2023 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 - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the latter 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 on either side of the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers 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, 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 connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean

Irrigated land

407 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

Colombia 339 km; Costa Rica 348 km

total

687 km

Land use

agricultural land

30.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 7.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 2.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 20.7% (2018 est.)

forest

43.6% (2018 est.)

other

25.9% (2018 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

25.19% (male 569,439/female 540,143)

15-64 years

64.87% (male 1,444,638/female 1,412,319)

65 years and over

9.94% (2023 est.) (male 204,156/female 233,413)

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

17.7 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

50.8% (2014/15)

Current health expenditure

9.7% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

58.6% (2023 est.)

Death rate

5.9 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

Panama is a country of demographic and economic contrasts. It is in the midst of a demographic transition, characterized by steadily declining rates of fertility, mortality, and population growth, but disparities persist based on wealth, geography, and ethnicity. Panama has one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America and dedicates substantial funding to social programs, yet poverty and inequality remain prevalent. The indigenous population accounts for a growing share of Panama's poor and extreme poor, while the non-indigenous rural poor have been more successful at rising out of poverty through rural-to-urban labor migration. The government's large expenditures on untargeted, indirect subsidies for water, electricity, and fuel have been ineffective, but its conditional cash transfer program has shown some promise in helping to decrease extreme poverty among the indigenous population.Panama has expanded access to education and clean water, but the availability of sanitation and, to a lesser extent, electricity remains poor. The increase in secondary schooling - led by female enrollment - is spreading to rural and indigenous areas, which probably will help to alleviate poverty if educational quality and the availability of skilled jobs improve. Inadequate access to sanitation contributes to a high incidence of diarrhea in Panama's children, which is one of the main causes of Panama's elevated chronic malnutrition rate, especially among indigenous communities.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

13.2

potential support ratio

7.6 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

53.8

youth dependency ratio

40.6

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 88.1% of population

improved: total

total: 96.2% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 11.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 3.8% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

3.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and White) 65%, Native American 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

1.15 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.3 beds/1,000 population (2016)

Infant mortality rate

female

14 deaths/1,000 live births

male

16.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

15.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

Spanish (official), indigenous languages (including Ngabere (or Guaymi), Buglere, Kuna, Embera, Wounaan, Naso (or Teribe), and Bri Bri), Panamanian English Creole (similar to Jamaican 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); note - many Panamanians are bilingual

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

81.5 years

male

75.6 years

total population

78.4 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

95.4% (2019)

male

98.8%

total population

95.7%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

intermediate (2023)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever

Major urban areas - population

1.977 million PANAMA CITY (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

50 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

31.6 years

male

30.8 years

total

31.2 years (2023 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Panamanian

noun

Panamanian(s)

Net migration rate

3.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.7% (2016)

Physicians density

1.63 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

4,404,108 (2023 est.)

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

Population growth rate

1.51% (2023 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 48.6%, Evangelical 30.2%, other 4.7%, agnostic 0.2%, atheist 0.2%, none 12.3%, unspecified 3.7% (2018 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 69.1% of population

improved: total

total: 87.2% of population

improved: urban

urban: 95.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 30.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 12.8% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 4.5% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

13 years (2016)

male

12 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 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 (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

2.2% (2020 est.)

male

7.7% (2020 est.)

total

5% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.37 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

69.5% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

43.6%

male

21.8%

total

30% (2021 est.)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

etymology

according to tradition, the name derives from a former fishing area near the present capital - an indigenous village and its adjacent beach - that were called "panama" meaning "an abundance of 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

amendments

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; amended several times, last in 2004

history

several previous; latest effective 11 October 1972

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Panama

conventional short form

Panama

etymology

named after the capital city which was itself named after a former indigenous fishing village

local long form

República de Panama

local short form

Panama

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Mari Carmen APONTE (since 21 November 2022)

email address and website

Panama-ACS@state.govhttps://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 Ramón Eduardo MARTÍNEZ DE LA GUARDIA (since 16 September 2022)

consulate(s) general

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

email address and website

info@embassyofpanama.orghttps://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 Laurentino "Nito" CORTIZO Cohen (since 1 July 2019); Vice President Jose Gabriel CARRIZO Jaen (since 1 July 2019); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

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 (Panamenista Party) 10.8%, Ana Matilde GOMEZ Ruiloba (independent) 4.8%, other 1.3%2014: Juan Carlos VARELA elected president; percent of vote - Juan Carlos VARELA (PP) 39.1%, Jose Domingo ARIAS (CD) 31.4%, Juan Carlos NAVARRO (PRD) 28.2%, other 1.3%

elections/appointments

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); election last held on 5 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024)

head of government

President Laurentino "Nito" CORTIZO Cohen (since 1 July 2019); Vice President Jose Gabriel CARRIZO Jaen (since 1 July 2019)

Flag description

divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and plain red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star in the center; the blue and red colors are those of the main political parties (Conservatives and Liberals respectively) and the white denotes peace between them; the blue star stands for the civic virtues of purity and honesty, the red star signifies authority and law

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain on 28 November 1821)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (71 seats; 45 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - populous towns and cities - by open list proportional representation vote and 26 directly elected in single-seat constituencies - outlying rural districts - by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 35, CD 18, Panamenista 8, MOLIRENA 5, independent 5; composition - men 55, women 16, percent of women 22.5%

elections

last held on 5 May 2019 (next to be held in May 2024)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Jeronimo DE LA OSSA/Santos A. JORGE

name

"Himno Istmeno" (Isthmus Hymn)

note

note: adopted 1925

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)

total World Heritage Sites

5 (2 cultural, 3 natural)

National holiday

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

National symbol(s)

harpy eagle; national colors: blue, white, red

Political parties and leaders

Alliance Party or PA [Jose MUNOZ Molina]Alternative Independent Socialist Party or PAIS [Jose ALVAREZ]Democratic Change or CD [Romulo ROUX]Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Benicio ROBINSON]Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Francisco "Pancho" ALEMAN]Panamenista Party [Jose Isabel BLANDON Figueroa] (formerly the Arnulfista Party)Popular Party or PP [Daniel Javier BREA Clavel] (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC)Realizing Goals Party or RM [Ricardo Alberto MARTINELLI Berrocal]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

sugar cane, bananas, rice, poultry, milk, plantains, pineapples, maize, beef, pork

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

1.7% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

15.7% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$15.145 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$9.743 billion (2020 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

BBB (2011)

Moody's rating

Baa1 (2019)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

BBB (2020)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$3.329 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

$1.097 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$1.412 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$94.898 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$101.393 billion (2019 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 2017

1 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

1 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

1 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

1 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$28.622 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$20.179 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$27.237 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

note

note: includes the Colon Free Zone

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, copper, bananas, ships, coal tar oil, packaged medicines (2019)

Exports - partners

Ecuador 20%, Guatemala 14%, China 8%, United States 6%, Netherlands 6% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

41.9% (2017 est.)

government consumption

10.7% (2017 est.)

household consumption

45.6% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-44.2% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

42.9% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

3% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

2.4% (2017 est.)

industry

15.7% (2017 est.)

services

82% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$66.801 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019

49.8 (2019 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

38.9% (2014 est.)

lowest 10%

1.1%

Imports

Imports 2019

$27.599 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$17.502 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$24.627 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

note

note: includes the Colon Free Zone

Imports - commodities

ships, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, tanker ships, packaged medicines (2019)

Imports - partners

China 21%, United States 19%, Japan 16%, Colombia 6%, Ecuador 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

37.5% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

-0.36% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

-1.55% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

1.63% (2021 est.)

Labor force

1.966 million (2021 est.)

note

note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

17%

industry

18.6%

services

64.4% (2009 est.)

Population below poverty line

22.1% (2016 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

37.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

37.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$133.509 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$109.551 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$126.352 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

2.98% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-17.94% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

15.34% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$31,500 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$25,500 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$29,000 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2018

$2.121 billion (31 December 2018 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$3.423 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$9.614 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

8.51% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

4.73% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

12.85% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

12.09% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

43.6%

male

21.8%

total

30% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1.905 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

1.077 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

22.281 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

25.263 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

1.118 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

1.15 million metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

10,808,780,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

427 million kWh (2019 est.)

imports

77 million kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

4.106 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

1.309 billion kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

85.6% (2020)

electrification - total population

95.2% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

99.7% (2021)

population without electricity

(2020) less than 1 million

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

24.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

66.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

2.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

6.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

98.946 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

552.744 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

552.744 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

143,700 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

66 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

129,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

13 (2020 est.)

total

562,413 (2020 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

68% (2021 est.)

total

2.992 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line is 18 per 100 and subscribership of mobile-cellular telephone is 138 per 100 (2021)

general assessment

Panama has seen a steady increase in revenue from the telecom sector in recent years; mobile services and broadband remain the key growth sectors, with mobile connections accounting for 90% of all connections, and over half of telecom sector revenue; the mobile market has effective competition; internet services have grown in recent years as consumers responded to government fixed-line projects, improved mobile broadband connectivity and mobile applications (2021)

international

country code - 507; landing points for the PAN-AM, ARCOS, SAC, AURORA, PCCS, PAC, and the MAYA-1 submarine cable systems that together provide links to the US and parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

18 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

790,486 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

138 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

6,003,255 (2021 est.)

Airports

117 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

57

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

60

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HP

Heliports

3 (2021)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 2,690, container ship 662, general cargo 1,418, oil tanker 785, other 2,470

total

8,025 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

47.63 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

12,939,350 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

122

number of registered air carriers

4 (2020)

Pipelines

128 km oil (2013)

Ports and terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Balboa (3,561,432), Colon (4,915,975) (2021)

major seaport(s)

Balboa, Colon, Cristobal

Railways

standard gauge

77 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

total

77 km (2014)

Waterways

800 km (2011) (includes the 82-km Panama Canal that is being widened)

Military - note

the Panama National Police is principally responsible for internal law enforcement and public order, while the National Border Service handles border security; the Aeronaval Service is responsible for carrying out naval and air operations that include some internal security responsibilities; key areas of focus are countering narcotics trafficking and securing the border, particularly along the southern border with Colombia where the National Border Service (SENAFRONT) maintains a significant presencePanama 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 (2023)

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; the paramilitary Panamanian Public Forces are under the Ministry of Public Security and include the Panama National Police (La Policía Nacional de Panamá, PNP), National Aeronaval Service (Servicio Nacional Aeronaval, SENAN), and National Border Service (Servicio Nacional de Fronteras, SENAFRONT) (2023)

note

note: the PNP includes a special forces directorate with counterterrorism and counternarcotics units; SENAFRONT has three regionally based border security brigades, plus a specialized brigade comprised of special forces, counternarcotics, maritime, and rapid reaction units

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 27,000 Ministry of Public Security personnel (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

Panama's security forces are lightly armed; Canada, Italy and the US have provided equipment to the security forces in recent years (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

1.1% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.2% of GDP (2019)

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.)

Disputes - international

Panama-Colombia: organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within the remote border region with Panama Panama-Costa Rica: none identified

Illicit drugs

not a major consumer or producer of illicit drugs; a prime sea and land passage for drugs, primarily cocaine, from South America to North America and Europe;   drug traffickers also use millions of shipping containers to smuggle drugs to North America and Europe through the Panama

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

147,424 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum or have received alternative legal stay) (2023)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

10.71 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

5.97 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

11.78 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources

Environment - international 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

Land use

agricultural land

30.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 7.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 2.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 20.7% (2018 est.)

forest

43.6% (2018 est.)

other

25.9% (2018 est.)

Major lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s)

Laguna de Chiriqui - 900 sq km

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.08% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

139.3 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

450 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

760 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

69.5% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

1,472,262 tons (2015 est.)