Panama : demography

Geography, Population, language and culture

Panama is officially called the Republic of Panama and can be found in the southern most part of Central America. Bordering Panama is Costa Rica and Colombia. The Caribbean sea can be found on the north side and the pacific ocean to the south. It is said that the name Panama comes from an ancient expression meaning “ abundance of fish, trees and butterflies”. This explanation of the word panama may come from panama’s abundant and diverse wildlife and fauna.
Panama was part of the Spanish empire for 300 years and as such Spanish has remained the official language in Panama. Panama joined the independence movement like most of the other Central American countries at the time in 1821. It took panama many years to fully claim its independence; they finally succeeded in 1903.
Panama has a population of about 3 310 000. Reflecting the many laborers that came to build the well known canal and railroad; panama has become a melting pot of cultures from countries such as China, Spain, and Africa. The culture, customs and language are mostly of Caribbean and Spanish influence. Other influences are derived from European music, art and traditions.