Panama

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

• 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

• 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

noun:

Panamanian(s)

adjective:

Panamanian

total:

31.7 years (2025 est.)

male:

31 years

female:

31.9 years

• 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

at birth:

1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.87 male(s)/female

total population:

1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

13.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

15.4 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

12.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

79.2 years (2024 est.)

male:

76.4 years

female:

82.2 years

total:

6.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

5.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.02 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.)

total:

4.5% (2025 est.)

male:

7.4% (2025 est.)

female:

1.7% (2025 est.)

• 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

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

urban population:

69.5% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

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

municipal solid waste generated annually:

1.472 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

14.2% (2022 est.)

municipal:

759.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

6.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

446.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

Republic of Panama

conventional short form:

Panama

local long form:

República de Panama

local short form:

Panama

etymology:

origin is unclear; may come from a Guarani word meaning "place of many fish"

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 Guaraní word meaning "place of many fish"

• 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

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

citizenship by birth:

yes

citizenship by descent only:

yes

dual citizenship recognized:

no

residency requirement for naturalization:

5 years

chief of state:

President José Raúl MULINO Quintero (since 1 July 2024)

head of government:

President José Raúl 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: 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%

expected date of next election:

May 2029

note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

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

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

• 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

chief of mission:

Ambassador José Miguel ALEMÁN HEALY (since 18 September 2024)

chancery:

2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 483-1407

FAX:

[1] (202) 483-8413

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://www.embassyofpanama.org/

consulate(s) general:

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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Kevin Marino CABRERA (since 5 May 2025)

embassy:

Building 783, Demetrio Basilio Lakas Avenue, Clayton

mailing address:

9100 Panama City PL, Washington, DC 20521-9100

telephone:

[507] 317-5000

FAX:

[507] 317-5568

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://pa.usembassy.gov/

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

title:

"Himno Istmeno" (Isthmus Hymn)

lyrics/music:

Jeronimo DE LA OSSA/Santos A. JORGE

history:

adopted 1925

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)

• 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

total:

16.8% (2024 est.)

male:

13.4% (2024 est.)

female:

22.1% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

on food:

15.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco:

1.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

lowest 10%:

1.2% (2023 est.)

highest 10%:

36.9% (2023 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

consumption:

863,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

863,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption:

564.786 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports:

564.786 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

• 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)

total:

77 km (2014)

standard gauge:

77 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

total ports:

12 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

3

small:

3

very small:

5

size unknown:

1

ports with oil terminals:

5

key ports:

Bahia de las Minas, Balboa, Pedregal, Puerto Armuelles, Puerto Colon, Puerto Cristobal

refugees:

10,801 (2024 est.)

stateless persons:

928 (2024 est.)