I'll be comparing the economies of the United States and Panama. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the current American population is over 336 million, making the U.S. the 3rd most populated country in the world. A large population can be extremely helpful and challenging for a nation's economy. Large populations typically mean more workers, allowing for higher production and economic growth. But this requires that most of the population be at or under working age and that enough children are being born to maintain the replacement rate at healthy levels. Currently, the median age in the U.S. is 38.4 years old, and 17% of the population is older than the retirement age of 65, the highest in the country's history. The replacement rate as of 2022 was 1.7 children per woman, falling below the minimum 2.1 level. The U.S. currently risks having a larger elderly population than ever without the workers needed to keep the economy at its current size, meaning less taxes used to support social security