The most interesting facts about Panama include a canal that links oceans and one of the largest rainforests in the world.
Fast facts
Official name: Republic of Panama
Capital city: Panama City
Population: 4,404,108
Area: 75,420 sq km
Major languages: Spanish (official), Ngabere, Buglere, Panamanian English Creole, Kuna, Embera, Wounaan, and Naso
Time zone: UTC-5 (Eastern Time Zone)
Interesting facts about Panama
1. Located in Central America, Panama has been inhabited for more than 10,000 years. It’s believed that indigenous groups such as the Kuna, Ngöbe-Buglé, Emberá, Wounaan, and Naso were living in the area before the Spanish arrived.
2. However, unlike the pyramid complexes of many Latin American countries, very few physical remains of these great civilizations have been found in Panama.
3. The first European to explore Panama was Spaniard Rodrigo de Bastidas in 1501.
4. In 1502, Christopher Columbus claimed the region for Spain, and Panama remained under Spanish control until 1821.
5. In 1821, Panama became part of Gran Colombia. The short-lived republic (1819-1830) was created by revolutionary Simón Bolívar. It included the territories of present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama, as well as parts of northern Peru, western Guyana and northwest Brazil.
6. Following Gran Colombia’s demise, Panama became a state within Colombia.
7. The country encompasses more than 1,600 islands located off its Atlantic and Pacific coasts. North of the country, adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean, lies the Caribbean Sea.
8. Among these islands are the San Blas Islands, a top destination in Panama. Also known as Guna Yala, these are an archipelago of approximately 365 islands facing the Caribbean. Most are uninhabited.
9. In the 1880s, Ferdinand de Lesseps, the French engineer and builder of the Suez Canal, attempted to build a canal linking the two oceans.
10. In 1902, the US senate voted in favor of building a canal through Panama but could not reach an agreement with Colombian congress. As a result, President Roosevelt supported Panamanian independence.
11. In 1903, Panama separated from Colombia and became completely independent.
12. In the early 1900s, the US bought the rights to build the Panama Canal and was given control of the Canal Zone. Construction on the canal began in 1904 and was completed in 1914. It remains one of the most ambitious engineering projects ever undertaken.
13. The construction of the Panama Canal revolutionized global trade by drastically reducing shipping distances, time, and fuel costs compared to the arduous route around Cape Horn. The canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, making it a crucial link for international maritime trade.
14. Panama adopted the US dollar alongside the Panamanian balboa as an official currency because of a treaty signed with the United States in 1904, when the Panama Canal was under construction. As part of this treaty, the US agreed to an immediate payment of $10 million USD and an annual annuity to Panama.
15. In 1999, Panama took complete command of the Panama Canal, ending nearly a century of US control over one of the world’s most important waterways.
16. The flag of Panama supposedly symbolizes the two major political parties in government at the time it was created in 1904. The red was for the liberals, blue for the conservatives and white for peace between them. However, the colors and stars also suggest it was influenced by the design of the USA flag.
17. The Panamanian Coat of Arms prominently displays the Harpy Eagle. Also known as royal-hawk, it is the national bird of Panama.
18. Panama is one of just 21 countries that do not have an army.
19. Panama has two independence days. The first (Día de la Independencia) is on 3rd November and celebrates its independence from Colombia in 1903. The second (Independencia de Panamá de España) is on 28th November and celebrates independence from Spain in 1821.
20. The US invaded Panama in 1989 to remove a former ally, military ruler Manuel Noriega, because of his authoritarian rule and use of the country as a hotbed for drug trafficking.
21. The Panama Hat is not actually from Panama but Ecuador. The straw hats were woven along the Ecuadorian coast and then taken to Panama initially to be sold to canal workers and, after the canal opened, to affluent Westerners passing through the Canal.
22. The narrowest point of the Americas is in Panama –known as the Isthmus of Panama. The absolute narrowest section is the point running between the mouth of the Nergalá River on the Atlantic shore and the mouth of the Chepo River on the Pacific coast. It is just 50km wide.
23. It is possible to watch the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean and the sunset over the Pacific Ocean on the same day.
24. Furthermore, on the summit of Panama’s highest peak, Volcán Barú, it’s possible to see both oceans at the same time.
25. In 2016, Panama was at the center of an international tax scandal. The ‘Panama Papers’ exposed how the rich and powerful use tax havens to conceal their wealth. The scandal revealed Panama as one of the most popular tax havens.
26. Panama has the largest rainforest in the Western Hemisphere outside the Amazon Basin. The Panama rainforest covers over 40% of the country.
27. Panama’s capital, Panama City, even has a rainforest located within its city limits called Parque Natural Metropolitano.
28. The Panama Canal inspired mathematician Leigh Mercer’s famous palindrome, ‘A man, a plan, a canal: Panama’. A palindrome is a word or phrase that reads the same backwards as forwards.
29. Some of the most fascinating facts about Panama derive from its biodiversity. It has 218 mammal species, 226 reptile species and 164 amphibian species that cannot be found anywhere else on Earth.
30. Panama also has the largest number of avian species in Central America – 940 in total.
31. Panama has over 10,000 species of flora, including around 1,200 orchid species, 678 fern species, and 1,500 species of tree.
32. Panama made a significant commitment to sustainability by becoming the first country in Latin America to join the United Nations Water Convention.
33. With an abundance of water resources, boasting around 33,000 m³ of freshwater per capita—nearly six times the global average—Panama is well-positioned to lead by example in water conservation and management.
Every effort has been made to verify these facts about Panama using primary sources. However, if you find an error or have any questions, please contact us.
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. A teacher for seven years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.