| 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 (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 extremes | 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 | 321 sq km (2012) |
| Total renewable water resources | 139.304 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| 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 |
Source: CIA World Factbook
This page was last updated on September 18, 2021
