2020 Edition

Background

Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela that was named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the union dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land known as the Panama Canal Zone on either side of the structure. The US Army Corps of Engineers built the Panama Canal between 1904 and 1914. In 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the subsequent decades. With US help, Panamanian dictator Manuel NORIEGA was deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the Canal, and remaining US military bases were transferred to Panama by the end of 1999. An ambitious expansion project to more than double the Canal's capacity by allowing for more Canal transits and larger ships was carried out between 2007 and 2016.

Area

land

74,340 sq km

total

75,420 sq km

water

1,080 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Climate

tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)

Coastline

2,490 km

Elevation

highest point

Volcan Baru 3,475 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

360 m

Geographic coordinates

9 00 N, 80 00 W

Geography - note

strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge that connects North and South America; controls the Panama Canal, which links the North Atlantic Ocean with the North Pacific Ocean via the Caribbean Sea

Irrigated land

394 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

border countries

Colombia 339 km; Costa Rica 348 km

total

687 km

Land use

agricultural land

29.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 7.6% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.6% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 20.3% (2023 est.)

forest

62.3% (2023 est.)

other

8.2% (2023 est.)

Location

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

Major lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s)

Laguna de Chiriqui - 900 sq km

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm or edge of continental margin

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area

Natural resources

copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Population distribution

population is concentrated towards the center of the country, particularly around the Canal, but a sizeable segment of the populace also lives in the far west around David; the eastern third of the country is sparsely inhabited

Terrain

interior mostly steep, rugged mountains with dissected, upland plains; coastal plains with rolling hills

Age structure

0-14 years

25% (male 574,336/female 544,180)

15-64 years

64.8% (male 1,465,907/female 1,433,023)

65 years and over

10.1% (2024 est.) (male 211,014/female 241,781)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

5.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

6.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

17.11 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

2.9% (2019 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

53.2% (2023 est.)

Death rate

5.48 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

16 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

6.3 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

54.4 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

38.4 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 86.1% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 94.7% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 98.5% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 13.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 5.3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.5% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

16.3% national budget (2024 est.)

Ethnic groups

Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and White) 65%, Indigenous 12.3% (Ngabe 7.6%, Kuna 2.4%, Embera 0.9%, Bugle 0.8%, other 0.4%, unspecified 0.2%), Black or African descent 9.2%, Mulatto 6.8%, White 6.7% (2010 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.13 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

9.7% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

22.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

12.9 deaths/1,000 live births

male

15.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

13.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

Spanish (official), Indigenous languages (including Ngabere (Guaymi), Buglere, Kuna, Embera, Wounaan, Naso (Teribe), and Bri Bri), Panamanian English Creole (a mixture of English and Spanish with elements of Ngabere, also known as Guari Guari and Colon Creole), English, Chinese (Yue and Hakka), Arabic, French Creole, other (Yiddish, Hebrew, Korean, Japanese)

major-language sample(s)

La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.2 years

male

76.4 years

total population

79.2 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

95.9% (2024 est.)

male

97.3% (2024 est.)

total population

96.3% (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

1.977 million PANAMA CITY (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

37 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

31.9 years

male

31 years

total

31.7 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Panamanian

noun

Panamanian(s)

Net migration rate

2.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.7% (2016)

Physician density

1.63 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

female

2,251,903

male

2,284,105

total

4,536,008 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

1.44% (2025 est.)

Religions

Evangelical 55%, Roman Catholic 33.4%, none 10.1%, unspecified 1.5% (2023 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 70.1% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 88% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 96.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 29.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 12% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 3.9% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2016 est.)

male

12 years (2016 est.)

total

13 years (2016 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.87 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1.7% (2025 est.)

male

7.4% (2025 est.)

total

4.5% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.33 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

69.5% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 4 indigenous regions* (comarcas); Bocas del Toro, Chiriquí, Coclé, Colon, Darien, Embera-Wounaan*, Guna Yala*, Herrera, Los Santos, Naso Tjer Di*, Ngabe-Bugle*, Panama, Panama Oeste, Veraguas

Capital

etymology

origin is unclear; may come from a Guaraní word meaning "place of many fish"

geographic coordinates

8 58 N, 79 32 W

name

Panama City

time difference

UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by the National Assembly, by the Cabinet, or by the Supreme Court of Justice; passage requires approval by one of two procedures: 1) absolute majority vote of the Assembly membership in each of three readings and by absolute majority vote of the next elected Assembly in a single reading without textual modifications; 2) absolute majority vote of the Assembly membership in each of three readings, followed by absolute majority vote of the next elected Assembly in each of three readings with textual modifications, and approval in a referendum

history

several previous; latest effective 11 October 1972

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Panama

conventional short form

Panama

etymology

origin is unclear; may come from a Guarani word meaning "place of many fish"

local long form

República de Panama

local short form

Panama

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Kevin Marino CABRERA (since 5 May 2025)

email address and website

Panama-ACS@state.gov https://pa.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Building 783, Demetrio Basilio Lakas Avenue, Clayton

FAX

[507] 317-5568

mailing address

9100 Panama City PL, Washington, DC 20521-9100

telephone

[507] 317-5000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador José Miguel ALEMÁN HEALY (since 18 September 2024)

consulate(s) general

Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa

email address and website

info@embassyofpanama.org https://www.embassyofpanama.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 483-8413

telephone

[1] (202) 483-1407

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President José Raúl MULINO Quintero (since 1 July 2024)

election results

2024: José Raúl MULINO Quintero elected president; percent of vote - José Raúl MULINO Quintero (RM) 34.2%, Ricardo Alberto LOMBANA González (MOCA) 24.6%, Martín Erasto TORRIJOS Espino (PP) 16%, Alberto ROUX Moses (CD) 11.4%, Zulay RODRÍGUEZ Lu (independent) 6.6%, José Gabriel CARRIZO Jaén (PRD) 5.9%, other 1.3% 2019: Laurentino "Nito" CORTIZO Cohen elected president; percent of vote - Laurentino CORTIZO Cohen (PRD) 33.3%, Romulo ROUX (CD) 31%, Ricardo LOMBANA (independent) 18.8%, Jose BLANDON (Panameñista Party) 10.8%, Ana Matilde GOMEZ Ruiloba (independent) 4.8%, other 1.3%

election/appointment process

president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple-majority popular vote for a 5-year term; president eligible for a single non-consecutive term)

expected date of next election

May 2029

head of government

President José Raúl MULINO Quintero (since 1 July 2024)

most recent election date

5 May 2024

Flag

description: divided into four equal rectangles; one of the top quadrants is white (left side) with a five-pointed blue star in the center, and the other is plain red; one of the bottom quadrants is plain blue (left side), and the other is white with a five-pointed red star in the center meaning: blue and red stand for the main political parties, and white for peace between them; the blue star stands for the civic virtues of purity and honesty, and the red star for authority and law

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

3 November 1903 (from Colombia); 28 November 1821 (from Spain)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACS, BCIE, CAN (observer), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA, UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 9 magistrates and 9 alternates and divided into civil, criminal, administrative, and general business chambers)

judge selection and term of office

magistrates appointed by the president for staggered 10-year terms

subordinate courts

appellate courts or Tribunal Superior; Labor Supreme Courts; Court of Audit; circuit courts or Tribunal Circuital (2 each in 9 of the 10 provinces); municipal courts; electoral, family, maritime, and adolescent courts

Legal system

civil law system; Supreme Court of Justice reviews legislative acts

Legislative branch

electoral system

mixed system

expected date of next election

May 2029

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional)

most recent election date

5/5/2024

number of seats

71 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Realizing Goals (RM) (14); Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) (13); Democratic Change (CD) (8); Panamenista Party (8); Independents (20); Other (8)

percentage of women in chamber

21.7%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1925

lyrics/music

Jeronimo DE LA OSSA/Santos A. JORGE

title

"Himno Istmeno" (Isthmus Hymn)

National color(s)

blue, white, red

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Caribbean Fortifications (c); Darien National Park (n); Talamanca Range-La Amistad National Park (n); Panamá Viejo and Historic District of Panamá (c); Coiba National Park (n); The Colonial Transisthmian Route of Panamá (c)

total World Heritage Sites

6 (3 cultural, 3 natural)

National holiday

Independence Day (Separation Day), 3 November (1903)

National symbol(s)

harpy eagle

Political parties

Alliance Party or PA Alternative Independent Socialist Party or PAIS Another Way Movement or MOCA Democratic Change or CD Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA Panameñista Party (formerly the Arnulfista Party) Popular Party or PP (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC) Realizing Goals Party or RM

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

sugarcane, rice, bananas, oranges, oil palm fruit, chicken, plantains, maize, milk, pineapples (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

1.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

15.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$12.046 billion (2021 est.)

revenues

$7.57 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

$28.769 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$2.581 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$1.672 billion (2024 est.)

Economic overview

upper middle-income Central American economy; increasing Chinese trade; US dollar user; canal expansion fueling broader infrastructure investment; services sector dominates economy; historic money-laundering and illegal drug hub

Exchange rates

Currency

balboas (PAB) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

1 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

1 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$35.717 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$37.905 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$37.376 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

copper ore, ships, refined petroleum, bananas, fish (2023)

Exports - partners

China 25%, Japan 10%, USA 6%, Thailand 5%, Costa Rica 5% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

46.5% (2023 est.)

government consumption

12.2% (2023 est.)

household consumption

46.7% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-43.1% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

32.3% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

5.4% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

2.6% (2024 est.)

industry

26.3% (2024 est.)

services

68.8% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$86.26 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023

48.9 (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

36.9% (2023 est.)

lowest 10%

1.2% (2023 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$32.646 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$35.927 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$30.887 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, ships, refined petroleum, nitrogen compounds, cars (2023)

Imports - partners

USA 15%, Colombia 13%, China 13%, Ecuador 13%, Japan 11% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

-2.6% (2024 est.)

Industries

construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

2.9% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

1.5% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

0.7% (2024 est.)

Labor force

2.206 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

21.8% (2021 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

37.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$148.891 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$159.908 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$164.484 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

10.8% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

7.4% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

2.9% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$33,800 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$35,900 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$36,400 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

0.6% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$6.876 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$6.757 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$6.856 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

7.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

8.1% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

6.6% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

6.6% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

22.1% (2024 est.)

male

13.4% (2024 est.)

total

16.8% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

863,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

863,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

11.777 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

404.9 million kWh (2023 est.)

imports

234 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

4.485 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

924.16 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

100%

electrification - total population

95% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

99%

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

38.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

47.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

6.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

6.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

78.01 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

564.786 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

564.786 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

131,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

18 (2023 est.)

total

809,000 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

multiple privately owned TV networks and a government-owned educational TV station; multi-channel cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; more than 100 commercial radio stations (2019)

Internet country code

.pa

Internet users

percent of population

78% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

18 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

811,000 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

157 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

6.98 million (2023 est.)

Airports

77 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HP

Heliports

1 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 2732, container ship 671, general cargo 1,428, oil tanker 866, other 2,477

total

8,174 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Bahia de las Minas, Balboa, Pedregal, Puerto Armuelles, Puerto Colon, Puerto Cristobal

large

0

medium

3

ports with oil terminals

5

size unknown

1

small

3

total ports

12 (2024)

very small

5

Railways

standard gauge

77 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

total

77 km (2014)

Military - note

the Panamanian Public Forces focus on law enforcement, border control, and maritime security; the National Police are responsible for internal law enforcement and public order, while the National Border Service (SENAFRONT) handles border security; the Aeronaval Service is responsible for carrying out air and naval operations that include some internal security responsibilities; key areas of focus are countering narcotics trafficking and securing the border, particularly along the frontier with Colombia where SENAFRONT maintains a significant presence Panama created a paramilitary National Guard (Guardia Nacional de Panamá) in the 1950s from the former National Police (established 1904); the National Guard subsequently evolved into more of a military force with some police responsibilities; it seized power in a coup in 1968 and military officers ran the country until 1989; in 1983, the National Guard was renamed the Panama Defense Force (PDF); the PDF was disbanded after the 1989 US invasion and the current national police forces were formed in 1990; the armed forces were officially abolished under the 1994 Constitution (2025)

Military and security forces

no regular military forces Ministry of Public Security: National Police (Policía Nacional, PN), National Aeronaval Service (Servicio Nacional Aeronaval, SENAN), National Border Service (Servicio Nacional de Fronteras, SENAFRONT) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 30,000 Ministry of Public Security personnel (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

1.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.1% of GDP (2024 est.)

Illicit drugs

USG identification

major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

10,801 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

928 (2024 est.)

Terrorist group(s)

Tren de Aragua (TdA)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1.969 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

1.101 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

20.389 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

23.458 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

water pollution from agricultural runoff; deforestation of tropical rainforest; land degradation and soil erosion in Panama Canal; air pollution in urban areas; effects of mining

International environmental agreements

party to

Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

Marine Life Conservation

Particulate matter emissions

11.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

139.304 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

446.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

6.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

759.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

1.472 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

14.2% (2022 est.)