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Panama

North America · 4.4 million

About Panama

Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a sovereign country located in North America, specifically within the Central America subregion. Its capital and largest urban centre is Panama City, and the country is home to approximately 4.1 million people. In its native language, the country is known as “Panamá”. Spanish serves as the primary official language, shaping daily communication, education, government, and media throughout Panama. The official currency in circulation is the Panamanian balboa (B/.), used for all domestic transactions and price-tagged goods. Panama is widely recognised for an inter-oceanic canal, woven straw hats and rainforest biodiversity. People from Panama are referred to as Panamanian.

Geography & climate

Panama covers approximately 75,417 km² of territory, making it a relatively compact country by land area. It shares land borders with 2 neighbouring countries — a position that has historically influenced migration patterns, regional politics, and cross-border commerce. Geographically, Panama sits in the Northern and Western Hemisphere, at roughly 9.0° N, 80.0° W. Standard civil time follows UTC-05:00 year-round, simplifying scheduling for residents and visitors alike. The prevailing climate of Panama can be summarised as: tropical isthmus with hot & humid. Local weather patterns naturally vary by altitude, latitude, and proximity to oceans or mountain ranges.

People, language & society

With roughly 4.1 million inhabitants, Panama is a modestly populated country. The principal spoken language is Spanish, which dominates public life, schooling, signage, and the workplace. Locals refer to their homeland as “Panamá”, a name with linguistic and historical roots that long predate modern borders. Citizens are formally known in English as Panamanian, a demonym that appears in passports, official documents, and international reporting. Economically, the Panamanian balboa (B/.) and the United States dollar ($) is the medium of exchange used by households and businesses, with exchange rates monitored by the country's central monetary authority.

Quick facts at a glance

Practical travel & daily-life info

Visitors planning a trip to Panama should familiarise themselves with the capital, Panama City, the local time zone (UTC-05:00), the local currency (Panamanian balboa / United States dollar). The international dialling prefix is +507, which is required when phoning a Panama number from abroad. Vehicles drive on the right side of the road, an important detail for anyone renting a car or crossing a land border by vehicle. The country's top-level internet domain is .pa, used by local businesses, government sites, and many news organisations. The working week traditionally starts on Monday, which affects business hours, banking, and public holidays.

Government & global standing

Panama is recognised internationally as a sovereign, independent state. It is a member state of the United Nations, participating in the General Assembly and various specialised UN agencies. On the global stage, Panama is generally classified within the North America region and more specifically the Central America subregion, alongside neighbouring states with shared geographic, historical, or economic ties.

Bordering countries

Panama shares land borders with 2 countries. Click any neighbour to read about it:

Did you know?

The Panama Canal handles about 5% of all global trade — and Panama is one of the only places on Earth where you can watch the sun rise over the Pacific Ocean and set over the Atlantic on the same day.

Panama in the GlobeIQ atlas

Inside the GlobeIQ game, Panama appears as a moderately challenging puzzle, suited to players who already know the major continents. When the daily puzzle selects this country, players progressively unlock six hints — silhouette, climate and terrain, number of land borders, region, "known for" tagline, and finally the capital city — before a flag reveal confirms the answer. On its trophy card, Panama carries the personality tags “🚢 Ocean-Connecting Canal” and “🌴 Isthmus Bridge”, short flavour labels chosen to evoke the country's most recognisable cultural signatures. Adding Panama to your personal atlas is one of 195 small wins on the road to a complete world map. Each correctly guessed nation also contributes to your running streak and unlocks milestone celebrations at 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 collected countries.

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