Americas · capital city
What Is the Capital of Panama?
Panama City
The capital of Panama is Panama City. About 2.0 million people live in the Panama City urban area — 43.2% of the country's population.
2.0 million
Urban area population
UTC-5
Time zone
8.97°N
Latitude · 79.53°W
Yes
Largest city
Panama City at a glance
Name origin
Origin is unclear; may come from a Guaraní word meaning "place of many fish".
Time zone
UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time). No daylight saving time.
Coordinates
8 58 N, 79 32 W · IANA time zone America/Panama
Location of Panama
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
Capitals of neighbouring countries
Capitals closest to Panama City
San José, Costa Rica — 511 km
Bogotá, Colombia — 773 km
Managua, Nicaragua — 814 km
Tegucigalpa, Honduras — 1,013 km
Quito, Ecuador — 1,028 km
Kingston, Jamaica — 1,047 km
Oranjestad, Aruba — 1,110 km
George Town, Cayman Islands — 1,166 km
Straight-line distance between capitals.
Frequently asked questions about Panama City
What is the capital of Panama?
The capital of Panama is Panama City. About 2.0 million people live in the Panama City urban area — 43.2% of the country's population.
Is Panama City the largest city in Panama?
Yes — Panama City is also the largest urban area of Panama (2.0 million).
What time zone is Panama City in?
Panama City is on UTC-5 — UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time). There is no daylight saving time.
Where does the name Panama City come from?
Origin is unclear; may come from a Guaraní word meaning "place of many fish".
Which capital is closest to Panama City?
Among the capitals of neighbouring countries, San José (Costa Rica) is the closest, 511 km away in a straight line.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).