Panama - Wikipedia

18.07.
2020 Panama - Wikipedia

Coordinates: 9°N 80°W
Panama
Panama (/ˈpænəmɑː/ ( listen) PAN-ə-mah,

/pænəˈmɑː/ pan-ə-MAH; Spanish: Panamá IPA: [pana Republic of Panama
ˈma] ( listen)), officially the Republic of Panama República de Panamá (Spanish)
(Spanish: República de Panamá), is a
transcontinental country in Central America[9] and
South America, bordered by Costa Rica to the west,
Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the
north, and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The capital
and largest city is Panama City, whose metropolitan
Flag Coat of arms
area is home to nearly half the country's 4 million
people.[3][4] Motto: "Pro Mundi Beneficio"
"For the Benefit of the World"
Panama was inhabited by indigenous tribes before
Spanish colonists arrived in the 16th century. It broke Anthem: Himno Istmeño (Spanish)
Hymn of the Isthmus
away from Spain in 1821 and joined the Republic of
0:00 MENU
Gran Colombia, a union of Nueva Granada, Ecuador,
and Venezuela. After Gran Colombia dissolved in
1831, Panama and Nueva Granada eventually became
the Republic of Colombia. With the backing of the
United States, Panama seceded from Colombia in
1903, allowing the construction of the Panama Canal
to be completed by the US Army Corps of Engineers
between 1904 and 1914. The 1977 Torrijos–Carter
Treaties led to the transfer of the Canal from the
United States to Panama on December 31, 1999.[10]
Revenue from canal tolls continues to represent a

significant portion of Panama's GDP, although
commerce, banking, and tourism are major and
growing sectors. It is regarded as a high-income
country.[11] In 2018 Panama ranked 66th in the world Capital Panama City
in terms of the Human Development Index.[12] In and largest city 8°58′N 79°32′W
2018, Panama was ranked seventh-most competitive Official languages Spanish
economy in Latin America, according to the World
Ethnic groups 65% Mestizo (mixed
Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Index.[13] (2010[1]) Native and European)
Covering around 40 percent of its land area, 12.3% Native
Panama's jungles are home to an abundance of Panamanians
tropical plants and animals – some of them found 9.2% Afro-Panamanian
nowhere else on earth.[14] Panama is a founding 6.8% Mulatto (mixed
member of the United Nations and other African and European)
international organizations such as OAS, LAIA, G77, 6.7% White Panamanian
WHO, and NAM.
Demonym(s) Panamanian
Government Unitary presidential
constitutional republic
Contents • President Laurentino Cortizo
Etymology • Vice President Jose Gabriel Carrizo
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama 1/28
18.07.2020 Panama - Wikipedia
History Legislature National Assembly

Pre-Columbian period Independence
Conquest to 1799 • from Spanish November 28, 1821
1800s Empire
Post-colonial Panama • union with Gran December 1821
Colombia
Post-1970 • from Republic of November 3, 1903
US invasion (1989) Colombia
Post-intervention era • Admitted to the November 13, 1945
United Nations
Geography • Current October 11, 1972
Waterways constitution
Harbors Area
Climate • Total 75,417 km2
(29,119 sq mi)[2] (116th)
Politics • Water (%) 2.9
Political culture
Population
Foreign relations • 2018 estimate 4,176,869[3][4]
Military • 2010 census 3,405,813[5]
Administrative divisions • Density 56/km2 (145.0/sq mi)
(162)
Economy
Economic sectors GDP (PPP) 2020 estimate
Panama as an IFC • Total $121.749 billion [6] (80th)
Transportation
• Per capita $28,456[6] (57th)
Tourism GDP (nominal) 2020 estimate

Currency • Total $73.369 billion[6] (70th)
International trade
• Per capita $17,148[6] (52nd)
Society
Gini (2017) 49.9[7]
high
Demographics
Ethnic groups HDI (2018) 0.795[8]
high · 66th
Languages
Largest cities Currency Balboa (PAB)
Religion United States dollar (USD)
Education Time zone UTC−5 (EST)
Culture Driving side right
Handicraft Calling code +507
Holidays and festivities
ISO 3166 code PA
Traditional cuisine
Traditional clothing Internet TLD .pa
Literature
Sports
See also
References
Further reading
External links
Etymology
The definite origin of the name Panama is unknown. There are several theories. One states that the
country was named after a commonly found species of tree (Sterculia apetala, the Panama tree).
Another states that the first settlers arrived in Panama in August, when butterflies are abundant, and
that the name means "many butterflies" in one or several of indigenous Amerindian languages that
were spoken in the territory prior to Spanish colonization. The most scientifically corroborated theory
by Panamanian linguists, states that the word is a hispanicization of Kuna language word "bannaba"
which means "distant" or "far away".[15]
A commonly relayed legend in Panama is that there was a fishing village that bore the name
"Panamá", which purportedly meant "an abundance of fish", when the Spanish colonizers first landed
in the area. The exact location of the village is unknown. The legend is usually corroborated by
Captain Antonio Tello de Guzmán's diary entries, who reports landing at an unnamed village while
exploring the Pacific coast of Panama in 1515; he only describes the village as a "same small
indigenous fishing town". In 1517, Don Gaspar de Espinosa, a Spanish lieutenant, decided to settle a
post in the same location Guzmán described. In 1519, Pedrarias Dávila decided to establish the
Spanish Empire's Pacific port at the site. The new settlement replaced Santa María La Antigua del
Darién, which had lost its function within the Crown's global plan after the Spanish exploitation of the
riches in the Pacific began.
The official definition and origin of the name as promoted by Panama's Ministry of Education is the
"abundance of fish, trees and butterflies". This is the usual description given in social studies
textbooks.
History
At the time of the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, the known inhabitants of Panama
included the Cuevas and the Coclé tribes. These people have nearly disappeared, as they had no
immunity from European infectious diseases.[16]
Pre-Columbian period
The Isthmus of Panama was formed about three million years ago
when the land bridge between North and South America finally
became complete, and plants and animals gradually crossed it in
both directions. The existence of the isthmus affected the
dispersal of people, agriculture and technology throughout the
American continent from the appearance of the first hunters and
collectors to the era of villages and cities.[17][18]
The earliest discovered artifacts of indigenous peoples in Panama Embera girl dressed for a dance
include Paleo-Indian projectile points. Later central Panama was
home to some of the first pottery-making in the Americas, for
example the cultures at Monagrillo, which date back to 2500–1700 BC. These evolved into significant
populations best known through their spectacular burials (dating to c. 500–900 AD) at the
Monagrillo archaeological site, and their beautiful Gran Coclé style polychrome pottery. The
monumental monolithic sculptures at the Barriles (Chiriqui) site are also important traces of these
ancient isthmian cultures.
Before Europeans arrived Panama was widely settled by Chibchan, Chocoan, and Cueva peoples. The
largest group were the Cueva (whose specific language affiliation is poorly documented). The size of
the indigenous population of the isthmus at the time of European colonization is uncertain. Estimates
range as high as two million people, but more recent studies place that number closer to 200,000.
Archaeological finds and testimonials by early European explorers describe diverse native isthmian
groups exhibiting cultural variety and suggesting people developed by regular regional routes of
commerce.
When Panama was colonized, the indigenous peoples fled into the forest and nearby islands. Scholars
believe that infectious disease was the primary cause of the population decline of American natives.
The indigenous peoples had no acquired immunity to diseases which had been chronic in Eurasian
populations for centuries.[19]
Conquest to 1799
Rodrigo de Bastidas sailed westward from Venezuela in 1501 in search of

gold, and became the first European to explore the isthmus of Panama. A
year later, Christopher Columbus visited the isthmus, and established a
short-lived settlement in the Darien. Vasco Núñez de Balboa's tortuous
trek from the Atlantic to the Pacific in 1513 demonstrated that the
isthmus was indeed the path between the seas, and Panama quickly
became the crossroads and marketplace of Spain's empire in the New
World. Gold and silver were brought by ship from South America,
hauled across the isthmus, and loaded aboard ships for Spain. The route
became known as the Camino Real, or Royal Road, although it was more
commonly known as Camino de Cruces (Road of Crosses) because of the
number of gravesites along the way.
Panama was under Spanish rule for almost 300 years (1538–1821), and Vasco Núñez de Balboa, a
became part of the Viceroyalty of Peru, along with all other Spanish recognized and popular
possessions in South America. From the outset, Panamanian identity figure of Panamanian
was based on a sense of "geographic destiny", and Panamanian fortunes history
fluctuated with the geopolitical importance of the isthmus. The colonial
experience spawned Panamanian nationalism and a racially
complex and highly stratified society, the source of internal
conflicts that ran counter to the unifying force of nationalism.[20]
In 1538 the Real Audiencia of Panama was established, initially

with jurisdiction from Nicaragua to Cape Horn, until the
conquest of Peru. A Real Audiencia was a judicial district that
functioned as an appeals court. Each audiencia had an oidor
(Spanish: hearer, a judge).
Spanish authorities had little control over much of the territory of

Panama. Large sections managed to resist conquest and
missionization until very late in the colonial era. Because of this,
indigenous people of the area were often referred to as "indios de
guerra" (war Indians) who resisted Spanish attempts to conquer
them or missionize them. However, Panama was enormously
important to Spain strategically because it was the easiest way to "New Caledonia", the ill-fated
transship silver mined in Peru to Europe. Silver cargoes were Scottish Darien scheme colony in
landed at Panama and then taken overland to Portobello or the Bay of Caledonia, west of the
Nombre de Dios on the Caribbean side of the isthmus for further Gulf of Darien
shipment.
Because of incomplete Spanish control, the Panama route was vulnerable to attack from pirates
(mostly Dutch and English), and from "new world" Africans called cimarrons who had freed
themselves from enslavement and lived in communes or palenques around the Camino Real in
Panama's Interior, and on some of the islands off Panama's Pacific coast. One such famous
community amounted to a small kingdom under Bayano, which emerged in the 1552 to 1558. Sir
Francis Drake's famous raids on Panama in 1572–73 and John Oxenham's crossing to the Pacific
Ocean were aided by Panama cimarrons, and Spanish authorities were only able to bring them under
control by making an alliance with them that guaranteed their freedom in exchange for military
support in 1582.[21]
The prosperity enjoyed during the first two centuries (1540–1740) while contributing to colonial
growth; the placing of extensive regional judicial authority (Real Audiencia) as part of its jurisdiction;
and the pivotal role it played at the height of the Spanish Empire – the first modern global empire –
helped define a distinctive sense of autonomy and of regional or national identity within Panama well
before the rest of the colonies.
The end of the encomienda system in Azuero, however, sparked the conquest of Veraguas in that
same year. Under the leadership of Francisco Vázquez, the region of Veraguas passed into Castilian
rule in 1558. In the newly conquered region, the old system of encomienda was imposed. On the other
hand, the Panamanian movement for independence can be indirectly attributed to the abolition of the
encomienda system in the Azuero Peninsula, set forth by the Spanish Crown, in 1558 because of
repeated protests by locals against the mistreatment of the native population. In its stead, a system of
medium and smaller-sized landownership was promoted, thus taking away the power from the large
landowners and into the hands of medium and small-sized proprietors.
Panama was the site of the ill-fated Darien scheme, which set up a Scottish colony in the region in
1698. This failed for a number of reasons, and the ensuing debt contributed to the union of England
and Scotland in 1707.[22]
In 1671, the privateer Henry Morgan, licensed by the English government, sacked and burned the city
of Panama – the second most important city in the Spanish New World at the time. In 1717 the
viceroyalty of New Granada (northern South America) was created in response to other Europeans
trying to take Spanish territory in the Caribbean region. The Isthmus of Panama was placed under its
jurisdiction. However, the remoteness of New Granada's capital, Santa Fe de Bogotá (the modern
capital of Colombia) proved a greater obstacle than the Spanish crown anticipated as the authority of
New Granada was contested by the seniority, closer proximity, and previous ties to the viceroyalty of
Lima and even by Panama's own initiative. This uneasy relationship between Panama and Bogotá
would persist for centuries.
In 1744, Bishop Francisco Javier de Luna Victoria DeCastro established the College of San Ignacio de
Loyola and on June 3, 1749, founded La Real y Pontificia Universidad de San Javier. By this time,
however, Panama's importance and influence had become insignificant as Spain's power dwindled in
Europe and advances in navigation technique increasingly permitted ships to round Cape Horn in
order to reach the Pacific. While the Panama route was short it was also labor-intensive and expensive
because of the loading and unloading and laden-down trek required to get from the one coast to the
other.
1800s
As the Spanish American wars of independence were heating up all across Latin America, Panama
City was preparing for independence; however, their plans were accelerated by the unilateral Grito de
La Villa de Los Santos (Cry From the Town of Saints), issued on November 10, 1821, by the residents
of Azuero without backing from Panama City to declare their separation from the Spanish Empire. In
both Veraguas and the capital this act was met with disdain, although on differing levels. To Veraguas,
it was the ultimate act of treason, while to the capital, it was seen as inefficient and irregular, and
furthermore forced them to accelerate their plans.
Nevertheless, the Grito was a sign, on the part of the residents of

Azuero, of their antagonism toward the independence movement
in the capital. Those in the capital region in turn regarded the
Azueran movement with contempt, since the separatists in
Panama City believed that their counterparts in Azuero were
fighting not only for independence from Spain, but also for their
right to self-rule apart from Panama City once the Spaniards were
gone.
It was seen as a risky move on the part of Azuero, which lived in

Santo Domingo Church
fear of Colonel José Pedro Antonio de Fábrega y de las Cuevas
(1774–1841). The colonel was a staunch loyalist and had all of the
isthmus' military supplies in his hands. They feared quick
retaliation and swift retribution against the separatists.
What they had counted on, however, was the influence of the separatists in the capital. Ever since
October 1821, when the former Governor General, Juan de la Cruz Murgeón, left the isthmus on a
campaign in Quito and left a colonel in charge, the separatists had been slowly converting Fábrega to
the separatist side. So, by November 10, Fábrega was now a supporter of the independence
movement. Soon after the separatist declaration of Los Santos, Fábrega convened every organization
in the capital with separatist interests and formally declared the city's support for independence. No
military repercussions occurred because of skillful bribing of royalist troops.
Post-colonial Panama
In the first 80 years following independence from Spain, Panama

was a department of Colombia, after voluntarily joining at the
end of 1821.
The people of the isthmus made several attempts to secede and

came close to success in 1831, then again during the Thousand
Days' War of 1899–1902, understood among indigenous 1903 political cartoon. The US
Panamanians as a struggle for land rights under the leadership of government, working with
Victoriano Lorenzo.[24] separatists in Panama, engineered
a Panamanian declaration of
The US intent to influence the area, especially the Panama independence from Colombia, then
Canal's construction and control, led to the separation of Panama sent US warships and marines to
from Colombia in 1903 and its establishment as a nation. When Panama.[23]
the Senate of Colombia rejected the Hay–Herrán Treaty on
January 22, 1903, the United States decided to support and
encourage the Panamanian separatist movement[25][23]
In November 1903 Panama proclaimed its independence[26] and concluded the Hay–Bunau-Varilla
Treaty with the United States. The treaty granted rights to the United States "as if it were sovereign"
in a zone roughly 16 km (10 mi) wide and 80 km (50 mi) long. In that zone, the US would build a
canal, then administer, fortify, and defend it "in perpetuity".
In 1914 the United States completed the existing 83-kilometer-long (52-mile) canal.
From 1903 to 1968, Panama was a constitutional democracy dominated by a commercially oriented
oligarchy. During the 1950s, the Panamanian military began to challenge the oligarchy's political
hegemony. The early 1960s saw also the beginning of sustained pressure in Panama for the
renegotiation of the Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty, including riots that broke out in early 1964, resulting
in widespread looting and dozens of deaths, and the evacuation of the American embassy.[27]
Amid negotiations for the Robles–Johnson treaty, Panama held

elections in 1968. The candidates were
Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid, Unión Nacional ("National Union")

Antonio González Revilla, Democracia Cristiana ("Christian
Democrats")
engineer David Samudio, Alianza del Pueblo ("People's
Alliance") who had the government's support.
[28]
Arias Madrid was declared the winner of elections that were

marked by violence and accusations of fraud against Alianza del
Pueblo. On October 1, 1968, Arias Madrid took office as president
of Panama, promising to lead a government of "national union"
that would end the reigning corruption and pave the way for a US President Theodore Roosevelt
new Panama. A week and a half later, on October 11, 1968, the sitting on a steam shovel at the
National Guard (Guardia Nacional) ousted Arias and initiated the Panama Canal, 1906
downward spiral that would culminate with the United States'
invasion in 1989. Arias, who had promised to respect the
hierarchy of the National Guard, broke the pact and started a
large restructuring of the Guard. To preserve the Guard's
interests, Lieutenant Colonel Omar Torrijos Herrera and Major
Boris Martínez commanded the first military coup against a
civilian government in Panamanian republican history.[28]
The military justified itself by declaring that Arias Madrid was

trying to install a dictatorship, and promised a return to
constitutional rule. In the meantime, the Guard began a series of
populist measures that would gain support for the coup. Among
them were:
Price freezing on food, medicine and other goods[29] until Construction work on the Gaillard
January 31, 1969 Cut of the Panama Canal, 1907
rent level freeze
legalization of the permanence of squatting families in
boroughs surrounding the historic site of Panama Viejo[28]
Parallel to this, the military began a policy of repression against the opposition, who were labeled
communists. The military appointed a Provisional Government Junta that was to arrange new
elections. However, the National Guard would prove to be very reluctant to abandon power and soon
began calling itself El Gobierno Revolucionario ("The Revolutionary Government").
Post-1970
Under Omar Torrijos's control, the military transformed the political and economic structure of the
country, initiating massive coverage of social security services and expanding public education.
The constitution was changed in 1972. For the reform to the constitution the military created a new
organization, the Assembly of Corregimiento Representatives, which replaced the National Assembly.
The new assembly, also known as the Poder Popular ("Power of the People"), was composed of 505
members selected by the military with no participation from political parties, which the military had
eliminated. The new constitution proclaimed Omar Torrijos the "Maximum Leader of the
Panamanian Revolution", and conceded him unlimited power for six years, although, to keep a façade
of constitutionality, Demetrio B. Lakas was appointed president

for the same period (Pizzurno Gelós and Araúz, Estudios sobre el
Panamá republicano 541).[28]
In 1981 Torrijos died in a plane crash.[30] Torrijos' death altered

the tone of Panama's political evolution. Despite the 1983
constitutional amendments which proscribed a political role for
the military, the Panama Defense Force (PDF), as they were then
known, continued to dominate Panamanian political life. By this Omar Torrijos (right) with farmers in
time, General Manuel Antonio Noriega was firmly in control of the Panamanian countryside. The
both the PDF and the civilian government. Torrijos government was well known
for its policies of land redistribution.
In the 1984 elections, the candidates were
Nicolás Ardito Barletta Vallarino, supported by the military in a

union called UNADE
Arnulfo Arias Madrid, for the opposition union ADO
ex-General Rubén Darío Paredes, who had been forced to an
early retirement by Noriega, running for Partido Nacionalista
Popular PNP ("Popular Nationalist Party")
Carlos Iván Zúñiga, running for Partido Acción Popular
(PAPO) meaning "Popular Action Party"
US President Jimmy Carter shakes
Barletta was declared the winner of elections that had been hands with General Omar Torrijos
clearly won by Arias. Ardito Barletta inherited a country in after signing the Panama Canal
economic ruin and hugely indebted to the International Monetary Treaties (September 7, 1977).
Fund and the World Bank. Amid the economic crisis and
Barletta's efforts to calm the country's creditors, street protests
arose, and so did military repression.
Meanwhile, Noriega's regime had fostered a well-hidden criminal economy that operated as a parallel
source of income for the military and their allies, providing revenues from drugs and money
laundering. Toward the end of the military dictatorship, a new wave of Chinese migrants arrived on
the isthmus in the hope of migrating to the United States. The smuggling of Chinese became an
enormous business, with revenues of up to 200 million dollars for Noriega's regime (see Mon 167).[31]
The military dictatorship, at that time supported by the United States, perpetrated the assassination
and torture of more than one hundred Panamanians and forced at least a hundred more dissidents
into exile. (see Zárate 15).[32] Noriega also began playing a double role in Central America under the
supervision of the CIA. While the Contadora group conducted diplomatic efforts to achieve peace in
the region, Noriega supplied Nicaraguan Contras and other guerrillas in the region with weapons and
ammunition.[28]
On June 6, 1987, the recently retired Colonel Roberto Díaz Herrera, resentful that Noriega had
broken the agreed-upon "Torrijos Plan" of succession that would have made him the chief of the
military after Noriega, decided to denounce the regime. He revealed details of electoral fraud, accused
Noriega of planning Torrijos's death and declared that Torrijos had received 12 million dollars from
the Shah of Iran for giving the exiled Iranian leader asylum. He also accused Noriega of the
assassination by decapitation of then-opposition leader, Dr. Hugo Spadafora.[28]
On the night of June 9, 1987, the Cruzada Civilista ("Civic Crusade") was created and began
organizing actions of civil disobedience. The Crusade called for a general strike. In response, the
military suspended constitutional rights and declared a state of emergency in the country. On July 10,
the Civic Crusade called for a massive demonstration that was violently repressed by the
"Dobermans", the military's special riot control unit. That day, later known as El Viernes Negro
("Black Friday"), left six hundred people injured and another six hundred detained, many of whom
were later tortured and raped.
United States President Ronald Reagan began a series of sanctions against the military regime. The
United States froze economic and military assistance to Panama in the middle of 1987 in response to
the domestic political crisis in Panama and an attack on the US embassy. These sanctions did little to
overthrow Noriega, but severely damaged Panama's economy. The sanctions hit the Panamanian
population hard and caused the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to decline almost 25 percent between
1987 and 1989 (see Acosta n.p.).[33]
On February 5, 1988, General Manuel Antonio Noriega was accused of drug trafficking by federal
juries in Tampa and Miami.
In April 1988, US President Ronald Reagan invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers
Act, freezing Panamanian government assets in all US organizations. In May 1989 Panamanians
voted overwhelmingly for the anti-Noriega candidates. The Noriega regime promptly annulled the
election and embarked on a new round of repression.
US invasion (1989)
The United States government said Operation Just Cause, which

began on December 20, 1989, was "necessary to safeguard the
lives of U.S. citizens in Panama, defend democracy and human
rights, combat drug trafficking, and secure the neutrality of the
Panama Canal as required by the Torrijos–Carter Treaties" (New
York Times, A Transcript of President Bush's Address n.p.).[34]
Human Rights Watch wrote in its 1989 report: "Washington The aftermath of urban warfare
turned a blind eye to abuses in Panama for many years until during the US invasion of Panama,
concern over drug trafficking prompted indictments of the 1989
general [Noriega] by two grand juries in Florida in February
1988".[35] The US reported 23 servicemen killed and 324
wounded, with Panamanian casualties estimated around 450. Described as a surgical maneuver, the
action led to estimates of civilian death from 200 to 4,000 during the two weeks of armed activities.
The United Nations put the Panamanian civilian death toll at 500, the United States gave a figure of
202 civilians killed and former US attorney general Ramsey Clark estimated 4,000 deaths.[36][37] It
represented the largest United States military operation since the end of the Vietnam War (Cajar Páez
22)[38] The number of US civilians (and their dependents), who had worked for the Panama Canal
Commission and the US military, and were killed by the Panamanian Defense Forces, has never been
fully disclosed.
On December 29, the United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution calling the
intervention in Panama a "flagrant violation of international law and of the independence,
sovereignty and territorial integrity of the States".[39] A similar resolution was vetoed in the Security
Council by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.[40]
The urban population, many living below the poverty level, was greatly affected by the 1989
intervention. As pointed out in 1995 by a UN Technical Assistance Mission to Panama, the
bombardments during the invasion displaced 20,000 people. The most heavily affected district was
impoverished El Chorrillo, where several blocks of apartments were completely destroyed. El
Chorrillo had been built in the days of Canal construction, a series of wooden barracks which easily
caught fire under the United States attack.[41][42][43] The economic damage caused by the
intervention has been estimated between 1.5 and 2 billion dollars. n.p.[33] Most Panamanians
supported the intervention.[35][44]
Post-intervention era
Panama's Electoral Tribunal moved quickly to restore civilian constitutional government, reinstated
the results of the May 1989 election on December 27, 1989, and confirmed the victory of President
Guillermo Endara and Vice Presidents Guillermo Ford and Ricardo Arias Calderón.
During its five-year term, the often-fractious government struggled to meet the public's high
expectations. Its new police force was a major improvement over its predecessor but was not fully
able to deter crime. Ernesto Pérez Balladares was sworn in as President on September 1, 1994, after
an internationally monitored election campaign.
Perez Balladares ran as the candidate for a three-party coalition dominated by the Democratic
Revolutionary Party (PRD), the erstwhile political arm of military dictatorships. Perez Balladares
worked skillfully during the campaign to rehabilitate the PRD's image, emphasizing the party's
populist Torrijos roots rather than its association with Noriega. He won the election with only 33
percent of the vote when the major non-PRD forces splintered into competing factions. His
administration carried out economic reforms and often worked closely with the US on
implementation of the Canal treaties.
On September 1, 1999, Mireya Moscoso, the widow of former President Arnulfo Arias Madrid, took
office after defeating PRD candidate Martín Torrijos, son of Omar Torrijos, in a free and fair
election.[45] During her administration, Moscoso attempted to strengthen social programs, especially
for child and youth development, protection, and general welfare. Moscoso's administration
successfully handled the Panama Canal transfer and was effective in the administration of the
Canal.[45]
The PRD's Martin Torrijos won the presidency and a legislative

majority in the National Assembly in 2004. Torrijos ran his
campaign on a platform of, among other pledges, a "zero
tolerance" for corruption, a problem endemic to the Moscoso and
Perez Balladares administrations. After taking office, Torrijos
passed a number of laws which made the government more
transparent. He formed a National Anti-Corruption Council
whose members represented the highest levels of government
and civil society, labor organizations, and religious leadership. In
British Foreign Secretary Boris
addition, many of his closest Cabinet ministers were non-political Johnson swapped football shirts
technocrats known for their support for the Torrijos with the President of Panama, Juan
government's anti-corruption aims. Despite the Torrijos Carlos Varela in London, May 14,
administration's public stance on corruption, many high-profile 2018.
cases, particularly involving political or business elites, were
never acted upon.
Conservative supermarket magnate Ricardo Martinelli was elected to succeed Martin Torrijos with a
landslide victory in the May 2009 presidential election. Martinelli's business credentials drew voters
worried by slowing growth due to the 2008 financial crisis.[46] Standing for the four-party opposition
Alliance for Change, Martinelli gained 60 percent of the vote, against 37 percent for the candidate of
the governing left-wing Democratic Revolutionary Party.
On May 4, 2014, Juan Carlos Varela won the 2014 presidential election with over 39 percent of the
votes, against the party of his former political partner Ricardo Martinelli, Cambio Democrático, and
their candidate José Domingo Arias. He was sworn in on July 1, 2014. On July 1, 2019 Laurentino
Cortizo took possession of the presidency.[47]
Geography
Panama is located in Central America, bordering

both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean,
between Colombia and Costa Rica. It mostly lies
between latitudes 7° and 10°N, and longitudes 77°
and 83°W (a small area lies west of 83°).
Its location on the Isthmus of Panama is strategic.

By 2000, Panama controlled the Panama Canal
which connects the Atlantic Ocean and the
Caribbean Sea to the North of the Pacific Ocean.
Panama's total area is 74,177.3 km2 A map of Panama
(28,640.0 sq mi). [48]
The dominant feature of Panama's geography is the central spine

of mountains and hills that forms the continental divide. The
divide does not form part of the great mountain chains of North
America, and only near the Colombian border are there highlands
related to the Andean system of South America. The spine that
forms the divide is the highly eroded arch of an uplift from the
sea bottom, in which peaks were formed by volcanic intrusions.
The mountain range of the divide is called the Cordillera de

Talamanca near the Costa Rican border. Farther east it becomes La Palma, Darién
the Serranía de Tabasará, and the portion of it closer to the lower
saddle of the isthmus, where the Panama Canal is located, is often
called the Sierra de Veraguas. As a whole, the range between Costa Rica and the canal is generally
referred to by geographers as the Cordillera Central.
The highest point in the country is the Volcán Barú, which rises to 3,475 metres (11,401 feet). A nearly
impenetrable jungle forms the Darién Gap between Panama and Colombia where Colombian
guerrillas and drug dealers operate and sometimes take hostages. This and unrest, and forest
protection movements, create a break in the Pan-American Highway, which otherwise forms a
complete road from Alaska to Patagonia.
Panama's wildlife is the most diverse in Central America. It is home to many South American species
as well as to North American wildlife.
Waterways
Nearly 500 rivers lace Panama's rugged landscape. Mostly

unnavigable, many originate as swift highland streams, meander
in valleys, and form coastal deltas. However, the Río Chagres
(Chagres River), located in central Panama, is one of the few
wide rivers and a source of hydroelectric power. The central part
of the river is dammed by the Gatun Dam and forms Gatun Lake,
an artificial lake that constitutes part of the Panama Canal. The
The Chagres River
lake was created by the construction of the Gatun Dam across the
Río Chagres between 1907 and 1913. Once created, Gatun Lake
was the largest man-made lake in the world, and the dam was the
largest earth dam. The river drains northwest into the Caribbean. The Kampia and Madden Lakes
(also filled from the Río Chagres) provide hydroelectricity for the area of the former Canal Zone.
The Río Chepo, another source of hydroelectric power, is one of the more than 300 rivers emptying
into the Pacific. These Pacific-oriented rivers are longer and slower-running than those on the
Caribbean side. Their basins are also more extensive. One of the longest is the Río Tuira, which flows
into the Golfo de San Miguel and is the nation's only river that is navigable by larger vessels.
Harbors
The Caribbean coastline is marked by several natural harbors. However, Cristóbal, at the Caribbean
terminus of the canal, had the only important port facilities in the late 1980s. The numerous islands
of the Archipiélago de Bocas del Toro, near the Beaches of Costa Rica, provide an extensive natural
roadstead and shield the banana port of Almirante. The more than 350 San Blas Islands near
Colombia, are strung out over more than 160 kilometres (99 miles) along the sheltered Caribbean
coastline.
The terminal ports located at each end of the Panama Canal,

namely the Port of Cristóbal, Colón and the Port of Balboa, are
ranked second and third respectively in Latin America in terms of
numbers of containers units (TEU) handled.[49] The Port of
Balboa covers 182 hectares and contains four berths for
containers and two multi-purpose berths. In total, the berths are
over 2,400 metres (7,900 feet) long with alongside depth of 15 Colón Harbor, 2000
metres (49 feet). The Port of Balboa has 18 super post-Panamax
and Panamax quay cranes and 44 gantry cranes. The Port of
Balboa also contains 2,100 square metres (23,000 square feet) of warehouse space.[50]
The Ports of Cristobal (encompassing the container terminals of Panama Ports Cristobal, Manzanillo
International Terminal and Colon Container Terminal) handled 2,210,720 TEU in 2009, second only
to the Port of Santos, Brazil, in Latin America.
Excellent deep water ports capable of accommodating large VLCC (Very Large Crude Oil Carriers) are
located at Charco Azul, Chiriquí (Pacific) and Chiriquí Grande, Bocas del Toro (Atlantic) near
Panama's western border with Costa Rica. The Trans-Panama pipeline, running 131 kilometres (81
miles) across the isthmus, has operated between Charco Azul and Chiriquí Grande since 1979.[51]
Climate
Panama has a tropical climate. Temperatures are uniformly high

—as is the relative humidity—and there is little seasonal
variation. Diurnal ranges are low; on a typical dry-season day in
the capital city, the early morning minimum may be 24 °C
(75.2 °F) and the afternoon maximum 30 °C (86.0 °F). The
temperature seldom exceeds 32 °C (89.6 °F) for more than a Panama map of Köppen climate
short time. Temperatures on the Pacific side of the isthmus are classification
somewhat lower than on the Caribbean, and breezes tend to rise
after dusk in most parts of the country. Temperatures are
markedly cooler in the higher parts of the mountain ranges, and
frosts occur in the Cordillera de Talamanca in western Panama.
Climatic regions are determined less on the basis of temperature

than on rainfall, which varies regionally from less than 1,300
millimeters (51.2 in) to more than 3,000 millimeters (118.1 in)
per year. Almost all of the rain falls during the rainy season,
which is usually from April to December, but varies in length
from seven to nine months. In general, rainfall is much heavier
A cooler climate is common in the
on the Caribbean than on the Pacific side of the continental
Panamanian highlands.
divide. The annual average in Panama City is little more than half of that in Colón. Although rainy-
season thunderstorms are common, the country is outside the hurricane belt.
Panama's tropical environment supports an abundance of plants. Forests dominate, interrupted in

places by grasslands, scrub, and crops. Although nearly 40% of Panama is still wooded, deforestation
is a continuing threat to the rain-drenched woodlands. Tree cover has been reduced by more than 50
percent since the 1940s. Subsistence farming, widely practised from the northeastern jungles to the
southwestern grasslands, consists largely of corn, bean, and tuber plots. Mangrove swamps occur
along parts of both coasts, with banana plantations occupying deltas near Costa Rica. In many places,
a multi-canopied rain forest abuts the swamp on one side of the country and extends to the lower
reaches of slopes on the other.
Politics
Panama's politics take place in a framework of a presidential
representative democratic republic, whereby the President of
Panama is both head of state and head of government, and of a
multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the
government. Legislative power is vested in both the government
and the National Assembly. The judiciary is independent of the
executive and the legislature.
National elections are universal and mandatory for all citizens 18 The National Assembly of Panama
years and older. National elections for the executive and
legislative branches take place every five years. Members of the
judicial branch (justices) are appointed by the head of state. Panama's National Assembly is elected
by proportional representation in fixed electoral districts, so many smaller parties are represented.
Presidential elections requires a simple majority; out of the five last presidents only ex-president
Ricardo Martinelli has managed to be elected with over 50 percent of the popular vote.[52]
Political culture
Since the end of Manuel Noriega's military dictatorship in 1989, Panama has successfully completed
five peaceful transfers of power to opposing political factions. The political landscape is dominated by
two major parties and many smaller parties, many of which are driven by individual leaders more
than ideologies. Former President Martín Torrijos is the son of general Omar Torrijos. He succeeded
Mireya Moscoso, the widow of Arnulfo Arias. Panama's most recent national elections occurred on
May 4, 2014, with incumbent vice-President Juan Carlos Varela declared the victor. The 2019
Panamanian general election is scheduled for May 5, 2019, with current President Juan Carlos Varela
being ineligible due to constitutional limits for a second term.
Foreign relations
The United States cooperates with the Panamanian government in promoting economic, political,
security, and social development through US and international agencies. Cultural ties between the
two countries are strong, and many Panamanians go to the United States for higher education and
advanced training.
Military
The Panamanian Public Forces are the national security forces of

Panama. Panama is the second country in Latin America (the
other being Costa Rica) to permanently abolish its standing army.
Panama maintains armed police and security forces, and small air
and maritime forces. They are tasked with law enforcement and
can perform limited military actions.
In 2017, Panama signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of

Nuclear Weapons.[53][54]
Panama's President-elect Juan
Carlos Varela and Vice President
Isabel Saint Malo with then-US
Administrative divisions
Secretary of State John Kerry just
before Varela's inauguration in 2014
Panama is divided into ten provinces with their respective local
authorities (governors). Each is divided into districts and
corregimientos (townships).
Also, there are five Comarcas Guna Yala
Bocas del Toro Colón
(literally: "Shires") populated Panamá Kuna de Madugandí
by a variety of indigenous Kuna de
West Panamá Wargandí
groups. Chiriquí Ngäbe-Buglé Comarca
Coclé
Comarca
Darién Emberá-
Provinces Wounaan
Veraguas
Bocas del Toro Herrera Comarca Emberá-
Wounaan
Chiriquí Los Santos
Coclé
Colón
Darién
Herrera
Los Santos
Panamá
West Panamá
Veraguas
Regions
Emberá
Guna Yala
Ngäbe-Buglé Comarca
Kuna de Madugandí
Kuna de Wargandí
Economy
According to the CIA World Factbook, as of 2012 Panama had an unemployment rate of 2.7
percent.[10] A food surplus was registered in August 2008. On the Human Development Index,
Panama ranked 60th in 2015. In more recent years, Panama's economy has experienced a boom, with
growth in real gross domestic product (GDP) averaging over 10.4 percent in 2006–2008. Panama's
economy was among the fastest growing and best managed in Latin America. The Latin Business
Chronicle predicted that Panama would be the fastest growing economy in Latin America during the
five-year period from 2010–14, matching Brazil's 10 percent rate.[55]
The expansion project on the Panama Canal is expected to boost

and extend economic expansion for some time.[56] Panama also
signed the Panama–United States Trade Promotion Agreement
which eliminates tariffs to US services.[57]
Even though Panama is regarded as a high-income country, it still

remains a country of stark contrasts perpetuated by dramatic
educational disparities. Between 2015 and 2017, poverty at A Panamax ship in transit through
US$5.5 fell from 15.4 to an estimated 14.1 percent.[58] the Miraflores locks, Panama Canal
Economic sectors
Panama's economy, because of its key geographic location, is mainly based on a well-developed
service sector, especially commerce, tourism, and trading. The handover of the Canal and military
installations by the United States has given rise to large construction projects.
A project to build a third set of locks for the Panama Canal A was overwhelmingly approved in a
referendum (with low voter turnout, however) on October 22, 2006. The official estimated cost of the
project is US$5.25 billion, but the canal is of major economic importance because it provides millions
of dollars of toll revenue to the national economy and provides massive employment. Transfer of
control of the Canal to the Panamanian government completed in 1999, after 85 years of US control.
Copper and gold deposits are being developed by foreign investors, to the dismay of some
environmental groups, as all of the projects are located within protected areas.[59]
Panama as an IFC
Since the early 20th century, Panama has with the revenues from
the canal built the largest Regional Financial Center (IFC)[60] in
Central America, with consolidated assets being more than three
times that of Panama's GDP. The banking sector employs more
than 24,000 people directly. Financial intermediation
contributed 9.3 percent of GDP.[61] Stability has been a key
strength of Panama's financial sector, which has benefited from Countries with politicians, public
the country's favorable economic and business climate. Banking officials or close associates
implicated in the Panama Papers
institutions report sound growth and solid financial earnings. The
leak on April 15, 2016
banking supervisory regime is largely compliant with the Basel
Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision.[62] As a
regional financial center, Panama exports some banking services,
mainly to Latin America, and plays an important role in the country's economy. However, Panama
still cannot compare to the position held by Hong Kong or Singapore as financial centers in Asia.
Panama still has a reputation worldwide for being a tax haven but has agreed to enhanced
transparency, especially since the release in 2016 of the Panama Papers. Significant progress has been
made to improve full compliance with anti-money laundering recommendations. Panama was
removed from the FATFGAFI gray list in February 2016. However efforts remain to be made, and the
IMF repeatedly mentions the need to strengthen financial transparency and fiscal structure.[61]
Transportation
Panama is home to Tocumen International Airport, Central America's largest airport. Additionally
there are more than 20 smaller airfields in the country. (See list of airports in Panama).
Panama's roads, traffic and transportation systems are generally

safe, though night driving is difficult and in many cases,
restricted by local authorities. This usually occurs in informal
settlements.[63] Traffic in Panama moves on the right, and
Panamanian law requires that drivers and passengers wear seat
belts, and airbags are not mandatory.[63] Highways are generally
well-developed for a Latin American country.
Currently, Panama City has buses known as Metrobuses,[64]

along with two Metro lines.[65] Formerly, the system was Tocumen International Airport,
dominated by colorfully painted diablos rojos; a few remain, and Central America's largest airport
are mostly used on rural areas along with "chivas". A diablo rojo
is usually customized or painted with bright colors, usually
depicting famous actors, politicians or singers. Panama City's streets experience frequent traffic jams
due to poor planning for now-extensive private vehicle ownership.
Tourism
Tourism in Panama has maintained its growth over the past five
years due to government tax and price discounts to foreign guests
and retirees. These economic incentives have caused Panama to
be regarded as a relatively good place to retire. Real estate
developers in Panama have increased the number of tourism
destinations in the past five years because of interest in these
visitor incentives.[66]
The number of tourists from Europe grew by 23.1 percent during Zapatilla Island, Panama
the first nine months of 2008. According to the Tourism
Authority of Panama (ATP), from January to September, 71,154
tourists from Europe entered Panama, 13,373 more than in same period the previous year. Most of
the European tourists were Spaniards (14,820), followed by Italians (13,216), French (10,174) and
British (8,833). There were 6997 from Germany, the most populous country in the European Union.
Europe has become one of the key markets to promote Panama as a tourist destination.
In 2012, 4.345.5 million entered into the Panamanian economy as a result of tourism. This accounted
for 9.5 percent of the gross domestic product of the country, surpassing other productive sectors. The
number of tourists who arrived that year was 2.2 million.[67]
Panama enacted Law No. 80 in 2012 to promote foreign

investment in tourism. Law 80 replaced an older Law 8 of 1994.
Law 80 provides 100 percent exemption from income tax and
real estate taxes for 15 years, duty-free imports for construction
materials and equipment for five years, and a capital gains tax
exemption for five years.[68]
Currency
Fortifications on the Caribbean Side
The Panamanian currency is officially the balboa, fixed at a rate
of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo
of 1:1 with the United States dollar since Panamanian
were declared a World Heritage Site
independence in 1903. In practice, Panama is dollarized: U.S.
by UNESCO in 1980.
dollars are legal tender and used for all paper currency, and
whilst Panama has its own coinage, U.S. coins are widely used.
Because of the tie to US dollars, Panama has traditionally had low inflation. According to the
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Panama's inflation in 2006 was 2.0
percent as measured by a weighted Consumer Price Index.[69]
The balboa replaced the Colombian peso in 1904 after Panama's independence. Balboa banknotes
were printed in 1941 by President Arnulfo Arias. They were recalled several days later, giving them the
name "The Seven Day Dollars". The notes were burned by the new government, but occasionally
balboa notes can be found in collections. These were the only banknotes ever issued by Panama and
US notes have circulated both before and since.
International trade
The high levels of Panamanian trade are in large part from the Colón Free Trade Zone, the largest free
trade zone in the Western Hemisphere. Last year the zone accounted for 92 percent of Panama's
exports and 64 percent of its imports, according to an analysis of figures from the Colon zone
management and estimates of Panama's trade by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin
America and the Caribbean. Panama's economy is also very much supported by the trade and export
of coffee and other agricultural products.
The Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) between the governments of the United States and Panama was
signed on October 27, 1982. The treaty protects US investment and assists Panama in its efforts to
develop its economy by creating conditions more favorable for US private investment and thereby
strengthening the development of its private sector. The BIT was the first such treaty signed by the US
in the Western Hemisphere.[70] A Panama–United States Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA) was
signed in 2007, approved by Panama on July 11, 2007 and by US President Obama on October 21,
2011, and the agreement entered into force on October 31, 2012.[71]
Society
Demographics
Panama had an estimated population of 4,176,869 in 2018.[3][4]

The proportion of the population aged less than 15 in 2010 was
29 percent. 64.5 percent of the population was between 15 and
65, with 6.6 percent of the population 65 years or older.[72]
More than half the population lives in the Panama City–Colón

metropolitan corridor, which spans several cities. Panama's
urban population exceeds 75 percent, making Panama's
population the most urbanized in Central America.[73] Population pyramid 2016
Ethnic groups
In 2010 the population was 65 percent Mestizo (mixed white, Native American), 12.3 percent Native
American, 9.2 percent Black or African descent, 6.8 percent mulatto, and 6.7 percent White.[10][74]
Ethnic groups in Panama include Mestizo people, who have a mix of European and native ancestry.
Black Afro-Panamanians account for 15–20 percent of the population. Most Afro-Panamanians live
on the Panama-Colón metropolitan area, the Darien Province, La Palma, and Bocas Del Toro.
Neighborhoods in Panama City that have large black populations include: Curundu, El Chorrillo, Rio
Abajo, San Joaquín, El Marañón, San Miguelito, and Santa Ana. Black Panamanians are descendants
of African slaves brought to the Americas in the Atlantic Slave Trade. The second wave of black people
brought to Panama came from the Caribbean during

the construction of the Panama Canal. Panama also
has a considerable Chinese and Indian (India)
population brought to work on the canal during its
construction. Most Chinese-Panamanians reside in
the province of Chiriquí. Europeans and white-
Panamanians are a minority in Panama. Panama is
also home to a small Arab community that has
mosques, practises Islam, as well as a Jewish
community and many synagogues.
Panama's population, 1961–2003
The Amerindian population includes seven ethnic
groups: the Ngäbe, Kuna (Guna), Emberá, Buglé,
Wounaan, Naso Tjerdi (Teribe), and Bri Bri.[75]
Languages
Spanish is the official and dominant language. The Spanish

spoken in Panama is known as Panamanian Spanish. About 93
percent of the population speak Spanish as their first language.
Panama City, Panama's capital
Many citizens who hold jobs at international levels, or at business
corporations, speak both English and Spanish. About 14 percent
of Panamanians speak English;[76] this number is expected to rise
because Panama now requires English classes in its public schools.[77] Native languages, such as
Ngäbere, are spoken throughout the country, mostly in their native territories. Over 400,000
Panamanians keep their native languages and customs.[78] About 4 percent speak French and 1
percent speak Arabic.[79]
Largest cities
These are the 10 largest Panamanian cities and towns. Most of Panama's largest cities are part of the
Panama City Metropolitan Area.
Religion
Christianity is the main religion in Panama. An official survey

carried out by the government estimated in 2015 that 63.2% of
the population, or 2,549,150 people, identifies itself as Roman
Catholic, and 25.0 percent as evangelical Protestant, or
1,009,740.[80] The Jehovah's Witnesses were the third largest
congregation comprising the 1.4% of the population, followed by
the Adventist Church and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints with the 0.6%. There is a very large Buddhist (0.4% or
Plaza de la independencia, Panama
18,560) and Jewish community (0.1% or 5,240) in the country.
City
The Bahá'í Faith community of Panama is estimated at 2.00
percent of the national population, or about 60,000[81] including
about 10 percent of the Guaymí population.[82]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church)

claims more than 40,000 members.[83] Smaller religious groups
include Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Episcopalians
with between 7,000 and 10,000 members, Jewish and Muslim
communities with approximately 10,000 members each, Hindus,
Buddhists, and other Christians.[84] Indigenous religions include
Ibeorgun (among Kuna) and Mamatata (among Ngäbe).[84] There
are also a small number of Rastafarians.[84]
Education
During the 16th century, education in Panama was provided by Religion in Panama
Jesuits. Public education began as a national and governmental (2015)[80]
institution in 1903. The principle underlying the early education
system was that children should receive different types of education Catholics (63.2%)
in accordance with their social class and therefore the position they
Protestants (25.0%)
were expected to occupy in society.
Adventist (1.3%)
Public education began in Panama soon after it seceded from Jehovah's Witnesses (1.4%)
Colombia in 1903. The first efforts were guided by an extremely Mormons (0.6%)
paternalistic view of the goals of education, as evidenced in
comments made in a 1913 meeting of the First Panamanian Buddhism (0.4%)
Educational Assembly, "The cultural heritage given to the child Judaism (0.1%)
should be determined by the social position he will or should No religion (7.6%)
occupy. For this reason education should be different in accordance
Other religions (0.4%)
with the social class to which the student should be related." This
elitist focus changed rapidly under US influence.[85]
In 2010, it was estimated that 94.1 percent of the population was literate (94.7 percent of males and
93.5 percent of females).[86] Education in Panama is compulsory for all children between ages 6 and
15. In recent decades, school enrollment at all levels, but especially at upper levels, has increased
significantly. Panama participates in the PISA exams, but due to debts and unsatisfactory exam
results it postponed participation until 2018.[87]
Culture
The culture of Panama derives from European music, art and
traditions brought by the Spanish to Panama. Hegemonic forces
have created hybrid forms blending African and Native American
culture with European culture. For example, the tamborito is a
Spanish dance with African rhythms, themes and dance
moves.[88]
Dance is typical of the diverse cultures in Panama. The local

folklore can be experienced at a multitude of festivals, through Pollera
dances and traditions handed down from generation to
generation.[89] Local cities host live reggae en español,
reggaeton, haitiano (compas), jazz, blues, salsa, reggae, and rock music performances.
Handicraft
Outside Panama City, regional festivals take place throughout the

year featuring local musicians and dancers. Panama's blended
culture is reflected in traditional products, such as woodcarvings,
ceremonial masks and pottery, as well as in Panama's
architecture, cuisine and festivals. In earlier times, baskets were
woven for utilitarian uses, but now many villages rely almost
exclusively on income from the baskets they produce for tourists.
An example of undisturbed, unique culture in Panama is that of

A couple dancing Panamanian
the Guna who are known for molas. Mola is the Guna word for
Cumbia
blouse, but the term mola has come to mean the elaborate
embroidered panels made by Guna women, that make up the
front and back of a Guna woman's blouse. They are several layers
of cloth, varying in color, that are loosely stitched together, made using a reverse appliqué process.
Holidays and festivities
The Christmas parade, known as El desfile de Navidad, is celebrated in the capital, Panama City. This
holiday is celebrated on December 25. The floats in the parade are decorated in the Panamanian
colors, and women wear dresses called pollera and men dress in traditional montuno. In addition, the
marching band in the parade, consisting of drummers, keeps crowds entertained. In the city, a big
Christmas tree is lit with Christmas lights, and everybody surrounds the tree and sings Christmas
carols.[90]
Traditional cuisine
Since Panama's cultural heritage is influenced by many ethnicities the traditional cuisine of the
country includes ingredients from many cultures, from all over the world:[91] a mix of African,
Spanish, and Native American techniques, dishes, and ingredients, reflecting its diverse population.
Since Panama is a land bridge between two continents, it has a large variety of tropical fruits,
vegetables and herbs that are used in native cooking. The famous fish market known as the "Mercado
de Mariscos" offers fresh seafood and Ceviche, a seafood dish. Small shops along the street which are
called kiosco and Empanada, which is a typical latinamerican pastry, including a variety of different
ingredients, either with meat or vegetarian, mostly fried. Another kind of pastry is the pastelito, with
the only difference in comparison to empanadas is that they are bigger.
Typical Panamanian foods are mild-flavored, without the pungency of some of Panama's Latin
American and Caribbean neighbors. Common ingredients are maize, rice, wheat flour, plantains, yuca
(cassava), beef, chicken, pork and seafood.
Traditional clothing
Panamanian men's traditional clothing, called montuno, consists of white cotton shirts, trousers and
woven straw hats.
The traditional women's clothing is the pollera. It originated in Spain in the 16th century, and by the
early 1800s it was typical in Panama, worn by female servants, especially wet nurses (De Zarate 5).
Later, it was adopted by upper-class women.
A pollera is made of "cambric" or "fine linen" (Baker 177). It is white, and is usually about 13 yards of
material.
The original pollera consists of a ruffled blouse worn off the shoulders and a skirt with gold buttons.
The skirt is also ruffled, so that when it is lifted up, it looks like a peacock's tail or a mantilla fan. The
designs on the skirt and blouse are usually flowers or birds. Two large matching pom poms (mota) are
on the front and back, four ribbons hang from the front and back from the waist, five gold chains
(caberstrillos) hang from the neck to the waist, a gold cross or medallion on a black ribbon is worn as
a choker, and a silk purse is worn at the waistline. Earrings (zaricillos) are usually gold or coral.
Slippers usually match the color of the pollera. Hair is usually worn in a bun, held by three large gold
combs that have pearls (tembleques) worn like a crown. Quality pollera can cost up to $10,000, and
may take a year to complete.
Today, there are different types of polleras; the pollera de gala consists of a short-sleeved ruffle skirt
blouse, two full-length skirts and a petticoat. Girls wear tembleques (https://web.archive.org/web/2
0170518133519/http://panamafolktembleques.com/) in their hair. Gold coins and jewelry are added
to the outfit. The pollera montuna is a daily dress, with a blouse, a skirt with a solid color, a single
gold chain, and pendant earrings and a natural flower in the hair. Instead of an off-the-shoulder
blouse it is worn with a fitted white jacket that has shoulder pleats and a flared hem.[92]
Traditional clothing in Panama can be worn in parades, where the females and males do a traditional
dance. Females gently sway and twirl their skirts, while men hold their hats in their hands and dance
behind the females.
Literature
The first literature relating to Panama can be dated to 1535, with a modern literary movement
appearing from the mid-19th century onwards
Sports
The US influence in Panama can be seen in the country's sports. Baseball

is Panama's national sport and the country has regional teams and a
national team that represents it in international events. At least 140
Panamanian players have played professional baseball in the United
States, more than any other Central American country.[93] Notable
players include Bruce Chen, Rod Carew, Mariano Rivera, Carlos Lee,
Manny Sanguillén, and Carlos Ruiz.
In boxing, four Panamanians are in the International Boxing Hall of

Fame: Roberto Durán, Eusebio Pedroza, Ismael Laguna and Panama Al
Brown. In August 2016 Panama had two reigning world boxing
champions: Guillermo Jones and Anselmo Moreno.
Since the end of the 20th century, association football has become more Panamanian baseball
popular in Panama. The top tier of domestic Panamanian football, Liga catcher Carlos Ruiz during
Panameña de Fútbol, was founded in 1988. The national team appeared 2007 Spring Training
at the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 2018, appearing in group G,
facing Belgium, England and Tunisia. However, the team lost all three
games, failing to advance past the group stage. Notable players for the national team include Luis
Ernesto Tapia, Rommel Fernández, the Dely Valdés Brothers: Armando, Julio and Jorge; and more
recent players as Jaime Penedo, Felipe Baloy, Luis Tejada, Blas Pérez, Román Torres and Harold
Cummings.
Basketball is also popular in Panama. There are regional teams as well as a squad that competes
internationally. Two of Panama's prominent basketball players are Rolando Blackman, a four-time
NBA All-Star, and Kevin Daley, a 10-year captain and showman of the Harlem Globetrotters. Other
remarkable players who represented Panama internationally are Mario Butler, and Rolando Frazer.
Other popular sports include volleyball, taekwondo, golf, and tennis. A long-distance hiking trail
called the TransPanama Trail (https://web.archive.org/web/20160728065540/http://www.transpan
ama.org/) is being built from Colombia to Costa Rica.
Other non-traditional sports in the country have had great importance such as the triathlon that has
captured the attention of many athletes nationwide and the country has hosted international
competitions. Flag football has also been growing in popularity in both men and women and with
international participation in world of this discipline being among the best teams in the world, the
sport was introduced by Americans residing in the Canal Zone for veterans and retirees who even had
a festival called the Turkey Ball. Other popular sports are American football, rugby, hockey, softball
and other amateur sports including skateboarding, BMX and surfing, because the many beaches of
Panama such as Santa Catalina and Venao that have hosted events the likes of ISA World Surfing
Games.
Long jumper Irving Saladino became the first Panamanian Olympic gold medalist in 2008. In 2012
eight different athletes represented Panama in the London 2012 Olympics: Irving Saladino in the long
jump, Alonso Edward and Andrea Ferris in track and field, Diego Castillo in swimming, and the
youngest on the team, Carolena Carstens who was 16 competing in taekwondo. She was the first
representative to compete for Panama in that sport.
See also
Index of Panama-related articles
Manhattanization
Outline of Panama
Panhattan
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Further reading
Buckley, Kevin, Panama, Touchstone, 1992. ISBN 0-671-77876-5
Diaz Espino, Ovidio, How Wall Street Created a Nation, Four Walls Eight Windows, 2001. ISBN 1-
56858-196-3
Harding, Robert C., The History of Panama, Greenwood Publishing, 2006.
Harding, Robert C., Military Foundations of Panamanian Politics, Transaction Publishers, 2001.
ISBN 0-393-02696-5
Joster, R.M. and Sanchez, Guillermo, In the Time of the Tyrants, Panama: 1968–1990, W.W.
Norton & Company, 1990.
Mellander, Gustavo A.; Nelly Maldonado Mellander (1999). Charles Edward Magoon: The
Panama Years. Río Piedras, Puerto Rico: Editorial Plaza Mayor. ISBN 1-56328-155-4.
OCLC 42970390 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/42970390).
Mellander, Gustavo A. (1971). The United States in Panamanian Politics: The Intriguing
Formative Years. Danville, Ill.: Interstate Publishers. OCLC 138568 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/
138568).
Porras, Ana Elena, Cultura de la Interoceanidad: Narrativas de Identidad Nacional de Panama

(1990–2002), Editorial Carlos Manuel Gasteazoro, 2005. ISBN 9962-53-131-4
Serrano, Damaris, La Nación Panamena en sus Espacios: Cultura Popular, Resistencia y
Globalización, Editorial Mariano Arosemena, 2005. ISBN 9962-659-01-9
Villarreal, Melquiades, Esperanza o Realidad: Fronteras de la Identidad Panamena, Editorial
Mariano Arosemena, 2004. ISBN 9962-601-80-0
Weeks, John and Gunson, Phil, Panama. Made in the USA, 1992. ISBN 978-0-906156-55-1
External links
Panama travel guide from Wikivoyage
Panama (https://curlie.org/Regional/Central_America/Panama) at Curlie
Panama (https://web.archive.org/web/20090125100526/http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/govpubs/f
or/panama.htm) from UCB Libraries GovPubs
"Panama" (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pm.html). The World
Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency.
Panama (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1229332.stm) from the BBC News
Wikimedia Atlas of Panama
Geographic data related to Panama (https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/287668) at
OpenStreetMap
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18.07.

2020 Panama - Wikipedia

Panama (/ˈpænəmɑː/ ( listen) PAN-ə-mah,

Revenue from canal tolls continues to represent a

History Legislature National Assembly

Tourism GDP (nominal) 2020 estimate

Rodrigo de Bastidas sailed westward from Venezuela in 1501 in search of

In 1538 the Real Audiencia of Panama was established, initially

Spanish authorities had little control over much of the territory of

Nevertheless, the Grito was a sign, on the part of the residents of

It was seen as a risky move on the part of Azuero, which lived in

In the first 80 years following independence from Spain, Panama

The people of the isthmus made several attempts to secede and

Amid negotiations for the Robles–Johnson treaty, Panama held

Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid, Unión Nacional ("National Union")

Arias Madrid was declared the winner of elections that were

The military justified itself by declaring that Arias Madrid was

of constitutionality, Demetrio B. Lakas was appointed president

In 1981 Torrijos died in a plane crash.[30] Torrijos' death altered

Nicolás Ardito Barletta Vallarino, supported by the military in a

The United States government said Operation Just Cause, which

The PRD's Martin Torrijos won the presidency and a legislative

Panama is located in Central America, bordering

Its location on the Isthmus of Panama is strategic.

The dominant feature of Panama's geography is the central spine

The mountain range of the divide is called the Cordillera de

Nearly 500 rivers lace Panama's rugged landscape. Mostly

The terminal ports located at each end of the Panama Canal,

Panama has a tropical climate. Temperatures are uniformly high

Climatic regions are determined less on the basis of temperature

Panama's tropical environment supports an abundance of plants. Forests dominate, interrupted in

The Panamanian Public Forces are the national security forces of

In 2017, Panama signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of

The expansion project on the Panama Canal is expected to boost

Even though Panama is regarded as a high-income country, it still

Panama's roads, traffic and transportation systems are generally

Currently, Panama City has buses known as Metrobuses,[64]

Panama enacted Law No. 80 in 2012 to promote foreign

Panama had an estimated population of 4,176,869 in 2018.[3][4]

More than half the population lives in the Panama City–Colón

brought to Panama came from the Caribbean during

Spanish is the official and dominant language. The Spanish

Christianity is the main religion in Panama. An official survey

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church)

Dance is typical of the diverse cultures in Panama. The local

Outside Panama City, regional festivals take place throughout the

An example of undisturbed, unique culture in Panama is that of

Holidays and festivities

The US influence in Panama can be seen in the country's sports. Baseball

In boxing, four Panamanians are in the International Boxing Hall of

7. "Gini Index" (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI?locations=PA). World Bank.

25. "Separación de Panamá: la historia desconocida" (http://www.banrepcultural.org/node/86421).

63. "Panama: Country-specific information" (https://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_994.html)

80. "Segunda Encuesta Nacional de Hogares, Panama 2015" (http://ministeriopublico.gob.pa/wp-cont

Porras, Ana Elena, Cultura de la Interoceanidad: Narrativas de Identidad Nacional de Panama

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Panama&oldid=964495751"

This page was last edited on 25 June 2020, at 20:52 (UTC).

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