Panama
blends rainforest cities, island beauty and rich Indigenous culture.
Discover the surprising facts, hidden stories and essential insights
that reveal the deeper character of this dynamic bridge between the
Americas.
• Panama is the only country where you can watch the sun rise over the Pacific and set over the Atlantic.
• The country sits on the narrowest strip of land connecting the Americas.
• Panama uses both the U.S. dollar and the Panamanian balboa.
• Panama City is the only capital in the world with a rainforest inside its city limits.
• The national bird, the harpy eagle, is one of the most powerful raptors in the world.
• The Panama Canal is considered one of the greatest engineering achievements in human history.
• Panama pioneered major global shipping logistics through its canal expansion in 2016.
• Indigenous weaving traditions such as molas from the Guna people are internationally recognised art forms.
• Panama was one of the first countries to protect large areas of its marine territory.
• Greetings are important — Panamanians often shake hands and maintain warm eye contact.
• Modest clothing is recommended when visiting rural and Indigenous communities.
• Tipping is common in restaurants and service industries.
• It’s polite to accept small gestures of hospitality, especially in smaller towns.
• Many businesses close early on Sundays for family time.
• Mireya Moscoso became the first female president of Panama.
• Mariano Rivera, a legendary baseball pitcher, is one of Panama’s most celebrated athletes.
• Rubén Blades, musician and actor, is famous for shaping modern salsa music.
• Urracá, a 16th-century Indigenous leader, is honoured as a national hero.
• Panama has over 1,600 islands across the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
• The San Blas Islands are home to the Guna people and pristine coral reefs.
• Coiba National Park protects one of the most important marine areas in the Eastern Pacific.
• The country’s mountains create microclimates that vary dramatically within short distances.
• The Panama Canal connects more than 140 global shipping routes.
• Panamanians are known for their relaxed, friendly nature.
• The country is a cultural mix of Indigenous, Afro-Caribbean, Latin American and global influences.
• Traditional foods include sancocho soup, arroz con pollo and plantains.
• Music styles such as típico, salsa and reggaeton shape everyday life.
• The pollera, Panama’s traditional dress, is one of the most elaborate in Latin America.
• Independence Day parades feature vibrant music and national pride.
• Street vendors selling fruit, ceviche and empanadas are part of daily scenes.
• Panama’s calendar is filled with festivals influenced by Spanish, Afro-Caribbean and Indigenous traditions.
• Indigenous civilisations lived in Panama thousands of years before Spanish arrival.
• Panama separated from Colombia in 1903 and later gained full control of the canal in 1999.
• The Spanish used Panama as a key transit point for New World gold headed to Europe.
• Colonial ruins in Panama Viejo tell the story of early settlement and pirate invasions.
• The Panama Canal attracts millions of visitors each year.
• Casco Viejo showcases colonial architecture, plazas and restored historic buildings.
• The San Blas archipelago offers pristine turquoise waters and white-sand islands.
• The Darién Gap remains one of the last untouched wilderness areas in the Americas.
• Sunrise on the Pacific, sunset on the Atlantic.
• Uses both the U.S. dollar and balboa.
• Panama City has an urban rainforest.
• Over 1,600 islands.
• San Blas is Guna territory.
• Canal links 140+ shipping routes.
• Indigenous cultures are vibrant.
• Harpy eagle is the national bird.
• Coiba is a major marine sanctuary.
• Famous for world-class coffee.
• Pollera is the traditional dress.
• Full canal control since 1999.