Panama

**Panama ** is a country in South America. Its official name is the **Republic of Panama**, and it's most famous for the Panama Canal. Countries bordering Panama are Costa Rica in the Northwest and Colombia in the Southeast. Panama is between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Most of the people in Panama are Roman Catholic (about 80%).

## Harbors

The Caribbean coastline has many good natural harbors. However, Cristóbal, at the Caribbean terminus of the canal, had the only important port facilities in the late 1980s. The many islands of the Archipiélago de Bocas del Toros, near the beaches of Costa Rica, made an extensive natural roadstead and shield for the port of Almirante. The over 350 San Blas Islands, near Colombia, are spread out for more than  along the sheltered Caribbean coastline.

## Demographics

The population of Panama is about 3,405,813 in May 2010. The ethnic makeup of Panama is:
- 50.1%: Multiracial (European, African, Native American, Others).
- 22.0%: Black African (Bantu-Congo 42%, Akan-Igbo 20%, Mandinga-Wolof 20%, Yoruba 10%, Others 8%).
- 6.7%: Native American (Embera, Wounaan, Ngobe bugle, Kuna, Naso, Bribri).
- 8.6%: White European (Spanish-Canarian 74%, German 13%, Italian and Others 13%).
- 5.5%: Asian (Chinese 93%, Korean and Japanese 7%).
- 7.1%:  Other.
The information there **Other** is likely including Arabs, East Indians, and some Russian.

For ships, Panama is a flag of convenience.

## Economy

In 2011 Panama had an unemployment rate of 2.7%. Panama also had a food surplus in August 2008. Panama was ranked at number 60 on the Human Development Index in 2008.

Panama's economy has experienced an economic boom in recent years. Real gross domestic product (GDP) growth was over 10.4% from 2006 to 2008. The Panamanian economy has been one of the fastest growing and best managed in Latin America. Latin Business Chronicle has predicted that Panama will be the fastest growing economy in Latin America in the five-year period of 2010–14.

Panama is impacted by the global financial crisis. It threatens to damage the social gains made in the past few years.

The expansion project of the Panama Canal and the free trade agreement with the United States is expected to boost and extend the economy.

On April 28, 2022, Panama's lawmakers approved a bill that would legalize bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The bill allows using cryptocurrency and trading it, as well as other related topics. It also allowed citizens to use their cryptocurrency to pay taxes.

## Provinces

Panama is divided into nine provinces. Also, there are five _Comarcas_ (literally: "Shires") populated by a variety of indigenous groups.
- Provinces
- Bocas del Toro
- Chiriquí
- Coclé
- Colón
- Darién
- Herrera
- Los Santos
- Panamá
- Panamá Oeste
- Veraguas
- Comarcas
- Emberá
- Guna Yala
- Ngäbe-Buglé Comarca
- Guna de Madugandí
- Guna de Wargandí
- Naso Tjër Di Comarca

## Other websites

- Official site of the presidency of Panama
- Official site of Panama Tourism
- Site of Panama Tourism with videos and photos
- Pictures from Panama
- CoolPanama.com Panama Portal Long list of online radio stations from Panama, also webcams and television stations
- Panama Travel Guides  Panama's best attractions, travel guides, news and product reviews

## Infobox (country)

- **conventional long name**: Republic of Panama
- **common name**: Panama
- **image flag**: Flag of Panama.svg
- **image coat**: Coat of Arms of Panama.svg
- **national motto**:

- **national anthem**:

- **image map**: PAN orthographic.svg
- **capital**: Panama City, Panama, Panama City
- **latd**: 8
- **latm**: 58
- **latns**: N
- **longd**: 79
- **longm**: 32
- **longew**: W
- **largest city**: capital
- **official languages**: Spanish language, Spanish
- **languages type**: National languages
- **demonym**: Demographics of Panama, Panamanian
- **government type**: Unitary state, Unitary Presidential system, presidential constitutional republic
- **leader title1**: President of Panama, President
- **leader name1**: José Raúl Mulino
- **leader title2**: Vice President of Panama, Vice President
- **leader name2**: vacant
- **legislature**: National Assembly (Panama), National Assembly
- **sovereignty type**: Independence
- **established event1**: from Spain
- **established date1**: November 28, 1821
- **established event2**: from Colombia
- **established date2**: November 3, 1903
- **area km2**: 75,517
- **area rank**: 118th
- **area sq mi**: 29,157
- **percent water**: 2.9
- **population census**: 4,100,000
- **population census year**: January 2013
- **population density km2**: 54,2
- **population density sq mi**: 140.6
- **population density rank**: 156th
- **gdp ppp**: $55.797 billion
- **gdp ppp year**: 2012
- **gdp ppp per capita**: $15,265
- **gdp nominal**: $34.819 billion
- **gdp nominal year**: 2012
- **gdp nominal per capita**: $9,526
- **gini**: 52
- **gini year**: 2009
- **gini change**: decrease
- **hdi**: 0.780
- **hdi year**: 2013
- **hdi change**: increase
- **hdi rank**: 59th
- **currency code**: PAB, USD
- **time zone**: Eastern Time, EST
- **utc offset**: −5
- **drives on**: right
- **calling code**: +507
- **cctld**: .pa
- **area magnitude**: 1 E8