Indigenous peoples of Panama

The Indigenous peoples of Panama, also known as Native Panamanians, are the original inhabitants of Panama, are the Native peoples whose history in the territory of today's Panama predates Spanish colonization. As of the 2023 census, Indigenous peoples constitute 17.2% of Panama's population of 4.5 million, totaling just over 698,000 individuals. There are 7 indigenous peoples.^[1] The Ngäbe and Bokota comprise half of the Indigenous peoples of Panama.^[2]

Many of the Indigenous Peoples live on comarcas indígenas,^[3] which are administrative regions for areas with substantial Indigenous populations. Four comarcas (Emberá-Wounaan, Guna Yala, Naso Tjër Di, and Ngäbe-Buglé) exist as equivalent to a province, with two smaller comarcas (Guna de Madungandí and Guna de Wargandí) subordinate to a province and considered equivalent to a corregimiento (municipality).

They still face challenges, including land usage rights, eviction, poverty, and lack access to things like employment, education, and healthcare.