Panama City: Difference between revisions
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During [[World War II]], construction of military bases and the presence of larger numbers of U.S. military and civilian personnel brought about unprecedented levels of prosperity to the city. Panamanians had limited access, or no access at all, to many areas in the Canal Zone neighboring the Panama City metropolitan area. Some of these areas were military bases accessible only to United States personnel. Some tensions arose between the people of [[Panama]] and the U.S. citizens living in the [[Panama Canal Zone]]. This erupted in the [[January 9]], [[1964]] events, known as [[Martyrs' Day]]. |
During [[World War II]], construction of military bases and the presence of larger numbers of U.S. military and civilian personnel brought about unprecedented levels of prosperity to the city. Panamanians had limited access, or no access at all, to many areas in the Canal Zone neighboring the Panama City metropolitan area. Some of these areas were military bases accessible only to United States personnel. Some tensions arose between the people of [[Panama]] and the U.S. citizens living in the [[Panama Canal Zone]]. This erupted in the [[January 9]], [[1964]] events, known as [[Martyrs' Day]]. |
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In the late 1970s and through the 1980s Panama City became an international [[banking]] center, bringing a lot of undesirable attention as an international money-laundering center. In 1989 after nearly a year of tension between the United States and Panama, [[George Herbert Walker Bush|President George H. Bush]] ordered the [[United States invasion of Panama|invasion of Panama]] to depose the leader of Panama, General [[Manuel Noriega]]. As a result of the action a portion of the ''El Chorrillo'' neighborhood, which consisted mostly of old wood-framed buildings dating back to the 1900s (though still a large slum area), was destroyed by fire. Eventually, the U. |
In the late 1970s and through the 1980s Panama City became an international [[banking]] center, bringing a lot of undesirable attention as an international money-laundering center. In 1989 after nearly a year of tension between the United States and Panama, [[George Herbert Walker Bush|President George H. Bush]] ordered the [[United States invasion of Panama|invasion of Panama]] to depose the leader of Panama, General [[Manuel Noriega]]. As a result of the action a portion of the ''El Chorrillo'' neighborhood, which consisted mostly of old wood-framed buildings dating back to the 1900s (though still a large slum area), was destroyed by fire. Eventually, the U.S. helped finance the construction of large cinderblock apartment buildings to replace the destroyed structures. Panama City remains a banking center, although with very visible controls in the flow of [[cash]]. [[Shipping]] is handled through port facilities in the area of [[Balboa, Panama|Balboa]] operated by the [[Hutchison Whampoa]] Company of [[Hong Kong]] and through several ports on the Caribbean side of the isthmus. Balboa, which is located within the greater Panama City metropolitan area, was formerly part of the [[Panama Canal Zone]], and in fact the administration of the former Panama Canal Zone was headquartered there. |
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==Panama city as a tourist destination== |
==Panama city as a tourist destination== |
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Revision as of 22:53, 14 May 2007
Panama City | |
|---|---|
 A view of Panama City from Ancon Hill | |
 | |
| Founded | August 15, 1519 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Juan Carlos Navarro |
| Area | |
• City | 275 km2 (106 sq mi) |
| • Metro | 2,560.8 km2 (988.7 sq mi) |
| Population (2000) | |
• City | 1,063,000 |
| • Density | 275/km2 (710/sq mi) |
| Website | http://www.municipio.gob.pa |
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Criteria | Cultural: ii, iv, vi |
| Reference | 790 |
| Inscription | 1997 (21st Session) |
| Extensions | 2003 |
Panama City (Spanish: Ciudad de Panamá), population 708,738, with a total metro population of 1,063,000 is the capital of Panama, located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, at 8°58′N 79°32′W / 8.967°N 79.533°W. Panama City is the political, administrative and cultural center of the country. Juan Carlos Navarro is the current mayor of the city. Recently, Panama City has become one of the most important financial centers in Central America, with more than 104 banks, and has become a hub for high-rise buildings (eight of the ten tallest skyscrapers in Latin America are either in Panama City or in the process of being built). The city enjoys five large multilevel malls and many five-star hotels.
Brief history
The city was founded on August 15, 1519, by Pedro Arias de Ávila, also known as Pedrarias Dávila. Within a few years of its founding, the city became a launching point for the exploration and conquest of Peru and a transit point for gold and silver headed back to Spain through the Isthmus. In 1671 Henry Morgan with a band of 1400 men attacked and looted the city, which was subsequently destroyed by fire. The ruins of the old city still remain and are a popular tourist attraction known as Panamá la Vieja (Old Panama). It was rebuilt in 1673 in a new location about 5 miles west-southwest of the original city. This location is now known as the Casco Viejo or Old Hull of the city.
The year before the discovery of gold, the Panama Railroad Company[1] was formed, but the railroad did not begin operation until 1855.[2] Between 1848 and 1869, the year the first transcontinental railroad was completed in the United States, about 375,000 persons crossed the isthmus from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and 225,000 in the opposite direction. That traffic greatly increased the prosperity of the city during that period.
Not surprisingly, construction of the Panama Canal was of great benefit to the infrastructure and economy. Of particular note are the improvements in health and sanitation brought about by the American presence in the Canal Zone. These include the eradication of yellow fever and malaria and the introduction of a first-rate water supply system. However, most of the laborers for the construction of the canal were brought in from the Caribbean, which created unprecedented racial and social tensions in the fledgling city.
During World War II, construction of military bases and the presence of larger numbers of U.S. military and civilian personnel brought about unprecedented levels of prosperity to the city. Panamanians had limited access, or no access at all, to many areas in the Canal Zone neighboring the Panama City metropolitan area. Some of these areas were military bases accessible only to United States personnel. Some tensions arose between the people of Panama and the U.S. citizens living in the Panama Canal Zone. This erupted in the January 9, 1964 events, known as Martyrs' Day.
In the late 1970s and through the 1980s Panama City became an international banking center, bringing a lot of undesirable attention as an international money-laundering center. In 1989 after nearly a year of tension between the United States and Panama, President George H. Bush ordered the invasion of Panama to depose the leader of Panama, General Manuel Noriega. As a result of the action a portion of the El Chorrillo neighborhood, which consisted mostly of old wood-framed buildings dating back to the 1900s (though still a large slum area), was destroyed by fire. Eventually, the U.S. helped finance the construction of large cinderblock apartment buildings to replace the destroyed structures. Panama City remains a banking center, although with very visible controls in the flow of cash. Shipping is handled through port facilities in the area of Balboa operated by the Hutchison Whampoa Company of Hong Kong and through several ports on the Caribbean side of the isthmus. Balboa, which is located within the greater Panama City metropolitan area, was formerly part of the Panama Canal Zone, and in fact the administration of the former Panama Canal Zone was headquartered there.
Panama city as a tourist destination
The city has numerous tourist attractions including world-class hotels and restaurants. Particularly interesting for tourists are various sites located in the old quarter (also commonly referred to as "Casco Viejo", "Casco Antiguo" or "San Felipe"), including
- Las Bóvedas,[3] 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, a recently renovated performance center, with outstanding natural acoustics; It provides an intimate performance environment and seating for about 800 guests.
- Museo del Canal Interoceánico (Interoceanic Canal Museum);
- Numerous restaurants located near the French embassy.
- Palacio de las Garzas (Heron's Palace), the official name of the presidential palace. There are real herons in the compound.
Further southwest one can climb Ancon Hill and get an overview of the city (see photograph at the end of the article) with the well-known Bridge of the Americas spanning over the Panama Canal. There is only one other bridge over the Panama Canal, the Centennial Bridge, which was completed in 2003 and is now becoming an attraction.
Recently relocated to the entrance of Curundu Heights in the former Panama Canal Zone is the Museo Antropológico Reina Torres de Araúz (Reina Torres de Arauz Anthropological Museum) — better known by its Spanish acronym MARTA — with precious metal artifacts from pre-Columbian Panama.
The area immediately east of the Pacific entrance of the canal--known as the Amador Causeway[4]-- is currently being developed as a major tourist center with many North American style malls, hotels, nightclubs, and restaurants. Currently the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute operates a station and a small museum open to the public on Culebra Island, just off the island of Naos (See inset). A new museum, The Bridge of Life Museum, is currently under construction on the causeway. The Bridge of Life Museum was designed by the American architect Frank Gehry famous for the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and the Disney Concert Center in Los Angeles and it is scheduled to be completed in 2007.[5]
Visitors who wish to experience more of the local atmosphere are advised to look for accommodations near to the commercial and financial center of the city; that is, the neighborhoods of Bella Vista, Marbella or El Cangrejo. For tighter budgets Casco Viejo is a better option. In the neighborhood known as Bella Vista, Calle Uruguay is home to Panama's newest cosmopolitan restaurants among them La Rioja, Bistro 10, Peperoncini and La Posta. The city is also growing as a haven for seniors from the United States due to low-tax incentives and a tropical climate. The demand for space in Panama City has sparked a construction boom and skyscrapers are being to built as condos to supply the number of people entering the city. A building currently under construction in the city, the Ice Tower will be nearly the height of the World Trade Center; its highest floor will be as tall as the mast of the Empire State Building. Billionaire tycoon Donald Trump sees the city's future as a bright one. In 2006, he moved into the construction frenzy in Panama City with a tower that is to be more than 800 feet tall. The city is emerging as a regional player in finance and chances are that more buildings will be on the way.
Beaches
Unfortunately, the waters in the coast of the city are polluted, and bathing in them is not allowed. However, there are beaches available nearby. The closest is the Playa Bonita Complex, right next to the city, crossing the Bridge of the Americas. There are also many more beaches, in the Pacific and Caribbean side (one of the advantages of Panama is the possibility of bathing in two oceans easily, as they are just hours apart). In recent years there has been huge development of beach hotels. Farther afield, visitors can travel to beaches in the interior, Bocas del Toro and the Archipiélago de las Perlas in the Gulf of Panama (where Survivor (TV series) has filmed 3 seasons).
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The belltower of the St. John Bosco Basilica. -
View from the university grounds. -
In Casco Viejo.
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A view of the high rise of modern Panamá City, across the Bahía de Panamá, from the old harbour near the Mercado Publico in San Felipe (Casco Viejo). -
Causeway connecting Naos, Perico and Flamengo Islands to the mainland. A bicycle path parallels the roadway. -
Panama City at dusk as seen from the Bay of Panama.
Nature
Panama City is located between the Pacific ocean and some of the world's most spectacular tropical rain forests. The sizable Parque Natural Metropolitano (Metropolitan Nature Park), stretching from Panama city along the Panama canal, has several unique bird species and other animals such as tapir, puma, alligators, etc. Parque Natural Metropolitano can be reached by car from downtown Panama in less than 15 minutes. At the Pacific entrance of the canal is the Centro de Exhibiciones Marinas (Marine Exhibitions Center), a research center for those interested in tropical marine life and ecology. Centro de Exhibiciones Marinas is managed by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
Tropical forests around Panama city are vital for the functioning of the Panama Canal. These forests provide the canal with the watershed required for its operation (a rare example of a vast engineering project in the middle of the forest which actually helped preserve that very nature). Due to the importance of the Canal to the Panamanian economy, tropical forests around the canal have been kept in an almost pristine state. Along the western side of the Canal is the Parque Nacional Soberania (Sovereignty National Park). On the way there one can also visit the lovely and spacious Summit botanical gardens and zoo. In this national park, the best known trail is the Pipeline Road, very popular among birdwatchers.[6]
Transportation
Panama City's international airport Tocumen International Airport located on the eastern outskirts of the city, is easily accessible through the Corredor Sur (Southern Corridor), a modern toll road along the coastline. Under normal traffic conditions, travelers should allow 45 minutes from the financial district to Tocumen airport. Cab fare to and from Tocumen airport is about US$30, though many hotels provide shuttle service. Major car rental companies have their offices at Tocumen airport, and first-time visitors are advised to either take a cab or rent a car at the airport. There are direct flights between Tocumen and New York, Newark, Los Angeles, Houston, Orlando, Miami, Atlanta, Madrid and all major cities in the Caribbean area, Central America and South America. Panama City also has a domestic airport Marcos A. Gelabert, located in an area once occupied by Albrook Air Force Base. Marcos A. Gelabert Airport is the main hub for domestic flights within Panama and the Pearl Islands in the Pacific.
Panama City has an extensive and efficient, yet confusing to tourists, form of public transportation consisting of colorful painted buses colloquially known as diablo rojo. A quarter (US$ 0.25) is the fee for all buses (diablos rojos) traveling within the city. A diablo rojo is usually "customized" or painted with bright colors, usually depicting famous actors, politicians or singers. It is now popular all over the city (and also in neighboring towns) for bus drivers to personally customize the interior and exterior of their diablo rojo. However, first time visitors are advised to use taxis, since diablos rojos routes are usually marked in bright colors on the front wind shield, making them very difficult to recognize, even by locals. Most taxi fares within the city are under US$3. Air-conditioned buses are also available for commuters from the city outskirts of Tocumen, Las Cumbres, San Miguelito and Pedregal. There is also a bus terminal near the Marcos A. Gelabert airport which together with the airport serves as the main transport hub for the rest of the country. Bus fares to neighboring cities are very low, for instance a 4 hour trip to Las Tablas (Capital of Los Santos province) costs less than US$10.
Panama City is in the process of implementing a more modern bus system (Bus Rapid Transit) that will roughly cost US$140 million. Construction works (additional bus lanes, bus stops) are slated to start in Q2 2007, and should be completed in the first quarter of 2009.
Education
The University of Panama (UP), Technologic University of Panama (UTP), USMA, Florida State University outlet campus (FSU) and the Latina University are the main higher learning institutions in Panama City. Numerous other educational and cultural institutions are located in the city, and it was chosen to be the American Capital of Culture for the year 2003 (jointly, with Curitiba, Brazil).
Newspapers, online news, and guidebooks
Panama City has numerous daily newspapers, most with an online presence:
The English language newspaper The Star & Herald suspended publication in 1987. It had started publication as The Panama Herald in 1851.
For news in English and commentary about politics, economics and society in Panama see the online publication
A popular guide to Panama City (and beyond):
- Michèle Labrut, Getting to know Panama, Focus Publications (Int) S.A.
Sports
- Association Football
- Panama City is home to three professional teams in the country's top soccer league, ANAPROF:
- Panama City is also home to two professional teams in the country's second level league, Primera A (Segunda Division):
- Deportivo Italia
- Rio Abajo F.C.
References
External links
- Official website for Panama City
- Official Panama's Tourism Bureau page
- Copa Airlines Main Website - The National Airline of Panama
- Copa Airlines UK Site
- Panama Forum Discussion board and resources about Panama City (includes information about living, retirement, business, taxes, travel, as well as photos)
- Republic of Panama Visitors Guide General Information
- Republic of Panama Visitors Guide Real Estate
- Republic of Panama Visitors Guide Interactive Maps of Panama