Name
The origin of Panama's name is unclear, but it may come from a Guarani word meaning "place of many fish".
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Country
Panama
8.72° N, 80.35° W
2,490 km of coast against 687 km of land border — this country faces the sea far more than it faces its neighbors.
coastline 2,490 km · 48th/229 · land borders 687 km · 132nd/230
CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value
- Population
- 4,246,439
- Natural Earth population estimate.
- Area
- 75,420 km²
- Official total area (land + water) from the CIA World Factbook. Computed from the Natural Earth boundary: ≈ 73,935 km².
- Population density
- ≈ 57 / km²
- Population divided by the computed boundary area.
- ISO codes
- PA · PAN
- GDP (nominal)
- $86.26 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $36,400
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Panama 75,420 km²Bosnia and Herzegovina 51,197 km²
geometry: Natural Earth 1:50m · EPSG:6933 equal-area
Where Panama sits in the world
Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.
- Median age31.7 years122nd of 224 · median 32.6 years
- Life expectancy79.2 years65th of 224 · median 76.2 years
- Fertility rate2.33 children per woman73rd of 225 · median 1.92 children per woman
- Population4,246,439130th of 235 · median 5,454,073
- Total area75,420 km²118th of 228 · median 83,736 km²
- Coastline2,490 km48th of 229 · median 402 km
Overview
Background
Spanish exploration and settlement began in the 16th century, and Panama broke with Spain in 1821. It then joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela called the Republic of Gran Colombia, but remained part of Colombia after that union dissolved in 1830.
With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and signed a treaty allowing the US to build a canal and hold sovereignty over the Panama Canal Zone, a strip on either side of it. The US Army Corps of Engineers built the Panama Canal between 1904 and 1914. An agreement signed in 1977 provided for complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century, with portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility transferred in subsequent decades. With US help, Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega was deposed in 1989, and the entire Canal, its supporting area, and remaining US military bases transferred to Panama by the end of 1999. An expansion project carried out between 2007 and 2016 increased Canal capacity by allowing more transits and larger ships.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Geography
At the eastern end of the isthmus forming a land bridge that connects North and South America, Panama controls the Panama Canal. Between Colombia and Costa Rica, Panama borders the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean.
Its interior consists mostly of steep, rugged mountains with dissected, upland plains. The coastal plains have rolling hills. Copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, and hydropower are Panama's natural resources. The canal links the North Atlantic Ocean with the North Pacific Ocean via the Caribbean Sea. Volcan Baru is Panama's highest point. The Pacific Ocean is Panama's lowest point.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
People and society
People cluster toward the country's center, particularly around the Canal, while a sizeable segment lives in the far west around David. The east is sparsely inhabited. Mestizo people, mixed Indigenous and White, live alongside Indigenous peoples including Ngabe, Kuna, Embera, and Bugle. Black or African descent, Mulatto, and White people are also present.
Spanish is official, alongside Indigenous languages including Ngabere (Guaymi), Buglere, Kuna, Embera, Wounaan, Naso (Teribe), and Bri Bri. Panamanian English Creole mixes English and Spanish with elements of Ngabere; it is also known as Guari Guari and Colon Creole. English, Chinese (Yue and Hakka), Arabic, French Creole, Yiddish, Hebrew, Korean, and Japanese are also spoken. Evangelical and Roman Catholic affiliations coexist with people reporting none.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Flag and symbols
Divided into four equal rectangles, the flag has a white upper-left quadrant with a centered five-pointed blue star, beside a plain red quadrant; below them are a plain blue left quadrant and a white quadrant with a centered five-pointed red star. Blue and red stand for the main political parties, white for peace between them, the blue star for purity and honesty, and the red star for authority and law. The harpy eagle is a national symbol.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Key figures
CIA World Factbook
Economy
- GDP (nominal)
- $86.26 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP (PPP)
- $164.48 billion
- Field “Economy → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $36,400
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP growth
- +2.9%
- Field “Economy → Real GDP growth rate → Real GDP growth rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Inflation (consumer prices)
- 0.7%
- Field “Economy → Inflation rate (consumer prices) → Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Unemployment
- 6.6%
- Field “Economy → Unemployment rate → Unemployment rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Exports
- $37.38 billion
- Field “Economy → Exports → Exports 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Imports
- $30.89 billion
- Field “Economy → Imports → Imports 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
People
- Life expectancy
- 79.2 years
- Field “People and Society → Life expectancy at birth → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Median age
- 31.7 years
- Field “People and Society → Median age → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Birth rate
- 17.11 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Birth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Death rate
- 5.48 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Death rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Fertility rate
- 2.33 children per woman
- Field “People and Society → Total fertility rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Population growth
- +1.44% a year
- Field “People and Society → Population growth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Urban population
- 69.5%
- Field “People and Society → Urbanization → urban population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Literacy
- 96.3%
- Field “People and Society → Literacy → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Languages
- Spanishofficial
- Indigenous languages , Buglere, Kuna, Embera, Wounaan, Naso , and Bri Bri)
- Panamanian English Creole
- English
- Chinese
- Arabic
- French Creole
- others
- Field “People and Society → Languages → Languages” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Religions
- Evangelical55%
- Roman Catholic33.4%
- other1.5%
- Field “People and Society → Religions” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Land
- Total area
- 75,420 km²Land 74,340 km² · Water 1,080 km²
- Field “Geography → Area → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Coastline
- 2,490 km
- Field “Geography → Coastline” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Land borders
- 687 km
- Field “Geography → Land boundaries → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Mean elevation
- 360 m
- Field “Geography → Elevation → mean elevation” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Highest point
- 3,475 m Volcan Baru
- Field “Geography → Elevation → highest point” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Values from the CIA World Factbook archive. Each carries the year it describes; open a year for the exact source field.
Connections
Natural geography 5
Natural Earth outlines · features with a Wikidata ID
Oceans 1
Seas 1
Gulfs 1
Islands 1
Peninsulas 1
Largest cities 4
Population · Natural Earth
- Panama Citycapital1.3M
- Colon204K
- David110K
- Balboa62.9K