THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

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.

Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
Geographic coordinates: 9 00 N, 80 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 75,420 sq km
land: 74,340 sq km
water: 1,080 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries: total: 687 km
border countries: Colombia 339 km; Costa Rica 348 km
Coastline: 2,490 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin
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
Elevation: highest point: Volcan Baru 3,475 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 360 m
Natural resources: copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower
Land use: 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.)
forest: 62.3% (2023 est.)
other: 8.2% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 394 sq km (2022)
Major lakes (area sq km): salt water lake(s): Laguna de Chiriqui - 900 sq km
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
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

Population: total: 4,536,008 (2025 est.)
male: 2,284,105
female: 2,251,903
Nationality: noun: Panamanian(s)
adjective: Panamanian
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.)
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 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)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 54.4 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 38.4 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 16 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 6.3 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 31.7 years (2025 est.)
male: 31 years
female: 31.9 years
Population growth rate: 1.44% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 17.11 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 5.48 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
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
Urbanization: urban population: 69.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.977 million PANAMA CITY (capital) (2023)
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
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 37 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 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
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.2 years (2024 est.)
male: 76.4 years
female: 82.2 years
Total fertility rate: 2.33 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.13 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 98.5% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 86.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 94.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 1.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 13.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 5.3% of population (2022 est.)
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.)
Physician density: 1.63 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Hospital bed density: 1.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 96.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 70.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 88% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 3.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 29.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 12% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 22.7% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: 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.)
Tobacco use: total: 4.5% (2025 est.)
male: 7.4% (2025 est.)
female: 1.7% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.9% (2019 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 53.2% (2023 est.)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 16.3% national budget (2024 est.)
Literacy: total population: 96.3% (2024 est.)
male: 97.3% (2024 est.)
female: 95.9% (2024 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 13 years (2016 est.)
male: 12 years (2016 est.)
female: 14 years (2016 est.)

Environmental issues: 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
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
Climate: tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)
Land use: 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.)
forest: 62.3% (2023 est.)
other: 8.2% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 69.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 23.458 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.)
from consumed natural gas: 1.101 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 11.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 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.)
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.)
Total renewable water resources: 139.304 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: 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"
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: 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"
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
Legal system: civil law system; Supreme Court of Justice reviews legislative acts
Constitution: 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
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: 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
Legislative branch: 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
Judicial branch: 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
Political parties: Alliance Party or PAAlternative Independent Socialist Party or PAISAnother Way Movement or MOCADemocratic Change or CDDemocratic Revolutionary Party or PRDNationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENAPanameñista Party (formerly the Arnulfista Party)Popular Party or PP (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC)Realizing Goals Party or RM
Diplomatic representation in the US: 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: info@embassyofpanama.orghttps://www.embassyofpanama.org/
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa
Diplomatic representation from the US: 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: Panama-ACS@state.govhttps://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
Independence: 3 November 1903 (from Colombia); 28 November 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day (Separation Day), 3 November (1903)
Flag: 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 centermeaning: 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
National symbol(s): harpy eagle
National color(s): blue, white, red
National anthem(s): title: "Himno Istmeno" (Isthmus Hymn)
lyrics/music: Jeronimo DE LA OSSA/Santos A. JORGE
history: adopted 1925
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)

Economic overview: 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
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $164.484 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $159.908 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $148.891 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 2.9% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 7.4% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 10.8% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $36,400 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $35,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $33,800 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $86.26 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 0.7% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 1.5% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 2.9% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 2.6% (2024 est.)
industry: 26.3% (2024 est.)
services: 68.8% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 46.7% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 12.2% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 32.3% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 5.4% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 46.5% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -43.1% (2023 est.)
Agricultural products: sugarcane, rice, bananas, oranges, oil palm fruit, chicken, plantains, maize, milk, pineapples (2023)
Industries: construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling
Industrial production growth rate: -2.6% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 2.206 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 6.6% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 6.6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 8.1% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 16.8% (2024 est.)
male: 13.4% (2024 est.)
female: 22.1% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 21.8% (2021 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023: 48.9 (2023 est.)
Average household expenditures: on food: 15.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 1.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% (2023 est.)
highest 10%: 36.9% (2023 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2024: 0.6% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget: revenues: $7.57 billion (2021 est.)
expenditures: $12.046 billion (2021 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2016: 37.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 7.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: $1.672 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$2.581 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $28.769 million (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $37.376 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $37.905 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $35.717 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: China 25%, Japan 10%, USA 6%, Thailand 5%, Costa Rica 5% (2023)
Exports - commodities: copper ore, ships, refined petroleum, bananas, fish (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $30.887 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $35.927 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $32.646 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: USA 15%, Colombia 13%, China 13%, Ecuador 13%, Japan 11% (2023)
Imports - commodities: crude petroleum, ships, refined petroleum, nitrogen compounds, cars (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $6.856 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $6.757 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $6.876 billion (2022 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: balboas (PAB) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 1 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 1 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 1 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 1 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 1 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 95% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 99%
electrification - rural areas: 100%
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 4.485 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 11.777 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 404.9 million kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 234 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 924.16 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 38.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 6.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 6.9% 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.)
Coal: consumption: 863,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 863,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 131,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Natural gas: consumption: 564.786 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 564.786 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 78.01 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

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.)
Broadcast media: 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)
Internet country code: .pa
Internet users: percent of population: 78% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 809,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2023 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: HP
Airports: 77 (2025)
Heliports: 1 (2025)
Railways: total: 77 km (2014)
standard gauge: 77 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
Merchant marine: total: 8,174 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 2732, container ship 671, general cargo 1,428, oil tanker 866, other 2,477
Ports: 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

Military and security forces: no regular military forcesMinistry 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 expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 1.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 1.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1.4% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 30,000 Ministry of Public Security personnel (2025)
Military - note: the Panamanian Public Forces focus on law enforcement, border control, and maritime security; the National Police are responsible for internal law enforcement and public order, while the National Border Service (SENAFRONT) handles border security; the Aeronaval Service is responsible for carrying out air and naval operations that include some internal security responsibilities; key areas of focus are countering narcotics trafficking and securing the border, particularly along the frontier with Colombia where SENAFRONT maintains a significant presencePanama created a paramilitary National Guard (Guardia Nacional de Panamá) in the 1950s from the former National Police (established 1904); the National Guard subsequently evolved into more of a military force with some police responsibilities; it seized power in a coup in 1968 and military officers ran the country until 1989; in 1983, the National Guard was renamed the Panama Defense Force (PDF); the PDF was disbanded after the 1989 US invasion and the current national police forces were formed in 1990; the armed forces were officially abolished under the 1994 Constitution (2025)

Terrorist group(s): Tren de Aragua (TdA)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 10,801 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 928 (2024 est.)
Illicit drugs: USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025)

Panama