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Country analysis

Panama


In Panama, there are projected to be 513,600 Venezuelan migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in 2024. The slow economic environment has had an impact on the livelihoods, basic needs, and access to health services of the Venezuelan population in the country.

Panama is also a crucial transit point for migrants that go to North America, so far it connects South America with Central America. Since 2020, there has been an increase in the number of Venezuelans crossing Panama coming from Colombia. In 2023 alone, 328,00 Venezuelans crossed the country.

Harsh climatic conditions, the dangers of the jungle, a lack of access to humanitarian response, and the presence of armed groups in the Darién Gap put migrants crossing from Colombia to Panama at risk of human trafficking, multiple forms of gender-based violence, forced disappearances, kidnappings, and robberies.

(Panama Migración Accessed 18/02/2024, R4V 02/12/2023, DW 01/01/2023%20la%20autoridad%20migratoria.), UN 17/01/2023, UNHCR 27/01/2023)

Latest updates on country situation

17 January 2024

At least 520,000 migrants and refugees entered the Darien Gap in Colombia and crossed to Panama in 2023, the highest number to date. Most of them crossed in August (81,946) and September (75,268). One-fourth (113,180) were minors, a high percentage of whom were under five years old and many of whom were unaccompanied. More than half of the total came from Venezuela (328,650), followed by Ecuador (57,250), Haití (46, 422), and China (25,565). To 90% of these migrants and refugees, the start and end points for crossing the Darien Gap were the town of Acandí in northeastern Colombia and the towns of Bajo Chiquito and Lajas Blancas in southern Panama. Their main needs in 2023 were access to WASH services, protection, education, food, and health assistance. (UNICEF 11/01/2024, MSF 1/09/2023, Govt. Panama 16/01/2024)

current crises
in Panama


These crises have been identified through the INFORM Severity Index, a tool for measuring and comparing the severity of humanitarian crises globally.

Read more about the Index

PAN002 - Venezuelan refugees

Last updated 19/11/2024


Drivers

Displacement

Crisis level

Country

Severity level

1.8 Low

Access constraints

1.0

REG002 - Venezuela Regional Crisis

Last updated 18/06/2024


Drivers


Crisis level

Regional

Severity level

3.7 High

Access constraints

3.0

Analysis products
on Panama

Panama: Increase in migrant traffic through the Darien Gap

19 April 2023

Panama: Increase in migrant traffic through the Darien Gap

DOCUMENT / PDF / 930 KB

Between January and 13 April 2023, an estimated 100,000 people crossed the Darien Gap. This figure represents about six times the number of people who crossed during the same time period in 2022. If this trend continues, UNHCR and IOM estimate that by the end of the year, around 400,000 people would have passed through this region.

Mixed migration
Panama-Colombia border: migration crisis

02 November 2022

Panama-Colombia border: migration crisis

DOCUMENT / PDF / 293 KB

Between January–September 2022, more than 150,000 people crossed into Panama from Colombia through the Darién Gap. Although migrants have historically used the Darién route to reach Central America, the flow of migrants through this route considerably increased between 2021–2022. 

Mixed migration
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