Capital of Panama: Panama City — Facts & 5-Question Quiz
The capital of Panama is Panama City. Panama sits in North America, has a population of 4,408,581, and uses the PAB. Official languages include Spanish.
Quick facts
- Capital: Panama City
- Continent: North America
- Population: ~4,408,581
- Area: 75,417 km²
- Population density: 58.5 people per km²
- Official language: Spanish
- Currency: PAB
- ISO code: PA
How big is Panama?
By population, Panama ranks 127th in the world, holding roughly 0.06% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 116th.
Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Panama has 58.5 people per square kilometre, which is close to the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.
Within North America, Panama is the 12th most populous country of 23.
Countries of a similar size
The two countries closest to Panama in population are Kuwait (4,268,873) and Oman (4,576,298).
By land area, its closest counterparts are Czechia (78,867 km²) and Sierra Leone (71,740 km²).
Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.
Language and currency
Spanish is spoken officially in 20 countries in this dataset, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Costa Rica, and 14 others.
Panama uses the PAB, and it is the only country that does, which makes the currency name a reliable one-to-one clue.
How to remember Panama
The capital has the same name as the country, Panama City, founded in 1519 by Pedro Arias Dávila. For the flag, picture four tiles like a window, two with stars and two plain.
The flag of Panama: red, white and blue
🇵🇦 The flag is four quarters: white with a blue star at top left, plain red at top right, plain blue at bottom left and white with a red star at bottom right. Blue and red stand for the two main political parties and white for peace between them. The blue star stands for purity and honesty, and the red star for authority and law.
Region and neighbours
Panama is a country on the Isthmus of Panama in Central America, bordering South America, with the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. It shares land borders with 2 countries: Costa Rica and Colombia.
- Costa Rica 🇨🇷 — capital San José
- Colombia 🇨🇴 — capital Bogotá
Three facts about Panama
- The Panama Canal was completed by the United States between 1904 and 1914, after Panama separated from Colombia in 1903.
- In 1513 Vasco Núñez de Balboa crossed the isthmus from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
- Panama uses both its own currency, the balboa, and the United States dollar.
Sources: Wikipedia: Panama, Wikipedia: Flag of Panama, Wikipedia: Panama City, CIA World Factbook.
Quiz yourself on Panama
- North American capitals quiz — match Panama to Panama City
- North American flags quiz — spot the Panama flag among its neighbours
Panama capital quiz
What is the capital of Panama 🇵🇦?
- Kingston
- Saint George's
- Bridgetown
- Panama City
Show answer
Panama City
What is the capital of Costa Rica 🇨🇷?
- Kingstown
- Ottawa
- Saint George's
- San José
Show answer
San José
What is the capital of El Salvador 🇸🇻?
- Saint George's
- Panama City
- Washington, D.C.
- San Salvador
Show answer
San Salvador
What is the capital of Jamaica 🇯🇲?
- Washington, D.C.
- Roseau
- San José
- Kingston
Show answer
Kingston
What is the capital of Nicaragua 🇳🇮?
- Managua
- Nassau
- Bridgetown
- Panama City
Show answer
Managua
Panama in North America
The largest countries by population sharing this continent are United States, Mexico, Canada and Guatemala.
If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — North America is the block Panama belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.
Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Panama.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Panama?
The capital of Panama is Panama City.
What is the population of Panama?
About 4,408,581, making it the 127th most populous country in the world.
How big is Panama?
75,417 square kilometres, ranking 116th by land area, at a density of 58.5 people per square kilometre.
What currency does Panama use?
The PAB, which no other country uses.
What are the colours of the Panama flag?
The flag of Panama is four quarters: white with a blue star at top left, plain red at top right, plain blue at bottom left and white with a red star at bottom right. Blue and red stand for the two main political parties and white for peace between them. The blue star stands for purity and honesty, and the red star for authority and law.
Which countries border Panama?
Panama shares land borders with Costa Rica and Colombia.
How can I remember the capital of Panama?
The capital has the same name as the country, Panama City, founded in 1519 by Pedro Arias Dávila. For the flag, picture four tiles like a window, two with stars and two plain.
More capitals to learn
- Capital of Haiti: Port-au-Prince
- Capital of Honduras: Tegucigalpa
- Capital of Jamaica: Kingston
- Capital of Mexico: Mexico City
- Capital of Nicaragua: Managua
- Capital of Saint Kitts and Nevis: Basseterre
- Capital of Saint Lucia: Castries
- Capital of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Kingstown
- Capital of Trinidad and Tobago: Port of Spain
- Capital of United States: Washington, D.C.
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