The culture, customs, and language of the Panamanians are predominantly Caribbean Spanish. Ethnically, the majority of the population is mestizo (mixed indigenous, black and white) or mixed indigenous, West Indian, Chinese, and Spanish. Many languages, including seven indigenous languages, are spoken in Panama, although Spanish is the official and dominant language. English is now a second official language, and is spoken natively by the West Indian population and as a second language by many professionals. More than half the population lives in the Panama City-Colón metropolitan corridor.

Panama is rich in folklore and popular traditions. Brightly colored national dress is worn during local festivals and the pre-Lenten carnival season, especially for traditional folk dances like the tamborito. Lively salsa — a mixture of Latin American popular music, rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock — is a Panamanian specialty, and Rubén Blades its best-known performer. Indian influences dominate handicrafts such as the famous Kuna textile molas. Artist Roberto Lewis ' Presidential Palace murals and his restoration work and ceiling in the National Theater are well known and admired.

More than 65,000 Panamanian students attend the University of Panama , the Technological University , and the University of Santa Maria La Antigua , a private Catholic institution. Including smaller colleges, there are 14 institutions of higher education in Panama. The first 6 years of primary education are compulsory, and there are about 357,000 students currently enrolled in grades one through six. The total enrollment in the six secondary grades is about 207,000. Nearly 90% of Panamanians are literate.

Population:3,000,463 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:0-14 years: 30.2% (male 461,427; female 443,932) 15-64 years: 63.6% (male 967,490; female 940,344) 65 years and over: 6.2% (male 88,611; female 98,659) (2004 est.)

Median age: total: 25.9 years male: 25.6 years female: 26.2 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.31% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 20.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:6.39 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:-0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 20.95 deaths/1,000 live births male: 23.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.14 years male: 69.82 years female: 74.56 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.49 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups: Definition Field Listing mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%

Religions: Definition Field Listing Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15% Languages: Definition Field Listing Spanish (official), English 14% note: many Panamanians bilingual

Nationality:

noun: Panamanian(s)

adjective: Panamanian

Ethnic groups:

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%

Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Languages: Spanish (official), English (official) 14%, Indigenous languages: Kuna , Embera, Ngabere, Buglere, Teribe, Woun Meu
note: many Panamanians bilingual

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

         total population: 92.6%
         male: 93.2%
         female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

See also : Panama