Poverty and living standards in Ngabe Bugle, Panama: official figures
84.4% of people in Ngabe Bugle lived in general poverty in 2025, 62.5 pp higher than the national figure (21.9%) and the highest of 13 provinces and comarcas, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
What is the extreme poverty rate in Ngabe Bugle?
Extreme poverty affected 64.5% of people in Ngabe Bugle in 2025, against 10.0% nationally (the highest of 13 provinces and comarcas).
Source: Ministerio de Economia y Finanzas (MEF), Direccion de Analisis Economico y Social, con base en la Encuesta de Hogares del INEC · saved copyIs poverty falling in Ngabe Bugle?
General poverty in Ngabe Bugle fell from 84.8% in 2024 to 84.4% in 2025 (-0.4 points); the national rate went from 22.9% to 21.9%.
Source: Ministerio de Economia y Finanzas (MEF), Direccion de Analisis Economico y Social, con base en la Encuesta de Hogares del INEC · saved copyIs extreme poverty falling in Ngabe Bugle?
Extreme poverty in Ngabe Bugle rose from 63.4% in 2024 to 64.5% in 2025 (+1.1 points), while the national rate went from 10.3% to 10.0%.
Source: Ministerio de Economia y Finanzas (MEF), Direccion de Analisis Economico y Social, con base en la Encuesta de Hogares del INEC · saved copyHow many of the poor in Ngabe Bugle are in extreme poverty?
Of every 100 people in general poverty in Ngabe Bugle in 2025, about 76 were in extreme poverty (nationally about 46).
Source: Ministerio de Economia y Finanzas (MEF), Direccion de Analisis Economico y Social, con base en la Encuesta de Hogares del INEC · saved copyHow does poverty in Ngabe Bugle compare with the rest of Panama?
The general poverty rate in Ngabe Bugle was 3.9 times the national rate in 2025 (84.4% against 21.9%).
Source: Ministerio de Economia y Finanzas (MEF), Direccion de Analisis Economico y Social, con base en la Encuesta de Hogares del INEC · saved copyHow Ngabe Bugle compares with other provinces
General poverty rate (2025)
Ngabe Bugle ranks 1 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | General poverty rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ngabe Bugle | 84.4% |
| 2 | Kuna Yala | 74.0% |
| 3 | Embera | 64.3% |
| 4 | Bocas Del Toro | 38.9% |
| 5 | Darien | 32.8% |
| 6 | Veraguas | 29.6% |
| 7 | Cocle | 25.1% |
Extreme poverty rate (2025)
Ngabe Bugle ranks 1 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Extreme poverty rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ngabe Bugle | 64.5% |
| 2 | Kuna Yala | 47.4% |
| 3 | Embera | 31.0% |
| 4 | Bocas Del Toro | 19.4% |
| 5 | Darien | 13.6% |
| 6 | Veraguas | 13.6% |
| 7 | Cocle | 10.3% |
Change in general poverty rate, 2024 to 2025 (points) (2024-2025)
Ngabe Bugle ranks 3 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Change in general poverty rate, 2024 to 2025 (points) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bocas Del Toro | +0.2 pts |
| 2 | Los Santos | +0.1 pts |
| 3 | Ngabe Bugle | -0.4 pts |
| 4 | Panama | -0.6 pts |
| 5 | Veraguas | -0.7 pts |
| 6 | Embera | -0.8 pts |
| 7 | Colon | -0.9 pts |
More on Ngabe Bugle: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · Panama
Sources
- Ministerio de Economia y Finanzas (MEF), Direccion de Analisis Economico y Social, con base en la Encuesta de Hogares del INEC: Pobreza e Indigencia, Ano 2025 (Cuadro 4: porcentaje de personas en pobreza segun provincias y comarcas indigenas, 2024 y 2025), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 da3b189a8b36…)
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