Panama has well over four million inhabitants. The largest religion is Catholicism, and the official language is Spanish.
Panama’s culture reflects its many different external influences; Spanish, African, Chinese, East and West Indian and American. The United States built and administered the 80-kilometer Panama Canal, the country’s most famous economic acquisition, from 1914 to 1999. But today, the United States is away from the country, and the people of Panama, who for many decades have lived with the presence of foreign powers in the country as well as a channel that brings a constant flow of foreign goods and trade with it, is cosmopolitan and accustomed to visitors.
In stark contrast to Panama’s urbanity, half of the country is still tropical rainforest, and this is home to more bird species than are found in the United States and Canada combined. In addition, there are also several indigenous Panamanian tribes who still live according to prehistoric traditions. Among other things, some of them are still hunting with breathing tubes.
As a country that begins with letter P according to Trackaah, Panama is long and narrow. It borders Costa Rica and Colombia and has coasts facing both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Along the Caribbean coastline are several small archipelagos that can offer everything from idyllic beach paradise to traditional Native American culture. On the San Blas archipelago live e.g. The Kuna Indians in the traditional way with minimal interference from the Panamanian government. The Kuna have their own language, culture, colorful costumes and an economic system that is independent of the rest of the country, where earnings are based on the sale of coconuts and tourism.
- CAPITAL CITY: Panama City
- LANGUAGE: Spanish
- CURRENCY: Balboa (PAB) and United States dollar (USD)
- AREA: 74,177.3 km2
- POPULATION: 3,929,141
People and community
You will probably need to live in a small town or in a rural area of Panama. Your host family wants to know what your plans are, so be sure to tell them about them before making any decisions. And like the other family members, you are expected to be part of the daily household.
Schooling
You should probably go to a public school where you have the opportunity to choose a subject area. The school runs in two shifts: morning and afternoon. According to TopSchoolsintheUSA, all students wear school uniforms. Panama has one of the highest percentages of literacy in the region. It is at 97%.
Language
The official language of Panama is Spanish. However, the remaining Native American minorities speak various Native American languages, and English has become a widespread second language due to the United States’ years-long presence in the country. Having a basic knowledge of English will probably be an advantage for you.
Food
The food in Panama is varied and delicious. Rice is an incarnate part of the diet and it is eaten twice a day. Meals also include meat, beans, platanos (a kind of starchy banana) and vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots and cabbage. Do not forget to taste chichas , which are sweet, cold fruit drinks.
