Capital

Panama

name: Panama City

geographic coordinates: 8 58 N, 79 32 W

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

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"

Citizenship

Panama

citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Legal system

Panama

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice

Suffrage

Panama

18 years of age; universal

Area

Panama

total: 75,420 sq km

land: 74,340 sq km

water: 1,080 sq km

Land use

Panama

agricultural land: 30.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 7.3% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2.5% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 20.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 43.6% (2018 est.)

other: 25.9% (2018 est.)

Location

Panama

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

Age structure

Panama

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)

Birth rate

Panama

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

Death rate

Panama

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

Languages

Panama

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

Panama

total population: 78.4 years (2023 est.)

male: 75.6 years

female: 81.5 years

Major urban areas - population

Panama

1.977 million PANAMA CITY (capital) (2023)

Median age

Panama

total: 31.2 years (2023 est.)

male: 30.8 years

female: 31.6 years

Net migration rate

Panama

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

Population distribution

Panama

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

Panama

1.51% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Panama

2.37 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Panama

urban population: 69.5% of total population (2023)

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

Education expenditures

Panama

3.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Panama

total: 13 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2016)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Panama

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

Industrial production growth rate

Panama

37.5% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Panama

1.966 million (2021 est.)

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

Population below poverty line

Panama

22.1% (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate

Panama

12.09% (2021 est.)

12.85% (2020 est.)

4.73% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Panama

37.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

37.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Panama

1.63% (2021 est.)

-1.55% (2020 est.)

-0.36% (2019 est.)

Exports

Panama

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

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

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

note: includes the Colon Free Zone

Exports - partners

Panama

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

Imports

Panama

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

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

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

note: includes the Colon Free Zone

Imports - partners

Panama

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

Airports

Panama

117 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Panama

total: 562,413 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Panama

total: 2.992 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 68% (2021 est.)

Railways

Panama

total: 77 km (2014)

standard gauge: 77 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Telephones - fixed lines

Panama

total subscriptions: 790,486 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Panama

total subscriptions: 6,003,255 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 138 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Panama

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

Disputes - international

Panama

Panama-Colombia: organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within the remote border region with Panama

Panama-Costa Rica: none identified