What do you know about Panama?

Here are some interesting facts:

The Republic of Panama is located in Southeastern Central America. With a population of approximately 4 million people, Panama connects Central America with South America. It is located between Colombia and Costa Rica, and it limits with the Caribbean Sea to the north and with the Pacific Ocean to the south.
 
Politically, its territory is constituted by 10 provinces and the climate is composed of only two seasons: it has a tropical maritime climate with a hot, humid, rainy season (May-December) and a dry season (January-May). Nevertheless, visitors will experience many microclimates throughout Panama especially in the mountainous areas.
 
Currency
The official currency of Panama is the Panamanian Balboa (B/.) The rate of exchange for the balboa has always been tied to the US dollar (one dollar equals one balboa). Panama has adopted the US dollar since 1904. Panama does not print its own paper currency and instead uses the US dollar as legal tender.
 
Languages
The official language of Panama is Spanish, but English is widely spoken.
 
Beaches
Panama’s Pacific coastline stretches approximately 1,000 miles, and its beaches range from calm waters to the best surfing waves (tides change frequently) and from black colored sand to pearl white sand. On the Caribbean coastline, visitors will experience crystal clear waters, white sand beaches, calm waves and tides, and an abundance of corals and reefs.
 
Even though Panama’s beaches are in continuous development, which means resorts are constantly built, the country still has a good number of inhabitant/untouched beaches that provide its visitors a true nature experience.
 
Nature
In natural beauty, biodiversity and dazzling landscapes, Panama is incomparable! Three million years ago, the Isthmus of Panama emerged from the sea and changed the world forever. It divided an ocean and joined two continents together, triggering one of the most important natural evolution events in the history of the world.
 
Today, this narrow land bridge in Central America is home to over 10,000 varieties of plants, 1,500 species of trees and more than 800 species of birds. Panama has more species of birds than North America and Europe. Is also a resting point on the route of numerous species of birds that migrate from north to south and vice versa.
 
Additionally, Panama City is the only capital city that has a rainforest within the city limits. There are also 255 mammals and 226 amphibians. Panama also has hundreds of islands and kilometers of protected coral reef, which shelter a wide diversity of marine life. It is also home to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, where scientists from around the world study Panama’s unique ecological heritage.
 
Historic places
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal, one of the seven wonders of the modern world, is an artificial 51 miles waterway that connects the Atlantic with the Pacific Ocean. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit for maritime trade. Canal locks are at each end to lift ships up to the Gatun Lake and then lower the ships at the other end.
 
The most common way to visit the Panama Canal is going to the Miraflores Visitor Center, which is about a 20-minute drive from Panama City. There is an interactive museum with a viewing deck. This visitor center also has an IMAX which shows a 40-minute Panama Canal documental. Additionally, there is a new viewing center overlooking the Agua Clara Locks in Colon which are the new locks that allowed bigger ships to cross the canal.
 
Casco Antiguo
Casco Antiguo is the historic district and cultural gem of Panama City. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997, Casco Antiguo was established around 1673 by the Spanish colonialists, the Catholic Church, and other settlers.
 
The streets are filled with buildings that served as homes, cathedrals and churches and government buildings over centuries. Some of these structures have been restored and now house museums, gourmet restaurants, quaint shops and upscale residences. Casco Antiguo is the place to escape the hustle of the business district to stay, dine, enjoy nightlife, sightsee and stroll. 
 
 
Would you like to learn more about Panama? Complete the Panama Stopover Specialist Training Program