Panama Geography - 2022

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

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

Area comparison map

Land boundaries

total: 687 km

border countries (2): 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: 30.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 7.3% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2.5% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 20.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 43.6% (2018 est.)

other: 25.9% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land

407 sq km (2020)

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 connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean

NOTE: The information regarding Panama on this page is re-published from the 2022 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Panama 2022 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Panama 2022 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.