South America: Plan your Journey

Panama

Panama (Spanish: Panama) is the southernmost country of North America. A transcontinental country, its isthmus constitutes the last part of a natural land bridge between the North American and South American continents. It borders Costa Rica to the west and Colombia to the east, and the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. more...

National name: Republica de Panama
Full country name: Republic of Panama
Area: 75,517 sq km (29,157 sq miles)
Population: 3,116,000 (2003)
Capital City: Panama City
Language: Spanish (official), English 14%, many bilingual
Government: Constitutional democracy
President Martin Torrijos Herrera (2004)
Religion: Christian; 86 per cent Roman Catholic.
Monetary unit: balboa; U.S. dollar
Ethnicity/race: mestizo 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Indian 6%

History of Panama

Much of Panama's domestic politics and international diplomacy in the 20th century were tied to the Panama Canal and the foreign policy of the United States. At the turn of the 20th century, Theodore Roosevelt pursued United States diplomatic efforts to facilitate a deal with Colombia that would allow it to take over French canal operations started by Ferdinand de Lesseps. more...

Overview of Panama's Economy

Literacy rate: 93% (2003 est.)
GDP/PPP (2004 est.): $20.57 billion
Per capita: $6,900
Real growth rate: 6%
Inflation: 2%
Unemployment: 12.6%
Arable land: 7%
Agriculture: bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp.
Labor force: 1.32 million; note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor; agriculture 20.8%, industry 18%, services 61.2% (1995 est.)
Industries: construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling
Natural resources: copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower
Exports: $5.699 billion (f.o.b., 2004 est.): bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing (1999)
Imports: $7.164 billion (f.o.b., 2004 est.): capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals.
Major trading partners: U.S., Nigeria, Germany, South Korea, El Salvador, Peru, Costa Rica, Belgium, Japan, China, Singapore (2003).

Also Read: A Brief insight in The Economy of Panama | Demographics of Panama | Activities of Panama | Provinces of Panama

Political System of Panama

- Politics in Panama

Climate, Vegetation and Faunau

- Climate: Temperatures are high across the whole country throughout the year, though cooler at high altitudes. more...
- Food and Drink
: American, French and Spanish food is available in all restaurants and hotels in Panama City and Colon. more...
- Nightlife: Panama City, in particular, has a wide range of nightlife from nightclubs and casinos to folk, ballet, belly dancing and classical theater. more...

Facts for Travellers

Visa:United States entry requirements are the same in all states, with most foreign travelers requiring a visa. The US State Department issues all US visas. more...
Time Zone:
GMT - 5
Electricity: 120 volts AC, 60Hz
Location: Central America
Country dialing code: 507
Highest Point: Cerro Pero (842 meters) (2,762 ft)
Official Currency: Guarani
Latitude/Longitude: 23º S, 58º W

Geography of Panama

Panama is located in both North and Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica. Its location on the eastern end of the isthmus forming a landbridge connecting Central and South America is strategic. By 1999, Panama controlled the Panama Canal that links the North Atlantic Ocean via the Caribbean Sea with the North Pacific Ocean. more...

Shopping in Panama

Panama is a duty free haven and luxury goods from all over the world can be bought at a saving of at least one-third. Local items include leatherware, patterned, beaded necklaces made by Guaymi Indians, native costumes, handicrafts of carved wood, ceramics, papier mâche artifacts, macrame and mahogany bowls. more...

Also Read: Foreign relations of Panama | Tourist Attractions of Panama | Music of Panama

Climate of Venezuela Weather The climate varies according to altitude. Lowland areas have a tropical climate. The dry season is from December to April and the rainy season from May to December. During the rainy season, there is the possibility of flooding in certain low-lying areas, such as the Llanos and in some valley of the [...]
Activities in Venezuela Hiking and trekking Venezuela has 42 national parks and around 20 nature reserves (monumentos naturales) which, together, cover some 15 per cent of the total land mass. All types of walks, ranging from signposted trails to mountain climbing and jungle paths, are possible. Visitors should note that a permit, issued by central [...]
Tourist Attractions in Venezuela Venezuela offers a great variety of landscapes - tropical beaches, immense plains, enormous rivers, forests, jungle, waterfalls and great mountains. Unfortunately, the flash floods and mudslides which hit Venezuela in 1999 severely damaged the country’s infrastructure; some of which may still not have been fully restored. Travelers should check prior to [...]
Nightlife in Venezuela There are many nightclubs and discos in the major cities of Venezuela. The National and Municipal Theaters offer a variety of concerts, ballet, plays, operas and operettas. There are other theaters - some of which are open-air - in Caracas, as well as several cinemas.
Food and Dining in Venezuela Cumin and saffron are used in many dishes but the distinctive and delicate flavor of most of the popular dishes comes from the use of local roots and vegetables. Some local specialties are tequenos, a popular hors d’oeuvres (thin dough wrapped around a finger of local white cheese and fried crisp); [...]
Shopping in Venezuela There are many handicrafts unique to Venezuela that are made by local Indian tribes. Good purchases are gems and jewelry, cacique coins, gold, pearls, pompom slippers, seed necklaces, shoes and handbags, Indian bows, arrows, mats, pipes and baskets, alpargatas (traditional local footwear of the Campesinos), chinchorros (local hammocks) and many other [...]
Caracas: Venezuela Caracas is the capital of Venezuela. It is located in the north of the country, following the contours of a narrow mountain valley. The valley’s temperatures are springlike, and the urbanizable terrain of the Caracas Valley lies between 2,500 and 3,000 ft (760 and 910 m) above sea level. The Valley is close to [...]
Military of Venezuela As of 2000, the national armed forces of Venezuela (FAN Fuerza Armada Nacional) enlisted 87,500 individuals in four service branches–the Army, Navy (including the Marine Corps), Air Force, and the Armed Forces of Cooperation (FAC), commonly known as the National Guard. As of 2005, about 100,000 soldiers were integrated in the military through [...]
Foreign relations of Venezuela Venezuela’s priorities in the international arena are: Respect for human rights; The right of all people to self-determination; Nonintervention in the internal affairs of other nations; Peaceful settlement of disputes between nations, including border disputes; The right of all people to peace and security; and Support for democracy. Hemispheric cooperation and integration are two pillars of president Hugo Chavez’s [...]
Music of Venezuela Venezuelan pop music has been largely overshadowed on the international scene by its neighbors, especially Brazil, Trinidad and Colombia. It is known for its own salsa, merengue and other imported styles, as well as the distinct llanera music. Originally a rural form of the llanos, or plains, llanera spread to musically creative artists like [...]

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