Panama
America · Central America
Overview
Panama is the southernmost country in Central America, between Costa Rica and Colombia, with coastlines on both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The country's international significance stems mainly from the Panama Canal, opened in 1914, which connects the two oceans and significantly shortens the route for ships that previously had to sail around South America. Construction of the canal was originally begun by a French venture in the 1880s and later completed by the United States, remaining under American administration until 1999, when it passed fully into Panamanian control. The official language is Spanish, and most of the population is Mestizo.
The Panama Canal, whose Miraflores Locks complex includes a visitor center offering close-up views of passing ships, is the country's best-known engineering feat and tourist attraction. Panama City's old town, Casco Viejo, with layers of Spanish colonial, French, and American architecture, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997, closely linked to the neighboring archaeological site of Panamá Viejo, the ruins of the original colonial city destroyed by pirates in the 17th century. The forts of Portobelo, on the Caribbean coast, built to defend the Spanish colonial trade system, also form a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Guna Yala (San Blas) Islands, on the Caribbean coast, are an autonomous territory of the indigenous Guna people, who continue to preserve their traditional culture and craftsmanship, including the textile art known as mola.
Panama's rainforests, covering much of the country, show remarkably high biodiversity as a meeting point of Central and South American wildlife, with Darién National Park, along the Colombian border, one of the least explored and most unspoiled rainforest areas in the region. The Bocas del Toro archipelago, on the Caribbean coast, with its coral reefs and lively nightlife, is a popular destination for backpacker tourism. The Boquete region, in the Chiriquí highlands, with coffee plantations and a cooler climate, offers a pleasant alternative to the coastal heat. Local cuisine blends Caribbean, Spanish, and indigenous influences, with sancocho, a chicken and root vegetable soup, regarded as the country's national dish.
Map
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Browse all UNESCO sites →Fortifications on the Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo
Magnificent examples of 17th- and 18th-century military architecture, these Panamanian forts on the Caribbean coast form part of the defence system built by the Spanish Crown to protect transatlantic trade.
Darien National Park
Forming a bridge between the two continents of the New World, Darien National Park contains an exceptional variety of habitats – sandy beaches, rocky coasts, mangroves, swamps, and lowland and upland tropical forests containing remarkable wildlife. Two Indian tribes live in the park.
Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves / La Amistad National Park
The location of this unique site in Central America, where Quaternary glaciers have left their mark, has allowed the fauna and flora of North and South America to interbreed. Tropical rainforests cover most of the area. Four different Indian tribes inhabit this property, which benefits from close co-operation between Costa Rica and Panama.
Coiba National Park and its Special Zone of Marine Protection
Coiba National Park, off the southwest coast of Panama, protects Coiba Island, 38 smaller islands and the surrounding marine areas within the Gulf of Chiriqui. Protected from the cold winds and effects of El Niño, Coiba’s Pacific tropical moist forest maintains exceptionally high levels of endemism of mammals, birds and plants due to the ongoing evolution of new species. It is also the last refuge for a number of threatened animals such as the crested eagle. The property is an outstanding natural laboratory for scientific research and provides a key ecological link to the Tropical Eastern Pacific for the transit and survival of pelagic fish and marine mammals.
The Colonial Transisthmian Route of Panamá
From the 16th century, the isthmus of Panama became a global strategic asset facilitating the transportation of goods and people between the Iberian Peninsula and the colonies of the Kingdom of Spain in America, the archipelago of the Philippines and the Canary Islands. The serial property bears testimony of the crossing of the isthmus including strategic fortified settlements, historic towns, archaeological sites and roads used to connect the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean until the mid-18th century.
Data: UNESCO WHC · CC BY-SA 4.0
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Panama?
The capital of Panama is Panama City.
What is the area of Panama?
The area of Panama is 75,417 km².
What is the population of Panama?
The population of Panama is 4,515,577.
What is the currency of Panama?
The currency of Panama is Panamanian balboa (PAB), United States dollar (USD).
What is the official language of Panama?
The official language of Panama: Spanish.
What side of the road does Panama drive on?
Panama: Right-hand traffic.
Is Panama a member of the United Nations?
Yes, Panama is a member of the United Nations.