Mountains of Chiriqui, Toucan in gardens in Boquete

Some Quick Facts about Panama

• Area - 78,200 sq km
• Coastline - 2,490 km
• Max elevation - Volcan Baru 3,475m
• Climate - Tropical climate with rainy and dry seasons. Rainy season from June to November, Dry season from December to May
• Capital - Panama City
• Languages spoken - Spanish (official language), Kuna, 14 other native languages, English is also quite widely spoken
• Population - c.3.2 million
• Religion - Catholic country but with many other religions also represented
• Time zone - GMT minus 5 hours
• Currency - US dollar
• Country calling code - ++507
• ATMs - widely available

The Republic of Panama is situated at Central America’s most southerly point. It bridges North and South America and has Costa Rica bordering to its west and Columbia to its east. It is most famous for its canal, a feat of human engineering, and Panama hats (which actually originate from Ecuador!).

With the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south, Panama has two rich and diverse coastlines just hours apart- you can spend the morning in the Caribbean and the afternoon by the Pacific! There are 1518 islands off the coasts of Panama and an abundance of beautiful, picturesque beaches.

And there's so much more than just beaches... for starters, the capital, Panama City is a bustling, vibrant and cosmopolitan city with plenty to explore and enjoy. More on Panama City...

Panama is a country of fantastic natural diversity and varied environments. With rainforests, national parks, and mountainous regions, there's so much to be discovered by both the more adventurous traveller, as well as those looking for some relaxation and luxury. It is also home to more than 940 bird species and offers some of the finest bird watching in the Americas.

Panama, who's Indian name means 'abundance of fish', is still very much off the beaten track and undiscovered by the majority of divers, indeed, by the majority of tourists. It is described by the Lonely Planet as 'a secret the rest of the travelling world has yet to discover'.

With Panama's unique location, and historic legacy as a crossroads of the world, it is a very culturally diverse country. Archaeological evidence suggests people have been living in Panama for at least 11,000 years. Panama's first people are believed to have lived beside the Pacific fishing in the mangrove swamps and estuaries. Click here for some more information on Panama's history…

There are seven indigenous peoples of Panama: the Kuna, Embera, Waounan, Ngobe, Bugle, Nassau, and Terribe people. They make up approximately 8 percent of Panama's population with the majority of the rest of the population being mestizo (mixed Spanish and Indian) or mixed Spanish, Indian, Chinese, and West Indian. The majority of the population live in urban areas, with more than half living in the Panama City-Colon metropolitan corridor.

What can I do in Panama…?