World Factbook
Panama
República de Panama
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Area
land
74,340 sq km
water
1,080 sq km
total
75,420 sq km
Climate
tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)
Terrain
interior mostly steep, rugged mountains with dissected, upland plains; coastal plains with rolling hills
Land use
other
8.2% (2023 est.)
forest
62.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
29.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 7.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 1.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 20.3% (2023 est.)
Location
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
Coastline
2,490 km
Elevation
lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point
Volcan Baru 3,475 m
mean elevation
360 m
Irrigated land
394 sq km (2022)
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Land boundaries
total
687 km
border countries
Colombia 339 km; Costa Rica 348 km
Maritime claims
contiguous zone
24 nm
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm or edge of continental margin
Natural hazards
occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area
Geography - note
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
Natural resources
copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Geographic coordinates
9 00 N, 80 00 W
Population distribution
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
Major lakes (area sq km)
salt water lake(s)
Laguna de Chiriqui - 900 sq km