Capital (and largest city)		Panama City 8°58′N 79°32′W / 8.967°N 79.533°W / 8.967; -79.533
Official languages		Spanish
Ethnic groups		58.1% Mestizo 14% Black and Mulatto 6.7% Amerindian 8.6% White 5.5% Asian 7.1% other (2000) [1]
Demonym		Panamanian
Government		Constitutional Democracy
-	President	Ricardo Martinelli
-	Vice President	Juan Carlos Varela
Independence
-	from Spain	28 November 1821
-	from Colombia	3 November 1903
Area
-	Total	75,517 km2 (118th) 29,157 sq mi
-	Water (%)	2.9
Population
-	July 2008 estimate	3,220,000 (133rd)
-	May 2001 census	2,839,178
-	Density	43/km2 (156th) 111/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$38.667 billion[2]
-	Per capita	$11,361[2]
GDP (nominal)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$23.088 billion[2]
-	Per capita	$6,784[2]
Gini (2002)		46.5
HDI (2007)		▲ 0.840 (high) (58th)
Currency		Balboa, U.S. dollar (PAB, USD)
Time zone		(UTC-5)
Internet TLD		.pa
Calling code		+507

Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (Spanish: República de Panamá; pronounced [re̞ˈpuβ̞lika ð̞e̞ panaˈma]), is the southernmost country of both Central America and, in turn, North America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The capital is Panama City.

Panama is an international business center, and has the largest economy in Central America, followed by Guatemala, Costa Rica and El Salvador.^[3] It is also the fastest growing economy and the largest per capita consumer in Central America.^[4][5]

• 1 Etymology
• 2 History
  • 2.1 Pre-Columbian period