The culture, customs, and language of Panama is predominantly Caribbean Spanish. Panama has a very diverse population which is largely of mixed Spanish, black, and Native American descent/ancestry. According to the CIA World Factbook, Panama has a population of more than 3,400,000; 70% is mestizo (mixed white, Native American, black) and mulattoes (mixed white, and black ancestry), 14% is primarily black and mulattoes, 10% white and 6% Native Americans..
The majority of Panamanians are Christian, most are Roman Catholics by centuries of Spanish colonial influence. Other faiths exist in Panama by the country's tolerance and freedom of religion, there are large Protestant, Jewish, Muslim and Hindu religious groups in Panama.
Many languages, including seven indigenous languages, are spoken in Panama, although Spanish is the official and dominant language. English is sometimes spoken by by many professionals and those working in the business or governmental sectors of society.
More than half the population lives in the Panama City-Colón metropolitan corridor. Panama City was enriched by the past century of American influences in terms of additions to the country's Latin culture, economics (the US was involved in development of roads, schools and medical care), and international trade by the nearby Panama Canal, once was under US jurisdiction: the Canal Zone territory from 1903 to 1979.
CIA World Factbook demographic statistics
Demographics of Panama, Data of
FAO, year 2005; Number of inhabitants in thousands.
The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook.
Population
3,191,319 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years: 30% (male 496,195/female 476,508)
- 15-64 years: 63.6% (male 1,044,139/female 1,016,805)
- 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 97,365/female 111,161) (2007 est.)
Median age
- total: 26.4 years
- male: 26 years
- female: 26.7 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
Birth rate
- 21.45 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
- 5.44 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
- -0.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years: 1.027 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over: 0.876 male(s)/female
- total population: 1.021 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
- total: 15.96 deaths/1,000 live births
- male: 17.33 deaths/1,000 live births
- female: 14.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
- total population: 75.19 years
- male: 72.69 years
- female: 77.8 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
- 2.66 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS - deaths
- less than 500 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk: intermediate
- food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
- vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria
- water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
Nationality
- noun: Panamanian(s)
- adjective: Panamanian
Ethnic groups
- mestizo (mixed white and Native American) and mulattoes (mixed white and black ancestry) 70%, Blacks/African descent 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%
Religions
- Further information: Religion in Panama
- Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%
Languages
- Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual
Literacy
- definition: age 15 and over can read and write
- total population: 91.9%
- male: 92.5%
- female: 91.2% (2000 census)
References
This article contains material from the CIA World Factbook which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.
See also
