The 2021 Building Construction Census, published by the Institute of Statistics and Census of the Comptroller General of the Republic (Inec), for the same period in 2020, reflected an increase in the total of areas built in square meters of 188.5%, in the districts of Panama and San Miguelito.
The differences are the result of the crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the Government of Panama
In the districts of Panama and San Miguelito, 2,493 new works were carried out, with a total built area of 360,938 m2, with an increase of 162.7% in the number of new buildings; while in the same period of 2020 there were 949, with 52,398 m2.
Of the areas built in these two districts, apartment buildings occupy 154,687 m2, while individual homes, 98,463 m2; deposits, 45,241 m2; shops, 19,340m2, duplexes, 17,528 m2; educational centers, 10,871 m2; hospitals and clinics, 7,607 m2; public administration spaces, 3,384 m2; others, 2
In 2021, there were a total of 5,210 new works under construction, of which 2,366 were located in Panama; 1,533 in La Chorrera; 1,026 in Arraiján; 138 in Colón, and 127 in San Miguelito. The total square meters built were 560,768 m2: Panama district, 346,113 m2; La Chorrera, 111,237 m2; Arraiján, 73,998 m2; San Miguelito, 14,825 m2; and Colón, 14,595 m2.
As for the phases of the new constructions in progress, in the districts of Arraiján, Colón, La Chorrera, Panama and San Miguelito, the phase of structures was reported with a greater increase with 1,921; roofs, 1,754; foundations, 946, and finishes 589.
Figures from the Superintendence of Banks of Panama detail that as of December 2021 the banks had $18,749 million in mortgage loans.
La Chorrera, new place of buildings
The sustained increase in buildings in 2021, according to Inec data, continues in the first quarter of this year.
This year’s Construction Census, published by the Comptroller’s Office, reflected a total increase The buildings with the largest built areas were: Apartment buildings, with 152,808 m2; individual houses, 52,829 m2; and others, 17,133 m2.
In the first quarter of 2021, 691 new works were carried out in the districts of Panama and San Miguelito, with a total built area of 45,144 m2, while in the same quarter of 2022 there were 987, with 98,064 m2, with an increase of 42.8% in the number of new buildings.
In the first quarter of 2022 there are 2,877 new works under The total square meters built were 209,746 m2: 96,394 m2 in the district of Panama; 53,082 m2 in La Chorrera; 49,613 m2 in Arraiján; 8,987 m2 in Colón and 1,670 m2 in San Miguelito.
How is the census done?
As of February 2006, the Building Construction Census was carried out in the districts of Panama and San Miguelito. Since 2018, geographical coverage was expanded, including in this research the districts of Arraiján, Colón and La Chorrera, following international recommendations.
The objective is to determine the evolution of building activity, through the degree of progress of works under construction, in order to know its composition, measure its behavior through production in the sector and contribute to the calculation of the main macroeconomic aggregates (gross, annual
districts of Panama and San Miguelito, using the total sweeping methodology. To do this, all new works in the construction process were surveyed, additions with an area equal to or greater than the existing structure, as well as paralyzed works. Civil works are not investigated for this census.