Panama City is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama, also the capital of Panama Province. It is located on Panama’s central coast, near the Pacific end of the Panama Canal.
Panama is the political and administrative center of the country. Panama City is by far the largest city in Panama. Panama City is bounded on the west by the port of Balboa and the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal.
The city stretches from southwest to northeast along the shore of the Bay of Panama, covering 106 sq km. The metropolitan area occupies 678 sq km, and its metropolitan area contains nearly 1 million people, about one third of the nation’s inhabitants.
Panama City has also expanded westward into part of the former Panama Canal Zone. Tumbamuerto highway now includes upper-middle-class neighbourhoods and the large Metropolitan Natural Park. About 25 km northwest of the city, along the canal, is Soberanía National Park, which features hiking trails and a wide variety of tropical animals and plants.
After 1990 both the economy and the political system improved greatly. The population of Panama city is young on average and relatively healthy.
It has an advanced communications service, Internet use is widespread, center of domestic commerce and manufacturing; and Panama's Tocumen International Airport offers daily flights to international destinations also it is an important hub for international banking and commerce.
The city has numerous tourist attractions including world-class hotels and restaurants. Particularly interesting for tourists are various sites located in the old quarter, including Las Bóvedas, literally The Vaults, a waterfront promenade jutting out into the Pacific.
The National Institute of Culture Building and across from it, the French Embassy; The Cathedral on Plaza de la Catedral, Teatro Nacional, Museo del Canal Interoceánico.
In the southwest, on a peninsula jutting south into the bay, is the Casco Viejo(Old City). Some remnants of the Spanish fortifications can still be seen, including Las Bovedas (the Vaults), a sea wall containing dungeons. The Casco Viejo features several notable buildings, including the colonial Catholic cathedral, the Presidential Palace, where the nation’s president lives, and the National Theater.
With their colonial ruins, modern high rise office buildings, luxury homes, and squatters’ slums, the city’s neighbourhoods reflect a blend of cultures, eras, and economic levels.
Most of Panama City’s residents are either mestizo (of mixed Native American and European background) or mulatto (of mixed European and African heritage). Others are descended from European and black
Panama has long served as a crossroads between oceans and continents, and thus has attracted immigrants from all over the world. This diverse population is concentrated in the capital, along with a few other cities.
People from the West Indies, the Middle East, Asia, and North America are now represented in Panama City. Although most of the city’s residents are Roman Catholic, Jews and a range of other religious communities are also present.
The city has a tropical maritime climate, with a dry season from January to April and a rainy season from May to December. The average daily high temperature is 30° C (87° F), and the average daily low is 23° C (73° F).