Factbook dossier
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.
Location
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
Area
total : 75,420 sq km land: 74,340 sq km water: 1,080 sq km
Natural resources
copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower
Natural hazards
occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area
Population
total: 4,536,008 (2025 est.) male: 2,284,105 female: 2,251,903
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.)
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 informaci n b sica. (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.)
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
Government type
presidential republic
Capital
name: Panama City geographic coordinates: 8 58 N, 79 32 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: origin is unclear; may come from a Guaran word meaning "place of many fish"
Executive branch
chief of state: President Jos Ra l MULINO Quintero (since 1 July 2024) head of government: President Jos Ra l MULINO Quintero (since 1 July 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president 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) most recent election date: 5 May 2024 election results: 2024: Jos Ra l MULINO Quintero elected president; percent of vote - Jos Ra l MULINO Quintero (RM) 34.2%, Ricardo Alberto LOMBANA Gonz lez (MOCA) 24.6%, Mart n Erasto TORRIJOS Espino (PP) 16%, Alberto ROUX Moses (CD) 11.4%, Zulay RODR GUEZ Lu (independent) 6.6%, Jos Gabriel CARRIZO Ja n (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 (Paname ista Party) 10.8%, Ana Matilde GOMEZ Ruiloba (independent) 4.8%, other 1.3% expected date of next election: May 2029 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
Legislative branch
legislature name: National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 71 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 5/5/2024 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% expected date of next election: May 2029
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$164.484 billion (2024 est.) $159.908 billion (2023 est.) $148.891 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita
$36,400 (2024 est.) $35,900 (2023 est.) $33,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
0.7% (2024 est.) 1.5% (2023 est.) 2.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Exports - partners
China 25%, Japan 10%, USA 6%, Thailand 5%, Costa Rica 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Imports - partners
USA 15%, Colombia 13%, China 13%, Ecuador 13%, Japan 11% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Military and security forces
no regular military forces Ministry of Public Security: National Police (Polic a Nacional, PN), National Aeronaval Service (Servicio Nacional Aeronaval, SENAN), National Border Service (Servicio Nacional de Fronteras, SENAFRONT) (2025) note 1: collectively, the security forces are known as the Panamanian Public Forces note 2: the PNP includes a special forces directorate with counterterrorism and counternarcotics units; SENAFRONT has four regionally based border security brigades, plus a specialized brigade comprised of special forces, counternarcotics, maritime, and rapid reaction units
Military expenditures
1.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2020 est.)