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Ecuador vs Panama
Side-by-side comparison of Ecuador and Panama from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Ecuador
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 186 years
Panama
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 123 years
In short
Panama scores 45.5 in the NationsTree Index (106th in the world) and Ecuador scores 45.2 (108th), a gap of 0.3 points. Their trees are 10 m and 8.2 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Ecuador has 4.0 times the population of Panama. Ecuador is 3.4 times larger than Panama by land area. The economy of Ecuador is 53% larger than that of Panama (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Ecuador 18.3 million and Panama 4.6 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $43,902 in Panama and $16,757 in Ecuador (2025, international dollars). People in Panama live on average 2.2 years longer (79.8 vs 77.6 years).
Of 36 indicators reported by both countries, Ecuador ranks higher in the world on 11 and Panama on 25. Ecuador is clearly stronger in military, science & innovation and main industries. Panama is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, infrastructure & digital and environment & energy.
As a nation, Ecuador is the older of the two (statehood since 1840, 186 years), compared with Panama (since 1903). Over the last five years Panama improved faster (direction score 43 vs 41 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Ecuador and Panama.
Ecuadorbetter
3.3%
52nd of 187
Panama
8.4%
137th of 187
High-tech exportsTrade
Ecuadorbetter
10.0%
65th of 168
Panama
1.8%
135th of 168
Social protection coverage (incl. pensions)Society & health
Ecuador
41.1%
34th of 55
Panamabetter
76.8%
13th of 55
Political stabilityInstitutions & safety
Ecuador
54.4
164th of 207
Panamabetter
69.9
95th of 207
GDP per person (PPP)Economy
Ecuador
$16,757
116th of 199
Panamabetter
$43,902
62nd of 199
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Panama overtook Ecuador in the NationsTree Index in 2025, the latest year with data.
Panama has been ahead of Ecuador in GDP per person (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Ecuador has been ahead of Panama in GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
EcuadorPanama All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Ecuador | Panama |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 256,37077th/216 · 2024 | 75,320119th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 248,36077th/216 · 2024 | 74,180116th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 18.3 m70th/217 · 2025 | 4.6 m128th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.85%111th/217 · 2025 | 1.22%84th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 73.0133rd/216 · 2024 | 60.9144th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 63.4%113th/217 · 2025 | 66.2%102nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 23.9%104th/217 · 2025 | 24.5%97th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 8.6%109th/217 · 2025 | 9.7%102nd/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $130.32 bn64th/210 · 2025 | $90.46 bn82nd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $306.48 bn66th/199 · 2025 | $200.69 bn79th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $261.90 bn66th/199 · 2025 | $171.49 bn79th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $7,125118th/210 · 2025 | $19,79077th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $16,757116th/199 · 2025 | $43,90262nd/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $6,890111th/201 · 2025 | $19,14070th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 3.7%90th/210 · 2025 | 4.4%70th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 0.7%29th/180 · 2025 | -0.2%10th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 3.3%52nd/187 · 2025 | 8.4%137th/187 · 2025 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 54.5%100th/189 · 2025 | 56.6%105th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -2.8%99th/192 · 2025 | -3.7%123rd/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 9.7%71st/197 · 2025 | 2.6%135th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 25.7%77th/200 · 2025 | 24.9%88th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 13.2%59th/192 · 2025 | 4.8%155th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 57.0%107th/200 · 2025 | 70.0%35th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $40.97 bn70th/182 · 2025 | $38.38 bn75th/182 · 2024 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $36.38 bn74th/182 · 2025 | $34.02 bn77th/182 · 2024 |
| Exports % of GDP | 31.4%108th/183 · 2025 | 44.4%65th/183 · 2024 |
| Imports % of GDP | 27.9%143rd/183 · 2025 | 39.3%104th/183 · 2024 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 59.4%129th/183 · 2025 | 83.7%88th/183 · 2024 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 20.9%37th/170 · 2025 | 0.9%123rd/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 4.6%155th/171 · 2025 | 12.6%126th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 58.7%20th/171 · 2025 | 49.6%30th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 8.9%42nd/171 · 2025 | 32.6%16th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 10.0%65th/168 · 2024 | 1.8%135th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 5.9%30th/191 · 2025 | -0.2%78th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 1.0%140th/196 · 2025 | 1.0%139th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 6.7%61st/209 · 2021 | 3.7%83rd/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 6.40%22nd/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.01%77th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 3.58%29th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.28%82nd/209 · 2021 | 0.09%116th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 3.7%149th/206 · 2024 | 6.7%122nd/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 24,82127th/183 · 2022 | 31,04019th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 2.1 m62nd/194 · 2019 | 647,000113th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $705.0 m84th/175 · 2020 | $1.84 bn52nd/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 3.1%105th/168 · 2020 | 9.3%61st/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 1.5 m57th/107 · 2019 | 401,00083rd/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 77.679th/217 · 2024 | 79.855th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 12.989th/196 · 2024 | 15.3100th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 2.3177th/174 · 2020 | 1.6390th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 1.3106th/145 · 2023 | 2.088th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 70%169th/193 · 2024 | 72%165th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 54.4%106th/153 · 2024 | 64.7%92nd/153 · 2024 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 92.8%88th/173 · 2023 | 76.6%2017 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 41.1%34th/55 · 2022 | 76.8%13th/55 · 2023 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 12.7%110th/217 · 2025 | 14.7%99th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 7.6%73rd/193 · 2023 | 8.3%56th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 93.5%46th/98 · 2024 | 96.2%31st/98 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 67.9%52nd/150 · 2023 | 53.7%74th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.77788th/193 · 2023 | 0.83959th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 45.9102nd/108 · 2025 | 49.7104th/108 · 2024 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 3.4%71st/108 · 2025 | 3.1%70th/108 · 2024 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 98.5%139th/215 · 2024 | 96.0%149th/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 69.9%87th/150 · 2024 | — |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 49.3%86th/144 · 2024 | — |
| Internet users % of population | 77.2%108th/186 · 2024 | 72.8%118th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 102136th/210 · 2024 | 15726th/210 · 2023 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 17.295th/208 · 2024 | 18.192nd/208 · 2023 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.7268th/164 · 2018 | 3.3043rd/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 9562000 | 4852000 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 4.6 m61st/161 · 2023 | 15.8 m41st/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 2.64105th/203 · 2024 | 2.74107th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 18.9%112th/212 · 2021 | 28.0%84th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 18.6107th/200 · 2023 | 15.184th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 49.7%60th/214 · 2024 | 62.2%26th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 92794th/149 · 2024 | 1,00290th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 51.7110th/205 · 2025 | 56.886th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 33.2150th/207 · 2025 | 36.8138th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 41.6167th/207 · 2025 | 53.6116th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 54.4164th/207 · 2025 | 69.995th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 43.2152nd/205 · 2025 | 53.4105th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 56.2106th/205 · 2025 | 66.572nd/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 45.7141st/145 · 2023 | 11.7121st/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $2.74 bn59th/156 · 2025 | $0.00154th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 2.1%56th/156 · 2025 | 0.0%154th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 5.7%68th/154 · 2025 | 0.0%152nd/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 42,00077th/170 · 2020 | 28,00089th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.54%108th/168 · 2020 | 1.33%48th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 30.0 m78th/163 · 2025 | — |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 2.0 m2018 | 1.0 m2019 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.44%2014 | 0.20%86th/110 · 2024 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 5382nd/137 · 2024 | 11101st/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 3,53066th/197 · 2023 | 282116th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Ecuador or Panama?
Ecuador has the larger population: 18.3 m (2025) compared with 4.6 m for Panama (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Ecuador or Panama?
Ecuador is larger: 256,370 km² (2024) compared with 75,320 km² for Panama (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Ecuador or Panama?
Ecuador has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $306.48 bn intl. (2025) compared with $200.69 bn intl. for Panama (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Ecuador or Panama?
Panama has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $43,902 intl. (2025) compared with $16,757 intl. for Ecuador (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Ecuador or Panama?
Panama has the higher life expectancy at birth: 79.8 years (2024) compared with 77.6 years for Ecuador (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Ecuador or Panama?
Ecuador spends more on the military: $2.74 bn (2025) compared with $0.00 for Panama (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Ecuador or Panama?
Panama: 45.5 points (106th in the world); Ecuador: 45.2 points (108th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Costa Rica
Dominican Republic
Guatemala
Bolivia
Puerto Rico (US)Sources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Ecuador vs Panama — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/ecuador-vs-panama. Data as of 26 October 2026.