QUICK FACTS
Flag: Divided into four equal rectangles, the top quadrants are white with a blue five-pointed star in the center and plain red, the bottom quadrants are plain blue and white with a red five-pointed star in the center. The blue and red colors are those of the main political parties (Conservatives and Liberals respectively) and the white denotes peace between them. The blue star stands for the civic virtues of purity and honesty, the red star signifies authority and law.
Population: 3,753,142 (July 2017 est.)
Capital city: Panama City, 1.673 million (2015)
Size: 75,420 sq km
Government: Panama's politics take place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Panama is both head of state and head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly.
Language: The official language is Spanish. English is also spoken frequently.
Currency: The US Dollar circulates freely. The Panamanian currency, the Balboa, has parity with that of the United States.For current exchange rates, see www.xe.com.
Time: From late October to early April, Panama coincides with EST (GMT-5), which is one hour ahead of the rest of Central America. The country does not observe daylight-saving time.