CapitalPanama City
Population4,536,008
Area75,420 km²
GDP per capita$36,400
LanguagesSpanish , Indigenous languages , Buglere, Kuna, Embera, Wounaan, Naso , and Bri Bri), Panamanian English Creole , English, Chinese , Arabic, French Creole, other
Currencybalboas
Life Expectancy79.2 yr
Governmentpresidential republic
Introduction
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.
Geography
Area
land
74,340 sq km
water
1,080 sq km
total
75,420 sq km
Climate
characterized by a tropical maritime climate; experiences high temperatures, humidity, and cloud cover; features an extended rainy season from May to January, followed by a brief dry season from January to May
Terrain
the landscape consists predominantly of steep, rugged mountains interspersed with dissected upland plains; coastal regions are marked by 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
located in Central America, bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the east and the North Pacific Ocean to the west, positioned 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
the Darien region occasionally faces severe storms and wildfires
Geography - note
holds a strategically significant position at the eastern end of the isthmus, creating a land bridge that connects North and South America; the Panama Canal, which it controls, links the North Atlantic Ocean with the North Pacific Ocean via the Caribbean Sea
Natural resources
natural resources include copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, and hydropower
Area - comparative
slightly smaller in area than South Carolina
Geographic coordinates
9 00 N, 80 00 W
Population distribution
the population is primarily concentrated in the central region of the country, especially near the Canal, with a significant number of residents also found in the western area around David; the eastern third of the nation is largely uninhabited
Major lakes (area sq km)
salt water lake(s)
Laguna de Chiriqui - 900 sq km
People & Society
Literacy
male
97.3% (2024 est.)
female
95.9% (2024 est.)
total population
96.3% (2024 est.)
Languages
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 información básica. (Spanish)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Evangelical 55%, Roman Catholic 33.4%, none 10.1%, unspecified 1.5% (2023 estimate)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.02 male(s)/female
total population
1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.87 male(s)/female
Birth rate
17.11 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
5.48 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
31 years
total
31.7 years (2025 est.)
female
31.9 years
Population
male
2,284,105
total
4,536,008 (2025 est.)
female
2,251,903
Nationality
noun
Panamanian(s)
adjective
Panamanian
Tobacco use
male
7.4% (2025 est.)
total
4.5% (2025 est.)
female
1.7% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
69.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
1.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
25% (male 574,336/female 544,180)
15-64 years
64.8% (male 1,465,907/female 1,433,023)
65 years and over
10.1% (2024 est.) (male 211,014/female 241,781)
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.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
54.4 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
38.4 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
6.3 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
16 (2025 est.)
Physician density
1.63 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
9.7% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
22.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
2.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
1.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.33 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 86.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 94.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 98.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 13.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 5.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 1.5% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
16.3% national budget (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
15.4 deaths/1,000 live births
total
13.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
12.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
1.44% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
1.13 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
the population is primarily located in the central region of the nation, especially near the Canal; however, a significant portion of the population resides in the far western area around David, while the eastern third of the country remains lightly populated.
Life expectancy at birth
male
76.4 years
female
82.2 years
total population
79.2 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
37 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 70.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 88% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 96.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 29.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 12% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 3.9% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
5.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
6.54 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.)
Major urban areas - population
1.977 million PANAMA CITY (capital) (2023)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
22.7% (2016)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
53.2% (2023 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
2.9% (2019 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
12 years (2016 est.)
total
13 years (2016 est.)
female
14 years (2016 est.)
Environment
Climate
characterized by a tropical maritime climate; features high temperatures, humidity, and cloud cover; experiences an extended rainy season from May until January, followed by a brief dry season from January to May
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.)
Urbanization
urban population
69.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
1.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
1.472 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
14.2% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
contamination of water sources due to agricultural runoff; loss of tropical rainforest through deforestation; degradation of land and soil erosion associated with the Panama Canal; air quality issues in metropolitan regions; impacts resulting from mining
Total water withdrawal
municipal
759.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial
6.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural
446.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
23.458 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas
1.101 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke
1.969 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
20.389 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
11.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
139.304 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International environmental agreements
party to
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified
Marine Life Conservation
Government
Flag
description: divided into four equal rectangles; the upper left quadrant is white featuring a central five-pointed blue star, while the upper right is a solid red; the lower left quadrant is a solid blue, and the lower right is white with a central five-pointed red star
meaning: blue and red symbolize the principal political parties, with white representing peace between them; the blue star signifies civic virtues of purity and honesty, whereas the red star represents authority and law
Capital
name
Panama City
etymology
the origin is uncertain; it may derive from a Guaraní term meaning "place of many fish"
time difference
UTC-5 (coincides with Washington, DC time during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
8 58 N, 79 32 W
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
yes
citizenship by descent only
yes
dual citizenship recognized
no
residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Constitution
history
several previous; latest effective 11 October 1972
amendment process
proposals can be made by the National Assembly, the Cabinet, or the Supreme Court of Justice; approval requires one of two processes: 1) an absolute majority vote of Assembly members in three readings, followed by an absolute majority vote from the next elected Assembly in a single reading without textual changes; 2) an absolute majority vote of Assembly members in three readings, followed by an absolute majority vote from the next elected Assembly in three readings with textual changes, and approval through a referendum
Country name
etymology
the origin is uncertain; it may derive from a Guarani term meaning "place of many fish"
local long form
República de Panama
local short form
Panama
conventional long form
Republic of Panama
conventional short form
Panama
Independence
3 November 1903 (from Colombia); 28 November 1821 (from Spain)
Legal system
civil law system; the Supreme Court of Justice reviews legislative acts
Government type
presidential republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
the Supreme Court of Justice, or Corte Suprema de Justicia, comprises 9 magistrates and 9 alternates, organized into civil, criminal, administrative, and general business chambers
subordinate courts
appellate courts or Tribunal Superior; Labor Supreme Courts; Court of Audit; circuit courts or Tribunal Circuital (two in each of 9 out of 10 provinces); municipal courts; electoral, family, maritime, and adolescent courts
judge selection and term of office
magistrates appointed by the president for staggered 10-year terms
Executive branch
cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the president
chief of state
President José Raúl MULINO Quintero (in office since 1 July 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%
head of government
President José Raúl MULINO Quintero (in office since 1 July 2024)
most recent election date
5 May 2024
election/appointment process
the president and vice president are directly elected on the same ballot through a simple-majority popular vote for a five-year term; the president is eligible for one non-consecutive term
expected date of next election
May 2029
National holiday
Independence Day (Separation Day), 3 November (1903)
National color(s)
blue, white, red
National heritage
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)
Political parties
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
Legislative branch
term in office
5 years
number of seats
71 (all directly elected)
electoral system
mixed system
legislature name
National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
5/5/2024
expected date of next election
May 2029
percentage of women in chamber
21.7%
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)
National anthem(s)
title
"Himno Istmeno" (Isthmus Hymn)
history
adopted 1925
lyrics/music
Jeronimo DE LA OSSA/Santos A. JORGE
National symbol(s)
harpy eagle
Administrative divisions
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
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 483-8413
chancery
2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 483-1407
chief of mission
Ambassador José Miguel ALEMÁN HEALY (in office since 18 September 2024)
consulate(s) general
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa
email address and website
[email protected]
https://www.embassyofpanama.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[507] 317-5568
embassy
Building 783, Demetrio Basilio Lakas Avenue, Clayton
telephone
[507] 317-5000
mailing address
9100 Panama City PL, Washington, DC 20521-9100
chief of mission
Ambassador Kevin Marino CABRERA (since 5 May 2025)
email address and website
[email protected]
https://pa.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ACS, BCIE, CAN (observer), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA, UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Economy
Budget
revenues
$7.57 billion (2021 est.)
expenditures
$12.046 billion (2021 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022
$35.717 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$37.905 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$37.376 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
Imports 2022
$32.646 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$35.927 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$30.887 billion (2024 est.)
Industries
construction, brewing, cement and various construction materials, sugar milling
Labor force
2.206 million (2024 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2016
37.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022
0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024
0.6% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
balboas (PAB) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
1 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
1 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
1 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
1 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
1 (2024 est.)
Economic overview
an upper middle-income economy in Central America; growing trade with China; use of the US dollar; canal expansion promoting wider infrastructure investments; services sector predominates the economy; historically a hub for money laundering and illegal drug activities
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022
8.1% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
6.6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
6.6% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
China 25%, Japan 10%, USA 6%, Thailand 5%, Costa Rica 5% (2023)
Imports - partners
USA 15%, Colombia 13%, China 13%, Ecuador 13%, Japan 11% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022
$33,800 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$35,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$36,400 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2022
10.8% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
7.4% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
2.9% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
sugarcane, rice, bananas, oranges, oil palm fruit, chicken, plantains, maize, milk, pineapples (2023)
Exports - commodities
copper ore, ships, refined petroleum, bananas, fish (2023)
Imports - commodities
crude petroleum, ships, refined petroleum, nitrogen compounds, cars (2023)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022
$28.769 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
-$2.581 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024
$1.672 billion (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
7.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$86.26 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
46.7% (2023 est.)
government consumption
12.2% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories
5.4% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital
32.3% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services
46.5% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services
-43.1% (2023 est.)
Population below poverty line
21.8% (2021 est.)
Average household expenditures
on food
15.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco
1.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
2.9% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
1.5% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
0.7% (2024 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
-2.6% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$148.891 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$159.908 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$164.484 billion (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
13.4% (2024 est.)
total
16.8% (2024 est.)
female
22.1% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$6.876 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$6.757 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$6.856 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
26.3% (2024 est.)
services
68.8% (2024 est.)
agriculture
2.6% (2024 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
1.2% (2023 est.)
highest 10%
36.9% (2023 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023
48.9 (2023 est.)
Energy
Coal
imports
863,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption
863,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption
131,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
exports
404.9 million kWh (2023 est.)
imports
234 million kWh (2023 est.)
consumption
11.777 billion kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
4.485 million kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
924.16 million kWh (2023 est.)
Natural gas
imports
564.786 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption
564.786 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - rural areas
100%
electrification - urban areas
99%
electrification - total population
95% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
78.01 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
wind
6.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar
6.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
38.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity
47.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste
0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
78% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
numerous privately held television networks along with a state-operated educational television channel; subscription-based multi-channel cable and satellite television services are accessible; over 100 commercial radio stations as of 2019.
Internet country code
.pa
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
811,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
18 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
6.98 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
157 (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
809,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
18 (2023 est.)
Transportation
Ports
large
0
small
3
medium
3
key ports
Bahía de las Minas, Balboa, Pedregal, Puerto Armuelles, Puerto Colón, Puerto Cristóbal
very small
5
total ports
12 (2024)
size unknown
1
ports with oil terminals
5
Airports
77 (2025)
Railways
total
77 km (2014)
standard gauge
77 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
Heliports
1 (2025)
Merchant marine
total
8,174 (2023)
by type
bulk carrier 2,732, container ship 671, general cargo 1,428, oil tanker 866, other 2,477
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
HP
Military & Security
Military - note
The Panamanian Public Forces are dedicated to law enforcement, border management, and maritime safety; the National Police oversee internal law enforcement and the maintenance of public order, whereas the National Border Service (SENAFRONT) is tasked with border security. The Aeronaval Service conducts both aerial and naval operations, which encompass certain internal security duties. Major priorities include combating drug trafficking and securing the border, especially along the boundary with Colombia, where SENAFRONT has a notable presence.
In the 1950s, Panama established a paramilitary force known as the National Guard (Guardia Nacional de Panamá), originating from the earlier National Police (founded in 1904). Over time, the National Guard transformed into a military entity with some policing duties; it took control of the government in a 1968 coup, with military personnel governing until 1989. In 1983, the National Guard was rebranded as the Panama Defense Force (PDF). Following the US invasion in 1989, the PDF was disbanded, leading to the formation of current national police forces in 1990. The armed forces were formally abolished under the 1994 Constitution (2025).
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2020
1.4% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021
1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022
1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023
1.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2024
1.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military and security forces
no standing military forces
Ministry of Public Security: National Police (Policía Nacional, PN), National Aeronaval Service (Servicio Nacional Aeronaval, SENAN), National Border Service (Servicio Nacional de Fronteras, SENAFRONT) (2025)
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 30,000 personnel within the Ministry of Public Security (2025)
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Tren de Aragua (TdA)
Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs
USG identification
major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025)
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees
10,801 (2024 est.)
stateless persons
928 (2024 est.)
