Panama: Capital, Flag and Fun Facts

About Panama

Panama is a narrow S-shaped country that links Central America with South America. It has rainforests, mountains and hundreds of islands on both the Caribbean and Pacific sides. Panama is world famous for the Panama Canal, which lets ships cross between two oceans.

About Panama City

Panama City lies on the Pacific coast at the southern entrance to the Panama Canal. It is known for its tall modern skyline, the old walled district of Casco Viejo and the ruins of Panamá Viejo, the first Spanish city on the Pacific coast of the Americas.

Fun facts about Panama

1. The Panama Canal, completed in 1914, lets ships travel between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans without sailing around South America.
2. The famous "Panama hat" is actually woven in Ecuador; it got its name because it was shipped and sold through Panama.
3. The harpy eagle, one of the world's most powerful birds of prey, is Panama's national bird.
4. When the Isthmus of Panama formed, it created a land bridge that let animals move between North and South America.
5. Guna women in Panama sew molas, colourful layered cloth panels worn on the front and back of their blouses.
6. Volcán Barú, at 3,475 metres, is the highest mountain in Panama.