About Panama - FAQ

DID YOU KNOW…

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• More than 30% of Panama's land is protected, including 15 national parks, 5 forest reserves, and 10 wildlife refuges.

• Panama has more than 1,518 islands (1,023 in the Carribean and 495 in the Pacific)

• More than 500 rivers run through the country

• The Panama Canal is 80 km long.

• More species of birds live in Panama than in North America and Canada combined.

• Panama is the ideal place to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables because it has more than 10,000 species of plants, including 1,200 varieties of orchids, 578 species of ferns, and 1,500 varieties of trees.

• UNESCO has declared five areas of Panama as worldwide patrimonies of humanity.

• Panama has 7 of the 12 necessary zones to support primary ecosystems.

• Panama holds the record for worldwide bird watching and fishing areas.

• The famous red frog exists in the archipelago of the Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos en in the province of Bocas del Toro.

• The coasts and Islands of Panama have a multitude of coral reefs that have diverse marine life, making it an excellent spot for diving and snorkeling

• Between 1850 and 1855, the first transoceanic railroad was built. The trip from one sea to the other takes 55 minutes.

• Until 40 years ago, the Gatún Lake was the largest artificial lake in the world. When it was built, it flooded  nearly 262 square kilometers of forest, the original towns, and the railroad.

• The Panama Canal is one of the wonders of the world. The USA completed its construction in 1020.

• It took 10 years and 75,000 people to build the canal, costing about $400,000,000. It opened for traffic on August 15, 1914.

• Panama was the victim of several lootings by pirates like Henry Morgan y Francis Drake.

• Spain founded the first city of the new world on Panamanian soil, Santa María la Antigua de Darién.

• Archaeological excavations done by the Smithsonian Institute have found remains of ceramics and shells that have been dated to 300 years before Christ.
• All the gold and the American silver of Peru and other countries were transported to a town called "Name of God" in the province of Columbus via dirt road.

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