Lowlands line both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, and there are numerous offshore islands.
The climate is generally tropical with abundant rainfall. More than half the population is urban. The population is primarily mestizo, although the building of the canal brought large numbers of people from the West Indies and other parts of the world, many of whom stayed and intermarried with the indigenous population. Spanish is the official language, and many Panamanians also speak English. The population is almost entirely Roman Catholic.