Indigenous peoples of Panama

Indigenous peoples of Panama, or Native Panamanians, are the native peoples of Panama. According to the 2010 census, they make up 12.3% of the overall population of 3.4 million, or just over 418,000 people. The Guaymí and Ngöbe-Buglé comprise half of the indigenous peoples of Panama.[1]

Embera girl, Darién Province, 2006
A Guna woman in Guna Yala
Guna house in Guna Yala, 2007

Many of the Indigenous Peoples live on comarca indígenas,[2] which are administrative regions for areas with substantial Indigenous populations. Three comarcas (Comarca Emberá-Wounaan, Guna Yala, Ngöbe-Buglé) exist as equivalent to a province, with two smaller comarcas (Kuna de Madugandí and Kuna de Wargandí) subordinate to a province and considered equivalent to a corregimiento (municipality).

Indigenous groups

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[2]

Notes
  1. "Panama History: Indigenous People." Panama Experts. (retrieved 23 Feb 2011)
  2. "Indigenous Peoples in Panama." Archived 2011-03-02 at the Wayback Machine International Work Group for Indian Affairs. (retrieved 23 Feb 2011)
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