Panama

Presidential RepublicPop4.5MGDP (PPP)$164.5BCI54Beta CP0.0→Beta

Panama

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Overview

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.

Geography

Area

Land: 74,340 sq km
Water: 1,080 sq km
Total: 75,420 sq km

Climate: tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)
Terrain: interior mostly steep, rugged mountains with dissected, upland plains; coastal plains with rolling hills

Land Use

Other: 8.2% (2023 est.)
Forest: 62.3% (2023 est.)
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.)

Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
Coastline: 2,490 km

Elevation

Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Volcan Baru 3,475 m
Mean elevation: 360 m

Irrigated land: 394 sq km (2022)
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Land Boundaries

Total: 687 km
Border countries: Colombia 339 km; Costa Rica 348 km

Maritime Claims

Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin

Natural hazards: occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area
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 
Natural resources: copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower
Area comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina
Geographic coordinates: 9 00 N, 80 00 W
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

Major Lakes (Area Sq Km)

Salt water lake(s): Laguna de Chiriqui - 900 sq km

People & Society

Literacy

Male: 97.3% (2024 est.)
Female: 95.9% (2024 est.)
Total population: 96.3% (2024 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.

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

Sex Ratio

At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0 14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15 64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female

Birth rate: 17.11 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 5.48 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median Age

Male: 31 years
Total: 31.7 years (2025 est.)
Female: 31.9 years

Population

Male: 2,284,105
Total: 4,536,008 (2025 est.)
Female: 2,251,903

Nationality

Noun: Panamanian(s)
Adjective: Panamanian

Tobacco Use

Male: 7.4% (2025 est.)
Total: 4.5% (2025 est.)
Female: 1.7% (2025 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 69.5% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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)

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.)

Dependency Ratios

Total dependency ratio: 54.4 (2025 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 38.4 (2025 est.)
Potential support ratio: 6.3 (2025 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 16 (2025 est.)

Physician density: 1.63 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

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.)

Net migration rate: 2.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density: 1.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.33 children born/woman (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.)

Infant Mortality Rate

Male: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 13.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Female: 12.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Population growth rate: 1.44% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.13 (2025 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

Life Expectancy at Birth

Male: 76.4 years
Female: 82.2 years
Total population: 79.2 years (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 37 deaths/100,000 live births (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.)

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita

Beer: 5.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total: 6.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 1.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Major urban areas population: 1.977 million PANAMA CITY (capital) (2023)
Obesity adult prevalence rate: 22.7% (2016)
Currently married women (ages 15 49): 53.2% (2023 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.9% (2019 est.)

School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)

Male: 12 years (2016 est.)
Total: 13 years (2016 est.)
Female: 14 years (2016 est.)

Government

Civica · structure

How power is organised

ExecutiveLegislative

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

Capital

Name: Panama City
Etymology: origin is unclear; may come from a Guaraní word meaning "place of many fish"
Time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Geographic coordinates: 8 58 N, 79 32 W

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

Citizenship BY birth: yes
Citizenship BY descent only: yes
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution

History: several previous; latest effective 11 October 1972
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

Country Name

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
Conventional long form: Republic of Panama
Conventional short form: Panama

Independence: 3 November 1903 (from Colombia); 28 November 1821 (from Spain)
Legal system: civil law system; Supreme Court of Justice reviews legislative acts
Government type: presidential republic

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)
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
Judge selection and term of office: magistrates appointed by the president for staggered 10-year terms

Executive Branch

Note: note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
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%
Head of government: President José Raúl MULINO Quintero (since 1 July 2024)
Most recent election date: 5 May 2024
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

National holiday: Independence Day (Separation Day), 3 November (1903)
National color(s): blue, white, red

National Heritage

Total world heritage sites: 6 (3 cultural, 3 natural)
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)

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

Legislative Branch

Term in office: 5 years
Number of seats: 71 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: mixed system
Legislature name: National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional)
Scope of elections: full renewal
Legislative structure: unicameral
Most recent election date: 5/5/2024
Expected date of next election: May 2029
Percentage of women in chamber: 21.7%
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)

National Anthem(s)

Title: "Himno Istmeno" (Isthmus Hymn)
History: adopted 1925
Lyrics/music: Jeronimo DE LA OSSA/Santos A. JORGE

National symbol(s): harpy eagle
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

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Fax: [1] (202) 483-8413
Chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
Telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407
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/

Diplomatic Representation from the US

Fax: [507] 317-5568
Embassy: Building 783, Demetrio Basilio Lakas Avenue, Clayton
Telephone: [507] 317-5000
Mailing address: 9100 Panama City PL, Washington, DC 20521-9100
Chief of mission: Ambassador Kevin Marino CABRERA (since 5 May 2025)
Email address and website: Panama-ACS@state.gov

https://pa.usembassy.gov/

International organisations: 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
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Legislature

PANAMA · LEGISLATURE

National Assembly

71 seats · hover a seat for the party

Total seats

Majority line

Largest party

Independents

Parties

All political parties9 parties · 71 seats · click to dim in hemicycle

Leaders

Current

JM
José Raúl Mulino
- Head of StateSince 2024
- Head of GovernmentSince 2024

Economy

Budget

Note: note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Revenues: $7.57 billion (2021 est.)
Expenditures: $12.046 billion (2021 est.)

Exports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $38.4B

Note: note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports 2022: $35.717 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023: $37.905 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024: $37.376 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

Civica canonical (reconciled): $34.0B

Note: note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports 2022: $32.646 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023: $35.927 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024: $30.887 billion (2024 est.)

Industries: construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling
Labor force: 2.206 million (2024 est.)

Public Debt

Civica canonical (reconciled): 37.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2016: 37.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Remittances

Note: note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2022: 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023: 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024: 0.6% of GDP (2024 est.)

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.)

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

Unemployment Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): 8.4%

Note: note: % of labor force seeking employment
Unemployment rate 2022: 8.1% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 6.6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024: 6.6% (2024 est.)

Exports partners: China 25%, Japan 10%, USA 6%, Thailand 5%, Costa Rica 5% (2023)
Imports partners: USA 15%, Colombia 13%, China 13%, Ecuador 13%, Japan 11% (2023)

Real GDP Per Capita

Civica canonical (reconciled): $41,369

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
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.)

Real GDP Growth Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled): 2.7%

Note: note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
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.)

Agricultural products: sugarcane, rice, bananas, oranges, oil palm fruit, chicken, plantains, maize, milk, pineapples (2023)
Exports commodities: copper ore, ships, refined petroleum, bananas, fish (2023)
Imports commodities: crude petroleum, ships, refined petroleum, nitrogen compounds, cars (2023)

Current Account Balance

Civica canonical (reconciled): $1.7B

Note: note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
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.)

Taxes and other revenues: 7.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $86.26 billion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY End Use

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Household consumption: 46.7% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 12.2% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 5.4% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 32.3% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 46.5% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -43.1% (2023 est.)

Population below poverty line: 21.8% (2021 est.)

Average Household Expenditures

On food: 15.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
On alcohol and tobacco: 1.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)

Civica canonical (reconciled): 0.7%

Note: note: annual % change based on 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.)

Industrial production growth rate: -2.6% (2024 est.)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Civica canonical (reconciled): $164.484 billion (2024 est.)

Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
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.)

Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)

Male: 13.4% (2024 est.)
Note: note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Total: 16.8% (2024 est.)
Female: 22.1% (2024 est.)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold

Note: note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
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.)

GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin

Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Industry: 26.3% (2024 est.)
Services: 68.8% (2024 est.)
Agriculture: 2.6% (2024 est.)

Note: note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Lowest 10%: 1.2% (2023 est.)
Highest 10%: 36.9% (2023 est.)

Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income

Note: note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2023: 48.9 (2023 est.)

Energy

Coal

Imports: 863,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 863,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

Refined petroleum consumption: 131,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Electricity

Exports: 404.9 million kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 234 million kWh (2023 est.)
Consumption: 11.777 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 4.485 million kW (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 924.16 million kWh (2023 est.)

Natural Gas

Imports: 564.786 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 564.786 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification rural areas: 100%
Electrification urban areas: 99%
Electrification total population: 95% (2022 est.)

Energy Consumption Per Capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 78.01 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Electricity Generation Sources

Wind: 6.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Solar: 6.8% 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.)
Biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Communications

Internet Users

Percent of population: 78% (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

Telephones Fixed Lines

Total subscriptions: 811,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2023 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Total subscriptions: 6.98 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 157 (2023 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Total: 809,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2023 est.)

Transport

Ports

Large: 0
Small: 3
Medium: 3
Key ports: Bahia de las Minas, Balboa, Pedregal, Puerto Armuelles, Puerto Colon, Puerto Cristobal
Very small: 5
Total ports: 12 (2024)
Size unknown: 1
Ports with oil terminals: 5

Airports: 77 (2025)

Railways

Total: 77 km (2014)
Standard gauge: 77 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Heliports: 1 (2025)

Merchant Marine

Total: 8,174 (2023)
BY type: bulk carrier 2732, container ship 671, general cargo 1,428, oil tanker 866, other 2,477

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: HP

Environment

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

Land Use

Other: 8.2% (2023 est.)
Forest: 62.3% (2023 est.)
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.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 69.5% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 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.)

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

Total Water Withdrawal

Municipal: 759.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Industrial: 6.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Agricultural: 446.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Total emissions: 23.458 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 1.101 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 1.969 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 20.389 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions: 11.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 139.304 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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

Military & Security

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 Expenditures

Civica canonical (reconciled): 1.1% of GDP (2024 est.)

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.)

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)

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s): Tren de Aragua (TdA)

Transnational Issues

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.)

Scores & Rankings

ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of

Civica Index54.0 / 100as of 2024-Q479 / 1902024-Q4

V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.58as of 2024-Q446 / 1702024-Q4

Freedom House StatusPartly Free (83/100)as of 2024-Q4—2024-Q4

Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (50/100)as of 2024—2024

Cite this page

Cite this pageAPA · BibTeX · Chicago · JSON

Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Panama — vintage 2026-Q1: Panama factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/panama

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Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata

Panama

Area

Land Use

Elevation

Land Boundaries

Maritime Claims

Major Lakes (Area Sq Km)

Literacy

Languages

Sex Ratio

Median Age

Population

Nationality

Tobacco Use

Urbanization

Age Structure

Dependency Ratios

Health Expenditure

Drinking Water Source

Education Expenditure

Infant Mortality Rate

Life Expectancy at Birth

Sanitation Facility Access

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita

School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)

How power is organised

Capital

Citizenship

Constitution

Country Name

Judicial Branch

Executive Branch

National Heritage

Legislative Branch

National Anthem(s)

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Diplomatic Representation from the US

National Assembly

Current

José Raúl Mulino

Budget

Exports

Imports

Public Debt

Remittances

Exchange Rates

Unemployment Rate

Real GDP Per Capita

Real GDP Growth Rate

Current Account Balance

GDP Composition, BY End Use

Average Household Expenditures

Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold

GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin

Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share

Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income

Coal

Petroleum

Electricity

Natural Gas

Electricity Access

Energy Consumption Per Capita

Electricity Generation Sources

Internet Users

Telephones Fixed Lines

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Ports

Railways

Merchant Marine

Land Use

Urbanization

Waste and Recycling

Total Water Withdrawal

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

International Environmental Agreements

Military Expenditures