| PANAMA |
| Full country name: Republic of Panama Area: 78,000 sq km (30,420 sq mi) Population: 2.8 milion (growth rate 1.3%) Capital city: Panama City (pop 700,000) People: 65% mestizo, 14% African descent, 10% Spanish descent, 10% Indian Language: Spanish, English and Indian languages Religion: 85% Roman Catholic, 10% Protestant, 5% Islamic Government: Constitutional republic President: Mireya Moscoso Time: GMT/UTC minus 5 hours Currency: US dollar (known as 'balboa') |
| CULTURE Panama's arts reflect its ethnic mix. Indian tribes, West Indian groups, mestizos, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Swiss, Yugoslav and North American immigrants have all contributed ingredients to the cultural stew. Traditional arts include wood carving, weaving, ceramics and maskmaking. Spanish is the official language, though US influence and the international nature of the canal zone reinforce the use of English as a second language. West Indian immigrants also speak Caribbean-accented English. Indian tribes have retained their own languages. Panama is predominantly Roman Catholic, but there are sizable Muslim and Protestant minorities and small numbers of Hindus and Jews. |
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