Panama
Fast Facts
Location: Central America, connecting North and South America, bordered by Costa Rica, Colombia, the Caribbean Sea, and the Pacific Ocean
Capital: Panama City
Population: Around 4.4 million
Languages: Spanish, with indigenous languages including Ngäbere, Guna, and Emberá also spoken
Currency: Balboa, used alongside the US Dollar
Religion: Predominantly Roman Catholic, with a growing evangelical Protestant population
Culture corner
Panama is a country shaped by the water on either side of it. The Panama Canal, one of the most significant engineering feats in the world, cuts through the middle of the country and connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and it has shaped Panama's identity as a crossroads of cultures for over a century.
Beyond the canal, Panama is home to seven recognized indigenous peoples, including the Guna, Ngäbe, Buglé, and Emberá, many of whom live in semi-autonomous regions called comarcas. The Guna people of Guna Yala, off Panama's Caribbean coast, are known worldwide for their brightly colored mola textiles, hand stitched using a reverse applique technique passed down through generations of women.
Panamanian food reflects this same blend of cultures, with dishes like sancocho, a comforting chicken and root vegetable stew, and patacones, twice fried plantains, appearing on tables across the country. Family gatherings are lively and central to daily life, and faith runs alongside tradition in both Catholic and evangelical communities.
Mission Presence
Panama is largely Christian, with roughly two thirds of the population identifying as Catholic and a growing evangelical Protestant community that now makes up around a fifth of the country. But that presence is not spread evenly. In many of Panama's indigenous comarcas, church growth has looked very different from the cities.
Among the Ngäbe, Panama's largest indigenous group, evangelical presence remains small, and many communities still hold to traditional spiritual practices such as Mama Tata alongside or instead of Christianity. Missionaries and Bible translators have worked for decades among groups like the Emberá and Wounaan in the eastern jungles near the Colombian border, some of it through literacy programs that grew into indigenous led congregations. Organizations such as IM Inc, the Bible Society of Panama, and various church planting partnerships have worked alongside local believers to reach these communities, often navigating remote river access, distinct languages, and deeply rooted cultural and spiritual traditions.
If you feel called to Panama, there is room for you here.
Bring Panama Home
The View From Here: Panama Pack is available under Epiphany Creations. Illustrated, colorable pages covering the country overview, flag, landmarks, wildlife, nature and wonders, celebrations and festivals, amazing people, games, and a recipe to try at home. Plus a passport stamp on the overview page to collect as you go.
Learn it. Color it. Love it. Share it.