Keyla
Pedraza
• Panama is also know as The Republic of Panama
• Capital: Panama City
• Population: 3.6 million
• Panama has the Caribbean Sea to the north, Colombia to
the east, the Pacific Ocean to the south, and Costa Rica to
the west. It is roughly shaped like the letter "S" sideways. A
volcano in the west named Baru is the highest point in the
country, which is approximately 11,401 feet high. The
climate is tropical but about only 25 percent of the land is
suitable for farming.
• Panama has the largest rainforest - Gamboa
Rainforest - in the western hemisphere, outside
the Amazon Basin.
• The jungle is home to an abundance of
tropical plants, animals, birds – some only can
be found here.
• Panamanian's ancestry and culture
have been greatly influenced from
being a junction to the world. Most
residents today are descendants of
three main ethnic groups - American
Indians, Europeans, and black Africans
with very few true Indians remaining in
the country. Many of the people are
mestizos, or those of mixed EuropeanIndian ancestry.
• Spanish is the official language in
Panama although English is commonly
used. Free religion is allowed in
Panama although most Panamanians
are Roman Catholic.
• Carnival In Panama- Panama’s Carnival celebrations take
place the four days prior to Ash Wednesday. Since the early
1900s, Panama’s Carnival is the second largest in the entire
world. The main streets of Panama City and Las Tablas, where
the celebrating takes place, fill up with parades, costumes,
floats, masks, and confetti. The highlight of many celebrations
includes the selection of the Carnival Queen and her attendants.
• For centuries, agriculture was the dominant economic
activity for most of Panama's population. After
construction of the Panama Canal, agriculture
declined; its share of GDP fell from 29 percent in
1950 to just over 9 percent in 1985. Currently,
agriculture and fisheries comprise 7.4% of the
country's GDP. Agriculture employs such a large
number of Panamanians because many farmers are
engaged in subsistence farming and only produce
enough for their family to consume.
• Currency: In Panama, US dollar bills are used but Balboa coins
are used
• Panama faces the challenge of shaking off its reputation as a
major transit point for US bound drugs and illegal immigrants,
and money laundering.
• 40% of the population is in poverty
• Panama Canal is an 82-kilometre (51 mi) ship canal in
Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean (via the Caribbean
Sea) to the Pacific Ocean. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of
Panama and is a key conduit for international maritime trade.
• Work on the canal, which began in 1880, was completed in
1914, making it no longer necessary for ships to sail the
lengthy Cape Horn route around the southernmost tip of
South America and to navigate the dangerous waters of the
Strait of Magellan.
• The panama flag was adopted on November 3,
1903. the flag was modeled after the USA flag,
however, the colored stars are said to represent the
country's conservative (red) and liberal (blue)
parties. White symbolizes peace. The stars and
quarters represent the rival political parties. The
flag was made be Maria Ossa de Amador.
• Brig. Gen. Omar Torrijos Herrera – A
strong military man (the commander of the
Panama national Guard and the de facto
leader of Panama) and loved by the
people. Was never offically president but
hed titles like: “Maximum Leader of the
Panama Revolution” and “Supreme Chief of
Government”. Signed treaties of the
Panama Canal which helped export goods.
Also negotiated with other countries like he
was president and tried making Panama a
better place to live in for the people.