95 Kazakhstan 0.2% compare

See the full ranking of 116 places →

More science & technology data for Panama

All data for Panama →

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

Indicator
Research & development spending as a share of GDP
Unit
% of GDP
Source
UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
116 places, 2,375 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

Includes basic research, applied research, and experimental development.