Travel Alert Status
Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Time Difference
UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Travel Climate
tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)
Travel Currency
balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)
Language Spoken
Spanish is the official language although many Panamanians in business and the professions speak English.
Languages
Spanish (official), English 14%
Ethnic Groups
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%
National Holiday
Independence Day (Separation Day), 3 November (1903)
Geographic Coordinates
9 00 N, 80 00 W
Location
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
Airports
57