# WHAT IS PANAMA BEST KNOWN FOR?



## Zwanderlust (Apr 7, 2005)

*The Panama Canal aside, which of the above is most attributable to this vital Central American nation? In short, what's Panama's biggest "Claim to Fame?" Again, you're challeged not to mention the great waterway.

*U. S. 1989 military incursion.
**Actually originated in Ecuador.
***Along with "Colombian Gold" a favorite among the pot smokers of the early 70's.
****CBS' hit "reality" show shot on Panamanian soil for the 3rd. time.
*****Movie based on John LeCarre's novel of the same name, shot in Panama City.*


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## FREKI (Sep 27, 2005)

For me the canal.. sorry!

Then the military action and then the wonderful looking Panama City!


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## Zwanderlust (Apr 7, 2005)

Mr_Denmark said:


> For me the *canal*... sorry!


*Congratulations. you're the very first to fail the challenge of not mentioning the canal...* :doh:


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## empersouf (Mar 19, 2004)

^^
That's the only thing I know from Panama too. But I know it has a lot of jungles and many twins in the skyline of Panama. And it used to be part of Columbia!


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## shayan (Oct 9, 2005)

the canal is the only thing i know...


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## grachtengordeldier (Mar 7, 2006)

The canal.


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## CborG (Dec 2, 2003)

The canal What else is there to do?


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

How about Noriega? This guy has been one of the most infamous dictators to rule Panama and the country became a centre of drug trade during his rule. I'll say it's Operation: "Just Cause"


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## DvW (Mar 8, 2005)

When you say 'Panama', I say 'Panama Canal' in the same breath. :laugh:


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## hossoso (Oct 9, 2005)

it's a Van Halen song...JESUS CHRIST, DEAR LORD GOD IN HEAVEN GIVE ME STRENGTH TO ENDURE THESE INFIDELS!!!! Pan-a-ma-a-a-a-a-a. Panama! *kick*


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## aleko (Jun 23, 2005)

Now I know that Panama have one of the most espectacular skylines of Latin America.


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## Slodi (Feb 25, 2006)

The Panama Canal, of course! Sorry!


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## DrJoe (Sep 12, 2002)

Yes definitely the canal.


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## dmg1mn (Oct 1, 2005)

The Canal.


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## PanaManiac (Mar 26, 2005)

*The thread/poll-starter prefaced her question by saying "The Panama Canal aside" and posted a 10-item poll that did not include the great waterway. This meant that the Panama Canal is a given as the country's primary "Claim to fame." (In fact, there are people in this world who assume that "Panama" is only a canal.) I expected subscribers to this forum (Travel & Geography) to have a higher level of sophistication than the "average joe" who would cite the canal despite the caveat and other poll options.

That aside, I hereby submit the order in which the poll options are currently associated with Panama, in the United States:

1-Survivor: Panama - Exile Island
2-Opertation: "Just Cause"
3-The Panama Hat
4-Tropical Rainforest
5-Banana Export (Chiquita)
6-"Panama Red" Cannabis
7-Geographical Location
8-The Tailor of Panama (book/movie)
9-Panama City Skyline








10-International Banking Center*


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## Küsel (Sep 16, 2004)

For sure first by the canal. 

I think in the meantime nearly everyone knows that the Panama Hat didn't originate from there 

Then I would say the skyline of Panama City and especially the geographic location. Most of the people couldn't point out Guatemala or Nicaragua but definitly Panama if they know a bit about this region


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## jacek_t83 (Dec 5, 2005)

aleko said:


> Now I know that Panama have one of the most espectacular skylines of Latin America.


almost like NYC


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## nazrey (Sep 12, 2003)

One of the world best volleyball team !


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## MuddyZehbra32 (Jan 23, 2005)

"The panama canal - sorry" ????? hat makes me laugh. umm... i'd have to say "Sorry, you forgot the most obvious and blatant thing that everyone in the world knows about and completely assiciates with Panama (in the eyes of many ignorant americans, it as another 3rd world country with a canal)"...unless of course you did that on purpose. i have patience for that.


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## Audiomuse (Dec 20, 2005)

^Zwandelust said "Try to avoid the canal", in her first post.


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## Momo1435 (Oct 3, 2005)

After the canal:

*The Panama Shipping Registry*

There are alot of ships that travel all over the world and bare the name Panama.


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## Zwanderlust (Apr 7, 2005)

momochan said:


> After the canal:
> 
> *The Panama Shipping Registry*
> 
> There are alot of ships that travel all over the world and bare the *name* Panama.


*The ships bare the flag







not the name.*


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## Slodi (Feb 25, 2006)

Zwanderlust said:


> *The ships bare the flag
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What is the home port of those ships? Isn't it Panama City? 
Even crew who serves on the Panama registered ships must possess a Panamian Seaman's Book and Panamian Endorsement for the national License. 
BTW, I am one of them.


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## Slodi (Feb 25, 2006)

Panamaniac said:


> *This locomotive is called a "mule" and is used on the sides of the canal locks to center and tow the passage of large vessels. Without them, the ships would veer and graze the walls of the of the locks. The mules guide at pinpoint accuracy, often at only an inch clearance between the ship and the walls on either side.*


*

Thanks for info, Panamaniac! Sounds very interesting. I wonder if that kind of mule is still in use somewhere else than in the Panama Canal. Perhaps not, so you can consider it as a something unique, can you?*


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## premutos (Mar 17, 2006)

that cannal thing

other than that not much


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## nex (Jul 22, 2005)

the canal, the ships but first of all never finishing the transamerican highway.


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## carfentanyl (May 14, 2003)

Things I think of:

- Manuel Noriega
- massive deforestation
- Dendrobates auratus


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## PanaManiac (Mar 26, 2005)

Slodi said:


> Thanks for info, Panamaniac! Sounds very interesting. I wonder if that kind of mule is still in use somewhere else than in the Panama Canal. Perhaps not, so you can consider it as a something unique, can you?


*Ahh... yes.*


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## Satsi (May 17, 2006)

nex said:


> the canal, the ships but first of all never finishing the transamerican highway.


*Are you saying that Panama's best known for not having finished the transamerican highway? You seem bitter. Wait a minute... You're not John Madden are you?!*


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## Panameñita (Dec 20, 2005)

I hope everybody could relate a good thing with the name of Panama. 

For all the people of other countries..come to Panama: Everybody is invited!


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## nex (Jul 22, 2005)

Satsi said:


> *Are you saying that Panama's best known for not having finished the transamerican highway? You seem bitter. Wait a minute... You're not John Madden are you?!*


No im not John whatever.
Bitter! no its just a fact.
Yes you cant make a trip from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego cause the thing its not finished in Panama, is it?


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## Satsi (May 17, 2006)

nex said:


> No im not John whatever.
> Bitter! no its just a fact.
> Yes you cant make a trip from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego cause the thing its not finished in Panama, is it?


*At issue is not the "Darien Gap" in the TransAmerican highway, but wether or not it's what you think Panama is best known for (after the Canal), the subject of this thread.

BTW, John "Whatever" is John Madden, an American football broadcast icon who only travels by road due to his fear of flying.*


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## nex (Jul 22, 2005)

OK since you are from Panama i'll cut the english and try my español

Panama es muy conocido por el canal y la flota de navios que usan su bandera. Lo poco que conzco gracias a skyscrapercity es Ciudad de Panama que por las fotos está muy bonita y deserrollada, creo que tiene mucho potencial turistico, que puede ser mejor promovido/desarrollado como en Costa Rica.  

ps:Solo hice la question sobre la carretera porque no comprendo porque no la concluien de una vez por todas: http://www.molatour.com/AboutPanama.html
con el proposito de unir/aproximar pueblos nada mas.  

sorry for my Portuñol


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## Satsi (May 17, 2006)

nex said:


> OK since you are from Panama i'll cut the english and try my español
> 
> Panama es muy conocido por el canal y la flota de navios que usan su bandera. Lo poco que conzco gracias a skyscrapercity es Ciudad de Panama que por las fotos está muy bonita y deserrollada, creo que tiene mucho potencial turistico, que puede ser mejor promovido/desarrollado como en Costa Rica.
> 
> ...


*For the those of you following my "conversation" with the quotee, (who don't read spanish), here's the translation: Panama is well known for the canal and vessels bearing it's flag, but thanks to SSC, it's best known on the forums for Panama City's beautiful skyline, which if promoted well can become a superb tourist destination like Costa Rica. I made the "Darien Gap" reference because it's incomprehensible why the highway remains unfinished.*


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## Animo (Oct 6, 2005)

^^ I agree. I only know about the Panama canal until I saw the city's skyline photos here.


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## Satsi (May 17, 2006)

*Excluding the canal...*

*On SSC, Panama's best known for it's capital's skyline, in the US, for "Operation: Just Cause" with Survivor a close second, to the world in general, probably it's geographical location. Below are a few facts about Panama that's not common knowledge:

1-The circulating currency is the U. S. dollar and has no exchange controls or restrictions, so funds can flow in and out of the country freely.

2-The Colón Free Zone is the country's home to the largest international distribution and trade center on the Western Hemisphere (2nd. only to Hong Kong worldwide). There are in excess of 1500 international import/export businesses operating within it's confines while generating 11 billion dollars annually.

3-Home to the most modern, successful and largest international banking center in the world outside of Switzerland. Over 150 banks from 35 different countries do business in Panama City.

4-While Spanish is the official language, English is the second most widely spoken language in the country. 8 of 10 panamanians living in the Panama-Colón metropolitan canal corridor are bi-lingual.

5-Well over a third of the country's (3 million +) population live in Panama City (metro area).

6-Panama constitutionally abolished it's armed services in an effort to minimize the occurence of another military coup. In a not-too-distant past, the country was plagued by political instability and tin-horn dictators (think Noriega). Today, Panama enjoys one of the more stable administrations in Latin America.

7-At the narrowest point of the land (think Panama Canal), only 52 miles seperate the Pacific from the Caribbean coast in the Atlantic. And on a clear day, from it's highest point (Barú volcano) you can see both coasts.

That's all folks...*


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## _zner_ (May 24, 2005)

panama canal is the most popular one. also the yellow fever(?).. hehe


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## PanaManiac (Mar 26, 2005)

(((myx))) said:


> panama canal is the most popular one. also the yellow fever(?).. hehe


*Cute.*


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## Satsi (May 17, 2006)

*Look what the cat dragged in...  *


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## Tubeman (Sep 12, 2002)

Satsi said:


> *Look what the cat dragged in...  *


Nice try


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