Where is Panama?

Panama is located at the bottom of Central America, where Central and South America join. Panama is bordered by Costa Rica to the East and by Columbia to the West, with the Caribbean to the North and Pacific Ocean to the South. Remember that Panama runs from East to West!!!

What is the general geography of Panama?

Panama is about 50-120 miles in width depending on where you are with the thinnest section being where the canal is. There are 477 miles of Caribbean Coastline and 767 miles of Pacific Coastline.

Panama is most famous for the Panama Canal, one the wonders of the new world. The land mass of Panama is 29,157 sq miles and stretches in a rectangular formulation. The Canal which Panama is most famous for has been existence since 1914 and runs for 50 miles splitting the continent in half as it makes it way from one Ocean to the other. Panama also boasts one of Central America's biggest man made fresh water lake, lake Gatun that was produced to feed the Canal with its fresh water supply. Panama has 2 groups of main Islands off the coast on the Caribbean side, the San Blas and Bocas del Toro Archipelago. On the Pacific side the main Island group is the Pear Islands just west of Panama City.

What is the ethnic make up and language of Panama?

The population of Panama is roughly 2.8 million people which increase by on average 1.3% per year. One of the things about these 2.8 million people, the majority of them are not originally Panamanians due to the influx of people from all over the world to build the Panama Canal. Therefore Panama is known as the melting pot of cultures and origins: Spanish descendants, blacks, Indians, immigrants from North America, Europe, Asia, East India and other countries. 65% mestizo, 14% African descent, 10% Spanish descent, 10% Indian.

The capital of Panama is Panama City where the Canal opens out into the Pacific Ocean. The population of Panama City is roughly 900,000 people. Panama has a diverse native population with 5 indigenous groups in Panama: Kunas in the San Blas Islands on the Caribbean; Chocoe (divided linguistically into 2 groups-Embera & Wounaan) in the province of Darien; Guaymies (Ngobe Bugle) in the provinces of Chiriqui, Bocas del Toro & Veraguas; and Teribes & Bokotas (Buglere) in Bocas del Toro province.

The main language of Panama is Spanish however walking through Panama City some would think English was the main language. In Bocas del Toro they have their own Pigeon English, a cross between English and Spanish.

How is the weather and seasons in Panama?

Basically as throughout most the Americas there is a dry and a green season, however when one starts and the other ends is under much debate. Usually the dry season will start in late November to the End of April, when there is a transition to the green season with the rains starting to get heavy August, September and October. On the Caribbean side the best months are usually May, June, October, September and November.

One of the great things about seeing Panama in the green season is that the prices are cheaper and you will get to see a green Panama with lots of Wildlife!!!

The normal pattern of rain during the green season is bright sunny mornings and the usually in the afternoons around 1-3pm it will rain and will either keep raining or cloud over. Believe us when we say that it can be refreshing!

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