|
|
 |
 |
| |
| 1. Facts at a Glance |
|
| Panama offers some of the finest
snorkeling, birding and deep-sea fishing in the world,
so it's hard to figure out why travelers tend to steer
clear of this country or just whiz through on their way
to or from South America. It may have something to do
with the fact that Panama is known internationally for
its canal, the 1989 US invasion and the name it donated
to a style of headgear, but this does it no justice. |
|
| The reality is a proud prosperous
nation that honors its seven Indian tribes and its rich
Spanish legacy and embraces visitors so enthusiastically
that it's difficult to leave without feeling that you're
in on a secret that the rest of the traveling world will
one day uncover. |
|
|
| Full
country name |
Republic of
Panama |
|
| Area |
78,000 sq km (30,420 sq mi) |
|
| Population |
2,611,000 (growth rate 2%) |
|
| Capital
city |
Panama City (pop 610,000) |
|
| People |
62% mestizo, 14% African descent, 10% Spanish
descent, 5% mulatto, 5% Indian |
|
| Language |
Spanish, English and Indian languages |
|
| Religion |
84% Roman Catholic, 5% Protestant, 5% Islamic |
|
| Government |
Democracy |
|
| President |
Mireya Moscoso |
|
|
| |
| 2. Economic Profile |
|
|
| GDP |
US$8 billion |
|
| GDP
per head |
US$2400 |
|
| Inflation |
1.5% |
|
| Major
industries |
Banking, shipping and agriculture |
|
| Major
trading partners |
USA, Germany, Costa Rica |
|
|
| |
| 3. Panama Canal |
|
| The Canal is both an engineering
marvel and one of the most significant waterways on earth.
Stretching 80km (50mi) from Panama City on the Pacific
coast to Colon on the Atlantic side, it provides passage
for over 12,000 oceangoing vessels per year. Seeing a
huge ship nudge its way through the narrow canal, with
vast tracts of virgin jungle on both sides, is an unforgettable
sight. The easiest and best way to visit the Canal is
to go to the Miraflores Locks, on the northeastern fringe
of Panama City, where a platform offers visitors a good
view of the locks in operation. There's also a museum
with a model and a film about the Canal. Boats leave Balboa,
a western suburb of Panama City, for a five-hour tour
through the locks to Miraflores Lake. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
