What You Need to Know About Panama
Panama is a country located in Central America and officially named the Republic of Panama. The official language spoken in the country is Spanish and its capital, as well as its largest city, is Panama City. Its total area is 75,40 km2 and its total population amounts to 5,285,850 inhabitants.
Countries Bordering Panama
The nation is bordered to the north by the Caribbean Sea, to the east by Colombia, to the south by the Pacific Ocean, and to the west by Costa Rica; it is crossed by the Panama Canal.
The Colors of Panama
The flag is divided into four quarters and has three colors (blue, red, and white). The first flag of Panama was made by María Ossa de Amador. The white represents peace to settle in the new nation. The blue color represents the conservative party; the red color, the liberal party. The blue star symbolizes the purity and honesty that govern the civic life of the country, and the red star, the authority and law that will impose the reign of these virtues.
Map of the Best Cities in Panama
Panama City
First, when you go to Panama, you absolutely must visit the capital. Besides its modernity, this city has a 106 km long coast overlooking the Pacific and offers very beautiful sites, such as buildings dating from the colonial period. Visit the San Felipe neighborhood and see the area with the President’s palace as well as the National History Museum of Panama.
Bocas del Toro
Bocas del Toro is an archipelago located in the northern section facing the Caribbean. Surfers will surely find their pleasure here. The architecture of Bocas del Toro is distinguished by its stilt houses, coconut trees, and the magnificent coastline. This city is considered one of Panama’s wonderful attractions. Moreover, hiking enthusiasts, tourists, and those who want a place to bask in the sun will find their pleasure here. You can also rent quads, go boating, and even island-hop.
San Blas Islands
It is a city made up of an archipelago of islands and one of the most beautiful in the country. Do not forget to visit when you travel to the country. These small islets are noted for their white sandy stretches and crystal-clear seawater revealing fish of various colors and beautiful coral reefs. San Blas is truly a paradise city, spend two full days on the island and try to discover the traditions and cultures of the Panamanians living there.
Financial Map of Panama
Indeed, the service sector dominates 80% of Panama’s GDP. The rest of the economy is based on industry: textiles, aviation, and agro-food (mainly beverages). Panama’s exports are dominated by agricultural products. Here are some economic indicators of Panama:
- Official currency: Panamanian Balboa and US Dollar
- Nominal GDP: 68.536 billion USD
- Purchasing power parity GDP: 113.156 billion USD
- Annual GDP growth rate: 3%
- Nominal GDP per capita: 13,245 USD
- Purchasing power parity GDP per capita: 26,822 USD
- Inflation rate: 1.5%
- Population below the poverty line: 22.1%
- HDI: 0.815
- Exports: 15.5 billion USD
- Imports: 21.91 billion USD
- Public debt: 37.8% of GDP
Climate Map of Panama
The climate of Panama is similar to that of many tropical countries in Central America, with warm weather almost all year round. Unlike North America, Panama does not have four seasons, but two. The dry season extends from mid-December to mid-April, a period during which most tourists choose to visit. The rainy season lasts from late April to late November.
Panama often experiences light to heavy rains lasting for hours at a time. The climate of Panama is characterized as tropical maritime. Much of the country experiences prolonged high temperatures from 29 to 35°C during the dry season and high humidity during the rainy season. From May to November, Panama can be cloudy, which can also mean higher humidity in the air.
While it is difficult to generalize, overall, the hottest regions of the country are the areas surrounding Panama City, especially in the dry season, as well as most coastal regions of the country. In contrast, the Panamanian highlands are often much cooler, with temperatures rarely exceeding 29°C.
Demographic and Administrative Map of Panama
Demographics
The total population of Panama is 4,314,768 inhabitants and the annual demographic growth rate is 1.6%. The urban Panamanian population is 68.4% and the population density per km2 is 58. The median age in the country is 26 years and the life expectancy of a Panamanian is 75.4 years for a man and 81.8 years for a woman. The active workforce counts 1,985,726 inhabitants and the activity rate is 72.2%.
Administrative Division
The Panamanian territory is subdivided into 9 territories or provinces plus 5 indigenous comarcas including:
- Emberá-Wounaan
- Kuna Yala
- Ngöbe-Buglé
- Madungandí
- Wargandí
Here are the 9 territories of Panama
- Veraguas
- Panama
- Los Santos
- Herrera
- Darién
- Colón
- Coclé
- Chiriquí
- Bocas del Toro
Panama Demolinguistic Data
Population of Panama
The Panamanian population is mainly composed of Mestizos at 65%, Blacks at 15%, and Europeans descendants of Spaniards. There are also 8.3% Amerindians of native or indigenous origin and 2% Asians.
The provinces of Panamá, Chiriquí, Veraguas, Colón, and Coclé are the most important in terms of population. According to the decennial data from the year 2000, there were 234,400 indigenous people in Panama, which represents 8.3% of the total inhabitants of the country.
These indigenous people are divided into several ethnic groups, although two-thirds of the whole belong to the Guaymí group and 25% to the Kuna group. In total, the country has seven indigenous peoples, many of whom live in regions with a certain degree of autonomy :
- Comarcas
- Waunan
- Ngöbe
- Kuna
- Emberá,
- Buglé
- Bri-Bri.
- Naso
Languages in Panama
In Panama, the vast majority communicate in Spanish, the official language of the country. Spanish in Panama shows some influences from English and the dialects of the different groups that have settled in the country.
Panama actually hosts about fourteen distinct dialects, including those spoken by indigenous groups and networks of workers. The seven indigenous assemblies of the country speak a variety of vernacular languages, with Kuna and Ngobe-Bugle being the most widely recognized.
About 14% of the Panamanian population speaks English, the second most common language in the country. Most experts and financial officials communicate in English and surprisingly, rural individuals have a good level of proficiency due to their collaborations with travelers.
