Panama
Americas Β· Capital: Panama City
How it is run: Panama is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Panama is home to 4.6 million people in Central America, where people speak Spanish.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
4.6 million people
That is about 564 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
75,417 kmΒ²
Roughly the size of Italy or the state of Arizona.
ποΈ How crowded
About 61 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
21st most people in Americas
22nd largest by land in Americas.
π£οΈ Official languages
Spanish
π° Money
Panamanian balboa (B/.), United States dollar ($)
More than one currency is used here.
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
79.8 years on average
One of the healthier countries β good hospitals and clean water make a big difference.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$19,790
An upper-middle-income country: growing cities, and more families joining the middle class.
π’ Living in cities
66.2% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
24.5% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+507
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.pa
π§ People here are called
Panamanian
π·οΈ Name at home
PanamΓ‘
Also written: Republic of Panama, RepΓΊblica de PanamΓ‘.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Latin American and Caribbean Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Panama touches 2 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
PanamΓ‘
French
Panama
Arabic
Ψ¨ΩΩ Ψ§
Chinese
ε·΄ζΏι©¬
Japanese
γγγ
Russian
ΠΠ°Π½Π°ΠΌΠ°
Portuguese
PanamΓ‘
German
Panama
Put it in perspective π
- United States β the most populated country in Americas β has about 74.8Γ as many people as Panama.
- Panama covers roughly 718 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Panama lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 2,286 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Panama sits in Central America, in the northern and western half of the globe.
π·οΈ Official name
Republic of Panama
ποΈ Capital
Panama City
π Region
Americas Β· Central America
π€ Country code
PA
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Panama π
π§ Where on the map
9.0Β° N, 80.0Β° W
π Half of the world
Northern & Western hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC-5 β when it is noon in London it is about 07:00 in Panama City.
- π΅π¦ is the flag of Panama. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is PA.
- Panama is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- Panama is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Panama lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
- Panama sits in Central America, in the northern and western half of the globe.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Panama has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Panama can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Panama spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Panama?
Panama City
Which money do people spend in Panama?
Panamanian balboa (B/.), United States dollar ($)
How many countries share a land border with Panama?
2 β Colombia, Costa Rica.
Roughly how many people live in Panama?
4.6 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.