Official Name: Republic of Panama

Capital: Panama City

Nationality: Panamanian

Area, Population and Density: 75,990 square km. Pop: 2,839,177 . 81 persons / square mi.

Age Distribution (%): 0-14 years 37.0%, 15-59 years 56.3%, 60+ years 6.7%

Political Division: 9 provinces and 1 comarca

Government: Constitutional Democracy.

Location: Panama lies between Costa Rica and Colombia, its looks like “S” -shaped isthmus ; only 50 miles wide and nearly 466 miles long.

Currently Money: Since 1903, the Official currently money in the Republic, is the US Dollar, making the Panamanian Economy one of the most stonger of the region.

Legal System: Based on the civilian legal system, judicial revision of legislative acts in the Supreme Court. Accepting international tribunal jurisdiction, except in some instances.

Language: The official language is Spanish. However, many panamanians and foreighners speak English.

Weather: Panamanian weather is pleasantly tropical, and uniform throughout the year. Nights are usually fresh. The average temperature is 27 degrees C. Panama has two weather seasons: rainy and dry. The former stretches from March to December.

Religion: There is an absolute freedom of Religion in Panama. Most panamanians are Roman Catholic. However, due to the diversity in our country, you can find all kinds of temples of worship throughout the country.

Time Zone: The time in Panama all year long is the same as the EST (GMT -5). We do not observe Daylight Savings Time.

Energy Voltage: the electric current in Panamas 110 volts.

Dial Phone: To make a phone call to Panama you must dial 00-507 following by the number you are calling.

Touristic attractions: In Panama there are not schedules to follow, no noisy crowds to flight. Life is the way you find it, intact and you’ll find it everywhere, in our mountains ,tropical rainforest, on any of the beautifuls archipelagos, in the cities, villages. NO rush is a great Panamanian life style.

Actual Situation: Panamá is charming country, It is tranquil, intriguing, historic, educational, exotic, very safe and widely exciting.

The most Modern City in Central America and Latin America
Contrasting with the sophisticated and vibrant City, Panama combine a wonderful Caribbean archipelagos( Kuna Yala, Bocas del Toro) , 7 indigenous living cultures , fifteen national parks, two oceans, cloudy mountains, range and miles of unexplored beaches , and of course, there’s THE PANAMA CANAL, wich is one of the eight wonders of the world’s constructed by the human beens on the Century XX.

Conservancy: The new passion for ecotourism, history, outdoor sports, hiking adventure, urban exploration or indigenous culture, can be find it in Panama, non more than 1 hour from your hotel.

Most of the American structures tranfered fron USA to the Panamanian Government on 1999, has been turned on , a wonderfuls complexs dedicated to the Tourism and Nature Conservancy.

Historic Heritage:
In 1508 the spanish crown decided to conquer the territories from Central America to Venezuela. Diego de Nicuesa was given the task of colonizing the present day countries of Panama and Costa Rica. He was unsuccesful. The closeness in this region of both oceans transformed the isthmus into a highly important geopolitical area. Panama became the trade center of the Spanish regime in Central America. The ships from Spain arrived at Portobelo in the Caribbean coast and the cargo crossed the isthmus towards Panama City. Goods were then distributed to all of America in the Pacific, from San Francisco to Santiago. The concentration of goods brought on the threat of pirates, who then looted the cities. Francis Drake did so in 1596 to Portobelo and Henry Morgan burned down Old Panama in 1671.

Panama separated from Spain by becoming a part of the Great Colombia on November 28, 1821. In 1831, when the civil war erupted, Panama was separated for more than a year from New Granada, with the intent of forming the Colombian Confederation, keeping it’s autonomy.

In 1855 the State of Panama was created, and a part of New Granada (currently Colombia). The first references are expressed in the military intervention rights that the United States gave themselves in Panama in the Mallarino-Bidlack treaties of 1846, signed by Washington and Bogota. The document gave the United States authorization to build a transisthmian railroad. Panama, backed by the United States, completely separated from Colombia on November 3, 1903.

The construction of the Panama Canal began in 1903 and the Panama Canal Zone became an american protectorate. The canal was finished in 1914 and was considered the eighth wonder of the world at the time.