Homicides in Panama
Panama: Homicides was 522 homicides in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
522 homicides
Change on year
up 4.6%
World rank
56th
of 179 countries
All-time high
663 homicides
in 2013
All-time low
221 homicides
in 2006
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Homicides in Panama, 1990–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in homicides.
Analysis
The most recent figure for homicides in Panama is 522 homicides, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 4.6% on the previous year and down 21.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides in Panama peaked at 663 homicides in 2013 and was at its lowest, 221 homicides, in 2006.
Panama ranks 56th of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Homicides in Panama, year by year
| Year | homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 278 homicides | — |
| 1991 | 294 homicides | +5.8% |
| 1992 | 311 homicides | +5.8% |
| 1993 | 308 homicides | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 323 homicides | +4.9% |
| 1995 | 377 homicides | +16.7% |
| 1996 | 248 homicides | -34.2% |
| 1997 | 315 homicides | +27.0% |
| 1998 | 281 homicides | -10.8% |
| 1999 | 285 homicides | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 299 homicides | +4.9% |
| 2001 | 306 homicides | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 376 homicides | +22.9% |
| 2003 | 337 homicides | -10.4% |
| 2004 | 308 homicides | -8.6% |
| 2005 | 364 homicides | +18.2% |
| 2006 | 221 homicides | -39.3% |
| 2007 | 279 homicides | +26.2% |
| 2008 | 493 homicides | +76.7% |
| 2009 | 562 homicides | +14.0% |
| 2010 | 460 homicides | -18.1% |
| 2011 | 549 homicides | +19.3% |
| 2012 | 637 homicides | +16.0% |
| 2013 | 663 homicides | +4.1% |
| 2014 | 604 homicides | -8.9% |
| 2015 | 471 homicides | -22.0% |
| 2016 | 405 homicides | -14.0% |
| 2017 | 378 homicides | -6.7% |
| 2018 | 401 homicides | +6.1% |
| 2019 | 480 homicides | +19.7% |
| 2020 | 500 homicides | +4.2% |
| 2021 | 550 homicides | +10.0% |
| 2022 | 499 homicides | -9.3% |
| 2023 | 522 homicides | +4.6% |
Panama compared with similar countries
- Panama's 522 homicides is above the median for high income countries, which is 52.5 homicides, 9.9× the median. (76 countries reporting)
- Panama's 522 homicides is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 489 homicides, 1.1× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 302 homicides | 248 homicides | 377 homicides | 10 |
| 2000s | 354.5 homicides | 221 homicides | 562 homicides | 10 |
| 2010s | 504.8 homicides | 378 homicides | 663 homicides | 10 |
| 2020s | 517.75 homicides | 499 homicides | 550 homicides | 4 |
Countries ranked near Panama
More social development data for Panama
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,694 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 375 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 375 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0006 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicides in Panama?
- Homicides in Panama was 522 homicides in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicides recorded in Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 663 homicides in 2013.
- What is the lowest homicides recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was 221 homicides in 2006.
- How does Panama rank for homicides?
- Panama ranks 56th out of 179 countries with data for 2023.
- Is homicides rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Panama data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicides. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of intentional homicides.