Trivia in Panama

National symbols

Flag: A flag quartered in white, red, and blue with a blue star in the upper left and a red star in the lower right. White symbolizes peace, blue represents justice, and red signifies authority.

Emblem: A shield-shaped coat of arms topped with an eagle and nine stars. The central isthmus and canal are depicted, flanked by national flags and agricultural and military implements.

Trivia & facts

• Ships transit the Panama Canal from Pacific to Atlantic in an average of 8–10 hours.
• The world's largest flag of convenience country with globally ranked number-one tonnage of registered vessels.
• Geisha coffee from Boquete has achieved record prices at international auctions.
• Panama hats actually originate from Ecuador but gained their name from canal construction workers wearing them.
• The indigenous Kuna mola embroidery requires several weeks of handwork per piece.
• The national bird is the vibrant blue-feathered Violet Sabrewing hummingbird.
• Some areas receive over 3,000 mm of annual rainfall while parts of the Pacific coast are relatively dry.
• Panama City has Central America's only metro system with the world's shortest subway network (approximately 39 km).
• Security forces do not have a military but maintain special security forces for Panama Canal protection.
• El Valle de Antón is known as a rare town located within a volcanic caldera.