Panama <div style="float: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em"> <table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid #9866FF; background-color: #f3f3ff" width="200"> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Flag</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; padding: 2px">Image:pm-flag.png</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; border-top: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Quick Facts</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Capital'''</td><td>Panama</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Government'''</td><td>constitutional democracy<br/></td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Currency'''</td><td>balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Area'''</td><td>''total:'' 78,200 sq km <br>''water:'' 2,210 sq km <br>''land:'' 75,990 sq km</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Population'''</td><td>2,882,329 (July 2002 est.)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Language'''</td><td>Spanish (official), English 14% <br>''note:'' many Panamanians bilingual</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Religion'''</td><td>Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%</td></tr> </table> </div>  '''Panama''' is a country in Central America with coastlines on both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, with Colombia to the southeast and Costa Rica to the northwest. Panama is strategically location on the eastern end of isthmus that forms the land bridge connecting North and South America. It controls the Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean. ==Regions== Image:pm-map.png|thumb|350px|Map of Panama ; '''Administrative divisions''' : 9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 2 territories* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui|Chiriquí, Cocle, Colon|Colón, Darien|Darién, Herrera, Los Santos, Comarca de Ngobe-Bugle|Ngöbe-Buglé*, Panama Province|Panamá, Kuna Yala* (San Blas), and Veraguas ==Cities== *Panama (city)|Panama - Capital *Colon, Panama|Colón *David, Panama|David ===Ports and harbors=== *Balboa *Cristobal *Coco Solo *Manzanillo - (part of Colon area) *Vacamonte ==Other destinations== ==Understand== ===Climate=== Tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season, called winter or ''invierno'' (May to January); short dry season, called summer or ''verano'' (January to May) Be sure to be prepared for rain, especially during the Central American winter (May - December). An umbrella is a good thing to have, and they can be bought cheaply in Panamá. Most areas are quite warm, but a few places, such as Boquete, Cerro Punta and El Valle can get a little chilly at night. You definitely want a heavy rain-proof jacket if you're going to the top of Barú since you will be above 3000m for a little while. ; '''Natural hazards''' : occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area. Hurricanes are a possibility in Panama, although due to shape of the coast they are less common in Panama than in neighboring countries. ===Terrain=== Interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills ; ''Highest point'' : Volcan Baru, Chiriqui Province 3,475 m ===History=== ; '''Independence''' : 3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821) ; '''National holiday''' : Independence Day, 3 November (1903) With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and United States of America|US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. ; '''Constitution''' : 11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983 and 1994 On 7 September 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of 1999. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the intervening years. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the Canal, and remaining US military bases were turned over to Panama by or on 31 December 1999. The actual president is '''Martin Torrijos''' ==Get in== ===By plane=== You can fly commercial into Tocumen International Airport, which lies about 20 miles east of Panama City. You will have to taxi, bus, or rent a car to get to the city. There are a couple hotels near the airport where you can spend the night at relatively high prices ($60). The country has more private airstrips per square mile than any other country in the world, and it is technically feasible for the adventurous private pilot to fly to one of them, either directly or through country hopping through Central America. Many of the remote interior regions of the country are best accessed by private plane, although combinations of hiking and canoing can get you to most places, too. ===By car=== You can drive across at Paso Canoas, but be aware that it is one of the busiest (if not the busiest) and disorganized border crossings in Central America. It is very easy to accidentally drive across the border without realizing it. The various offices at the border are randomly scattered throughout the bordertown, and you can do quite a bit of trekking while finding them, as they don´t look distinct from the surrounding buildings in any way. This is one crossing where it is definitely worth your money to hire a tramitator, or helper, to help you through the stations. You will not be allowed to leave the country without your car (i.e. change your mind, abandon the car, and fly home) without getting a stamp on your passport proving that you have paid the proper impuestos (importation taxes) on your vehicle. Expect to be stopped frequently by police, but don't worry, they are usually more curious about seeing a foreign car than interested in a bribe. If your car needs repairs in Panama, good luck. There are a few good mechanic shops in the big city, but for the most part you will be stuck with a ¨shade tree mechanic,¨ of whom many a song was written by American servicemen living in Panama. There is not much concept of a right or wrong way to put something together among most mechanics, just an attempt to get the car working again for the next 100 miles. And if your car needs parts, you will probably be given the address of a junkyard where you can go look for them yourself. There are many beautiful aspects of Latin culture, but most Americans will simply be frustrated if they have to deal with car repairs. ===By bus=== If you want to get to Panama by bus from Colombia, too bad. There's a big gap in the Panamerican Highway called the Darién Gap at the border between the two countries. If you're coming in from Costa Rica, however, things will be a bit easier. There are three possible entry points, the main one being Paso Canoas. Panaline and Ticabus, among others, can get you straight from San Jose, Costa Rica|San Jose to David, Panama|David or Panama City, Panama|Panama. The trip from San Jose takes is quite cheap, but it will take all day. If you want to see things in between, you can also go by local buses, although the trip will take longer. Keep in mind that Panamanian law requires you to have a return ticket to get into Panama. The border guard may not check, but you never know. A return flight from San Jose, Bogotá or Abu Dhabi won't work. The return ticket has to originate from within Panama. If you run into this problem, you can always buy a return ticket from the bus driver. In general, if you're having a hot-tempered day, it may not be a good day to cross any borders. Some border officials in Central America seem to love being sticklers about their crazy rules if they decide they don't like you. Citizens of several countries, US citizens included, need tourist cards to enter Panama without a visa. These tourist cards cost US $5, so have a five ready. ===By boat=== Many cruise lines have the Panama Canal on its itinerary. You can make tours on Panama City or Colon City and take part in many packages. My recommendation is to take the Panama Canal Railway from Panama to Colon or vice versa. This train goes back since 1855 and it was the first transcontinental train in the American Continent. It has been rebuilt recently and it has very nice carts. It is possible to arrange for passage on banana boats traveling from Ecuador, Columbia, and Venezuela, but such passage is recommended only for the truly adventurous, as the boats are often structurally unsound, and are very likely to be smuggling drugs as well. ===By Foot=== It is possible to hike across the Darien Gap from Colombia with the help of trained guides, but this route is generally considered one of the most dangerous in the world. A large percentage of attempts have ended with the trekkers dead as victims of Colombian guerrillas, local indigenous peoples, or the oppressive jungle environment, which is considered the densest and most difficult to breach in the world. The guidebook ¨Getting to Know Panama,¨ by Michele Labrut, gives the following advice for surviving in the Darien. "Do not go naked into the water, some very undesirable protazoans can get into you. Do not drink untreated water. Never stray from the group, you can easily lose your bearings and get lost. If this happens, stay right where you are, do not panic. Shout or scream at intervals. If this doesn't work, try praying. The jungle survival manuals issued by the U.S. armed forces always have a prayer on the last page." ==What to Wear== Panamanians are very image oriented. ¨Dressing down¨ in an attempt to not appear ostentatious among poorer locals will not be taken as a sign of solidarity, but as disrespect. They enjoy dressing nicely, and the ones who aren´t wearing nice clothes would do so if they had the money. The same goes for hygiene. Locals will look down upon tourists who are dirty. That being said, there is no need to wear a suit everywhere, either. Just dress conservatively and nice. For men, a clean pair of jeans and ironed collared shirt will do nicely for most excursions, you could dress more casually or more formally depending on the situation. Shorts are considered extremely casual wear suitable only for the beach, although this attitude has begun to change in some areas. Think nice, neat, and clean, and you will already be showing a great deal of respect for locals. ==Get around== ===By bus=== There are two kinds of buses in Panama. The ones you find on the highway, and ¨city buses.¨ The highway buses are constantly making journeys from terminals in Panama city to different destinations along the Pan American Highway, and back to the terminals. They're pretty frequent, and the buses will pick you up or drop you off at any point along their route, and most of them are air conditioned. The roughly linear shape of the country makes it ideal for a bus system, so ideal in fact that you don´t really need to rent a car to get around most areas. Take a bus to the intersection on the Pan American highway that you want. You can get on a bus any place on the Pan American highway going towards Panama City, but all trips originating from within the city require a ticket. The Grand Terminal in the city is large and modern, and will remind you of an American shopping mall or airport (it actually is a shopping mall, Albrook Mall, too). If you want to get on a bus, stand by the side of the road, hold you out your arm and make obvious pointing motions toward the ground. If you're on the bus and want to get off, yell "parada!" You'll get the hang of it pretty quick. The locals are very helpful with tourists on buses, and may offer help. The highway buses are very cheap, count on a fare of about $1 per 10 miles traveled, sometimes less. One exception is fares from Tocumen airport, which both buses and taxis charge through the roof for (by Panamanian standards), simply because they can. Citybuses are different. They are crowded, decoratively painted school buses, often unairconditioned, with a flat rate of 25 cents to any location in Panama City. They can be fun, but have a reputation for being dangerous, both in driving and the likelihood of encountering criminals. They can be fun to take a couple of times, but once you´ve done it, best to take a taxi, which won´t be that much more expensive anyways. They definitely have a particular style apart from other Central American countries. They look as if a bunch of 60's hippies decided to drive as far south as they could go in school buses, and when they could go no further, they stopped and started a bus company. If you like Salsa Music, you'll be happy as a clam on these buses. Most locals aren't. ===By taxi=== If your destination actually happens to lie far off the bus route, or if you just want to be lazy, taxis are also a decent way to get around in Panama. They're not expensive at all, and unlike the urban taxis you may be used to, they can take you way out into the country. A taxi ride from Tocumen airport to Panama City can easily exceed your taxi fares for the rest of your trip combined, at around $30. You can save quite a bit of money by taking the bus to the Gran Terminal, but even the bus fares will be higher than normal. ===By car=== You can rent a car and drive it around the country quite easily. Panama City is no more difficult to navigate than any big city in the United States, although people can be more casual about traffic laws. The Pan American Highway is paved for the entire length of the country, and has many roads which branch off to towns off the highway, most of which are paved, and most of the rest are still easily navigable in a sedan. Road engineering standards are fairly low, however, be on the lookout for off camber turns, potholes, and sharp turns with no warning. In general though, if you keep your wits about you and expect the unexpected, driving in Panama need not be any more dangerous than driving in more developed Western countries. ==Talk== ; '''Languages''' : Spanish (official), English 14% <br>''note:'' many Panamanians bilingual ===Spanish Dialect=== When you cross the border from Costa Rica into Panama, you will notice a large change in the dialect. True to its Caribbean orientation, Panamanian Spanish sounds much closer to Cuba|Cuban or Puerto Rico|Puerto Rican than Costa Rica|Tico or Nicaragua|Nicaraguan Spanish. For students of Mexico|Mexican or Spain|European Spanish, it may take a little getting used to. The biggest thing you will notice is that half of the S's go missing, specifically S's at the end of words and before other consonants. You will hear ''nosotroh ehtamoh'' instead of ''nosotros estamos.'' Also some of the d's and r's go missing. While you're in Panama, see if you can find where they hid all their consonants. This dialect is most pronounced in the country. As fun as it is to talk like the locals when in the country, avoid using this country Spanish while in the city. Most city people view it as an uneducated dialect, much like a Southern accent in the United States, and will give you funny looks if you drop your S´s. ===Idiom=== If from the United States, avoid referring to yourself as ''American''. Panamanians are American too, Central American. You are from the United States. Visitors may be very confused by the Panamanian sense of humor, which finds great hilarity in all forms of slapstick, and often doesn´t get irony at all. ===Indigenous Languages=== Panamá has a lot more indigenous culture than some neighboring countries. In Kuna Yala you will hear the native Kuna language spoken. In the Comarca de Ngobe-Bugle|Ngöbe-Buglé Comarca, as well as in Chiriqui or Bocas del Toro, you might hear the native Ngöbe-Buglé (Guaymí) language, although the Ngöbe and the Buglé are very quiet around foreigners. If you ask directions from one of them, you will probably just get a hand or lips pointed wordlessly in the right direction. ===English=== Much of the Caribbean Coast of Panamá was settled by Jamaicans. More recently, the descendants of those settlers seem to be speaking more Spanish, but a lot of them still speak English, albeit a very Caribbean variety. Only a few years ago, the Panama Canal|canal used to be controlled by the United States of America|US. The US has given the canal back to Panama, but many people in Panama City (Panama)|Panamá City and other areas near the canal still speak English as a second language. ==Buy== Panama is the buyer's heaven! Having the biggest free zone in the western hemisphere sure helps, its called [http://www.zonalibredecolon.com.pa/main_eng.htm Colon Free Zone] and its an important place in the region to make good business. You can find big malls like [http://www.multicentropanama.com.pa Multicentro], [http://www.albrookmall.com Albrook Mall], [http://www.multiplazapacific.com Multiplaza Pacific] and many stores where you won't believe how cheap you can get stuff. So don't come with crowded bags. Here you could also find even winter clothes very, very, very cheap!! ===Money=== Panamá uses the Balboa as its currency. However, Balboas look suspiciously like US dollars, and strangely enough have exactly the same value. If you're traveling on US dollars, which is a very good idea in Central America, it will be very easy to exchange money in Panamá. To do so, take out your US dollars and click your heals 3 times. The dollars will magically change into Panamanian Balboas, although that guy on the picture will still look a lot like George Washington. They may be called Balboas as a denomination, but the US Dollar has been the official currency since 1904. If you're from the US, one oddity about Panamá will be change. Panamá prints its own coins in the same weights and sizes as US coinage, but with Panamanian stampings. The weird part is that the Panamanian coinage is completely interchangeable with standard US coinage in Panama. You may get a handful of change back with a conquistador on the quarter and an Indian on one of your pennies, but Lincoln on the other penny and Roosevelt on the dime. Panamá also still prints half dollars. You may hear these half dollars called pesos, so don't think you've accidentally ended up in Mexico. ==Eat== If Panamanian food has to be summed up in one word, that word would be cilantro. Panama was the first place I experienced cilantro-laced spaghetti. It seems like it's in everything there. If you get tired of eating beans or gallo pinto in the rest of Central America, you might want to head towards Panamá. Since Panamá has a little more Caribbean influence than other Central American countries, you'll see a lot more plaintain than beans here. If you like your food picante, Panama is not the place for you. They definitely have several hot sauces, but they range from weak to really weak. if you like the stuff with the skull and crossbones on the bottle, you will be out of luck. On the other hand, you will really impress Panamanians when you down their fieriest stuff without flinching. As with other parts of Central America, the favorite meat seems to be chicken, although it doesn't seem quite as ubiquitous as it does in Costa Rica. The food of Bocas del Toro is even more Caribbean than the rest of Pana. Many of the dishes contain coconut, unlike in the more Latin parts of Panamá. You can get excellent food really cheap if you look around. The equivalent of a 5-star meal with drinks can run you as little as $8 in some places. Try El Rincon del Chef near the Rey's just west of Chame. ==Drink== Try the national beers, you won't be disappointed: they're called Balboa, Atlas, Soberana, Goldbest. Try also the good rums: Carta Vieja, Seco Herrerano. ===Listen=== Music is definitely one of the highlights of Panama. Salsa music seems to permeate everything in the Latin parts of the country. In Bocas del Toro, you will hear a lot of Reggae with Spanish lyrics. Check out the summer music festival in Las Tablas. ===Party=== Many discos and bars plague the Capital City *[http://www.nextpanama.com Next] The biggest one! *[http://www.opahpanama.com Opah] *[http://www.liquidpanama.com Liquid] *[http://www.rockcafepanama.com RockCafé] ==Learn== Panama offers many universities and high schools that are bi-lingual and world class. There's a project ongoing called [http://www.cdspanama.org/index.php?cccpage=index&set_language=en City of Knowledge], that consists on several educational programmes in the old installations of a former US military base (Clayton). There's also a [http://www.fsu.edu/%7Ecppanama/ Florida State University branch], as many other alternatives. ==Stay safe== Most of Panamá is very safe. People in rural areas are generally extremely friendly and very helpful. If you want to visit Latin America, but are paranoid about security, Panamá might be a good place to cut your teeth. However, as with most countries, there are a few spots that warrant some caution. Most of the city of Colon is considered dangerous, and some neighborhoods in Panama City are a bit sketchy, in particular El Chorillo, formerly a luxurious part of town as Noriega's headquarters, was bombed out by the US as a part of his ouster and has since been a poor and crime-ridden area. ==Stay healthy== Visitors from the United States of often overly paranoid about malaria. The need to be on preventative malaria medication is by no means a given. Such concern is only relevant for people hiking in very remote regions. Tap water is safe in many areas. There are many hospitals that can give tourists first class attention. Many can take international insurances. Here are some of the best ones: *[http://www.hospitalnacional.com/ Hospital Nacional] , Located on Avenida Cuba, between street 38 and 39, Tel. 207-8100. *Clinica Hospital San Fernando *Hospital Paitilla *Hospital Punta Pacífica ==Contact== [http://www.visitpanama.com Visit Panama] ==External links== [http://www.pancanal.com Panama Canal's Website] [http://www.visitpanama.com Visit Panama], official page from the Institute of Tourism [http://www.panamainfo.com PanamaInfo.com] [http://ericpapetti.typepad.com/panama_trip/ Driving to Panama], a blogged account of one person's drive through Central America to Panama. [http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/central_america/panama/ Lonely Planet - Panama] [http://www.askmen.com/fashion/travel_60/82_travel_tips.html AskMen.com - Panama, a perfect paradise] fr:Panama WikiPedia:Panama {{stub}} First page | Prev | Next | Last page |

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