Poverty and living standards in Veraguas, Panama: official figures
29.6% of people in Veraguas lived in general poverty in 2025, 7.7 pp higher than the national figure (21.9%) and 6th highest of 13 provinces and comarcas, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
What is the extreme poverty rate in Veraguas?
Extreme poverty affected 13.6% of people in Veraguas in 2025, against 10.0% nationally (joint 5th 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 Veraguas?
General poverty in Veraguas fell from 30.3% in 2024 to 29.6% in 2025 (-0.7 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 Veraguas?
Extreme poverty in Veraguas fell from 15.1% in 2024 to 13.6% in 2025 (-1.5 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 Veraguas are in extreme poverty?
Of every 100 people in general poverty in Veraguas in 2025, about 46 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 Veraguas compare with the rest of Panama?
The general poverty rate in Veraguas was 1.4 times the national rate in 2025 (29.6% 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 Veraguas compares with other provinces
General poverty rate (2025)
Veraguas ranks 6 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | General poverty rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Embera | 64.3% |
| 4 | Bocas Del Toro | 38.9% |
| 5 | Darien | 32.8% |
| 6 | Veraguas | 29.6% |
| 7 | Cocle | 25.1% |
| 8 | Chiriqui | 19.9% |
| 9 | Colon | 16.2% |
Extreme poverty rate (2025)
Veraguas ranks 6 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Extreme poverty rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Embera | 31.0% |
| 4 | Bocas Del Toro | 19.4% |
| 5 | Darien | 13.6% |
| 6 | Veraguas | 13.6% |
| 7 | Cocle | 10.3% |
| 8 | Chiriqui | 7.1% |
| 9 | Colon | 6.0% |
Change in general poverty rate, 2024 to 2025 (points) (2024-2025)
Veraguas ranks 5 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Change in general poverty rate, 2024 to 2025 (points) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 8 | Chiriqui | -1.5 pts |
More on Veraguas: 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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