Religion in Panama
Christianity is the main religion in Panama. An official survey carried out by the government estimated in 2020 that 80.6% of the population, or 3,549,150 people, identifies itself as Roman Catholic, and 10.4 percent as evangelical Protestant, or 1,009,740.[1] The Jehovah's Witnesses were the third largest congregation comprising the 1.4% of the population, followed by the Adventist Church and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with the 0.6%. There is a very large Buddhist (0.4% or 18,560) and Jewish community (0.1% or 5,240) in the country. The Baháʼí Faith community of Panama is estimated at 2.00% of the national population, or about 60,000[3] including about 10% of the Guaymí population;[4] the Baháʼís maintain one of the world's eight Baháʼí Houses of Worship in Panama.[5]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) claim more than 40,000 members.[6] Smaller religious groups include Buddhists with between 15,000 and 20,000 members, Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Episcopalians with between 7,000 and 10,000 members, Jewish and Muslim communities with approximately 10,000 members each, Hindus, and other Christians.[5] Indigenous religions include (among Kuna) and (among Ngobe).[5] There is also a small number of Rastafarians.[5]
Catholics are found throughout the country and at all levels of society.[5] Evangelical Christians also are dispersed geographically and are becoming more prominent in society.[5] The mainstream Protestant denominations, which include Southern Baptist Convention and other Baptist congregations, United Methodist, , and Lutheran, derive their membership from the Antillean black and the expatriate communities, both of which are concentrated in Panamá and Colón Provinces.[5] The Jewish community is centered largely in Panama City.[5] Muslims live primarily in Panama City and Colon, with smaller concentrations in David and other provincial cities.[5] The vast majority of Muslims are of Lebanese, Palestinian, or Indian descent.[5]
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, with some qualifications, and the Government generally respected this right in practice.[5] The US government reported that there were no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice in 2007.[5]
Historical Trends[]
- Sources: Bassed on Pew Center Research (including historical percentages of Catholicism),[7] by ends-1900 there were 26,000 U.S American[8] (more than half being Protestants) stablished for the Canal construction making the 9% in a total population of 290,000 (1911 Census)
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See also[]
- Christianity in Panama
- Roman Catholicism in Panama
- Baháʼí Faith in Panama
- Islam in Panama
- Hinduism in Panama
- Freedom of religion in Panama
References[]
- ^ a b "Segunda Encuesta Nacional de Hogares, Panama 2020" (PDF). Ministerio Público de la República de Panamá. December 2020.
- ^ Katzman, Patricia. Panama. Hunter Publishing (2005), p106. ISBN 1-58843-529-6.
- ^ "Panama". WCC > Member churches > Regions > Latin America > Panama. World Council of Churches. 2006-01-01. Archived from the original on 2008-07-08. Retrieved 2008-07-01.
- ^ International Community, Baháʼí (October–December 1994). "In Panama, some Guaymis blaze a new path". One Country. 1994 (October–December).
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l International Religious Freedom Report 2007: Panama. United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (September 14, 2007). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Panama Archived 2008-02-21 at the Wayback Machine. LDS Newsroom. Retrieved 2008-12-13
- ^ "Religion in Latin America, Widespread Change in a Historically Catholic Region". Pew Research Center. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^ https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2007/fall/panama.html[bare URL]
External links[]
- Religious radiostations in Panama List with over 20 online broadcasting Panamanian radiostations
- Segunda Encuesta Nacional de Hogares, Panama 2015 via WaybackMachine
- Religion in Panama