Religion in Panama

The government of Panama does not collect statistics on the religious affiliation of citizens, but various sources estimate that 75 to 85 percent of the population identifies itself as Roman Catholic and 15 to 25 percent as evangelical Christian. [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2007/90262.htm 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."] The Bahá'í Faith community of Panama is estimated at 2.00% of the national population, or about 60,000cite web
title = Panama
work = WCC > Member churches > Regions > Latin America > Panama
publisher = World Council of Churches
date = 2006-01-01
url = http://www.oikoumene.org/en/member-churches/regions/latin-america/panama.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-07-01] including about 10% of the Guaymí populationCitation
last = International Community
first = Bahá'í
author-link = Bahá'í International Community
title = In Panama, some Guaymis blaze a new path
journal = One Country
volume = 1994
issue = October-December
year = October-December 1994
url = http://info.bahai.org/article-1-8-1-18.html
doi =
id = ] and the Bahá'ís maintain one of the world's seven Baha'i Houses of Worship in Panama. Smaller religious groups include the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) with an estimated 20,000 to 40,000 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, Buddhists, and other Christians. Indigenous religions include Ibeorgun (among Kuna) and Mamatata (among Ngobe). There is also a small number of Rastafarians.

Catholics are found throughout the country and at all levels of society. Evangelical Christians also are dispersed geographically and are becoming more prominent in society. The mainstream Protestant denominations, which include Southern Baptist Convention and other Baptist congregations, United Methodist, Methodist Church of the Caribbean and the Americas, and Lutheran, derive their membership from the Antillean black and the expatriate communities, both of which are concentrated in Panama and Colon Provinces. The Jewish community is centered largely in Panama City. Muslims live primarily in Panama City and Colon, with smaller but growing concentrations in David and other provincial cities. The vast majority of Muslims are of Lebanese, Palestinian, or Indian descent.

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, with some qualifications, and the Government generally respected this right in practice. The US government reported that there were no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice in 2007.

ee also

*Christianity in Panama
**Roman Catholicism in Panama
*Bahá'í Faith in Panama
*Islam in Panama

References