Panama - Tourism and Travel

The Republic of Panama is the southernmost country in Central America.

It has coasts on the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

Panama has an area of 29,762 square miles (77,082 square kilometers).

The capital of Panama is Panama city.

Panama is a hilly country.

The Cordillera Central mountain range runs from Costa Rica south to the Panama Canal.

Near the border with Colombia, there is a rainforest.

3,454,000 people live in Panama. Most of the people live in the west, where the climate is drier.

60% of the population is mixed white and Native American, 14% is white, 12% is black, 8% is American Indian and 4% is Asian.

Spanish is the official language of Panama. English Creole and Native American languages are also spoken.

86% of the people are Roman Catholic and 6% are Protestant.

The economy of Panama is based on service industries, particularly tourism, banking and shipping.

The Colón free trade zone, at the Caribbean entrance to the Panama Canal, is one of the most important free trade zones in the world.

Bananas, coffee, seafood products and clothing are important exports.

Panama has a presidential system of government.

The official currency of Panama is the balboa, consists of 100 centésimos.

Panama Canal

In 1903, the United States of America purchased the right to build a canal through Panama.

The Panama Canal was completed in 1914.

Building the Panama Canal was one of the most difficult civil engineering projects in history.

From 1903 to 1979, the Panama Canal Zone was a United States territory.

The Canal Zone was jointly operated by the US and Panama from 1979 to 1999.

In 1999 the canal and area surrounding it were returned to Panama.

More than half of the Panama Canal runs through Lake Gatún, a large, artificial freshwater lake that provides the water needed to operate the canal's locks.