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. The Ngäbe and Bokota comprise half of the Indigenous peoples of Panama.

Many of the Indigenous Peoples live on comarcas indígenas, 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.

Indigenous groups

• Bokota, Bocas Del Toro
• Embera, southeastern Darién Province
• Ngäbe (including the Movere and Murire peoples), mainly Chiriquí Province
• Guna, Darién Province and Caribbean side.
• Buglé, mainly Chiriquí Province
• Talamanca
• Teribe
• Wounaan, southeastern Darién Province
• Emberá-Wounaan, mainly Emberá-Wounaan Comarca
• Bribri

Population

Languages

Some native peoples speak Spanish, while many more retain their traditional languages. According to the 2000 census, the following Indigenous languages are spoken in Panama:

• Bokota language: 933 speakers (in Panama)
• Bri-bri language: 2,521 speakers
• Buglé language: 17,731 speakers
• Emberá language: 22,485 speakers
• Guna Language: 61,707 speakers
• Naso-Teribe language: 3,305 speakers
• Ngöbe language: 169,130 speakers
• Wounaan language: 6,882 speakers

Notes

See also

• Indigenous peoples

External links

• Distribution of Indigenous Populations in Panama by Province and Comarca, 2000