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^[[1951]]

PANAMA AND THE CANAL ZONE
^[[AGATHA?]]

[[image - map of Panama]]

[[table]]
WEATHER IN PANAMA CITY—Lat.N8°57—Alt.40'

|   |JAN.|FEB.|MAR.|APR.|MAY|JUNE|JULY|AUG.|SEPT.|OCT.|
|NOV.|DEC.|

|Temp. Low|78°|79°|79°|80°|78°|78°|79°|78°|78°|77°|77°|
|78°|

|Temp. High|80°|81°|83°|84°|82°|80°|81°|81°|80°|79°|79°|
|80°|

|Temp. Average|79°|80°|81°|82°|80°|79°|80°|80°|79°|78°|
|78°|79°|

|Inches of Rainfall|.9|.9|.6|2.8|7.8|8.2|7.2|7.8|7.9|
|10.1|10.1|4.2|
^[[Rain but not bad]]

LOCATION... Panama occupies the isthmus connecting Central and South America.

CHARACTERISTICS... Here is a felicitous combination of old world charm and modern comfort.  Panama is in some ways a miniature Spain, with its fiestas and gay peasant costumes.  Panama City is one of the gayest sports in this hemisphere, and it is a paradise for sportsmen, too.  Big game fishing is famous here and hunting is excellent in the interior.  There are good beaches where swimming is delightful.  And there are luxury hotels to accommodate you.  Tourists, of course, are an old story to this colorful little country and they are very welcome.

POPULATION... Estimated at 801,290, slightly larger than Washington, D.C.

SIZE...33,677 square miles, about half the size of the state of Washington.

CAPITAL... Panama, population 127,407, about the size of Mobile, Alabama.

GOVERNMENT... The isthmus of Panama is an independent republic of seven provinces, except for the 10-mile-wide strip of land surrounding the Panama Canal which is under the jurisdiction of the United States.

HOW TO GET THERE... By Pan American's de luxe non-stop service 4 1/2 hours from Miami, 7 1/2 hours non-stop from New Orleans, 10 hours from Houston.  By connecting airlines 10 1/2 hours from New York.  By ships, about 5 days.

PANAMA CITY
ACCOMMODATIONS... The hotels in Panama City combine fine, up-to-date facilities with gracious old-world charm.  ^[[Awful]].  The [[strikethrough]] Hotel Internacional [[/strikethrough]] and the new El Panama ^[[wonderful]] are the swankiest in Panama City. Both have air-conditioned rooms and roof gardens—two of the nicest places to dine and dance in Panama City.  At the Internacional rates begin at $6 per day for a single room on the European Plan.  At El Panama, one of the most spectacular buildings of its kind anywhere, rooms (all with private terraces) start at $9 for air-conditioned rooms, $8 up for others.  The centrally-located Roosevelt is very good.  Rates start at $6 here. Less expensive are the Hotel Colombia on the Plaza Bolivar and the Central on Independence Plaza.  The latter is one of the oldest hotels in the Isthmus region and one of the best.  All these hotels are run on the European Plan.

ARTS... The Panama Museum in Panama City contains a representative collection of native arts and crafts that have been influenced by the Spanish and the ancient Inca civilization.  There is also an interesting collection of objects related to Panama's stormy fight for independence.  Fortunately, Panamanian crafts have escaped being over-commercialized.  You will see fine examples of the taste and imagination of the art of these colorful people.

BALLET... No ballet, but the Tamborito is the national dance of Panama.  From the first African and Indian slaves to the modern influence of jazz, the history of the spirit of the people of Panama can be traced in this gay dance.  There are special costumes worn.  You will see the Tamborito everywhere in Panama.

BANKS... National Bank of the Republic of Panama; Chase National Bank of the City of New York; National City Bank of New York.  The last two have offices in Balboa and Colon besides the Panama City branches.

CALENDAR OF HOLIDAYS... Carnival time, the four days before Ash Wednesday; Panamanian Independence Day.  There are many other church holidays celebrated. 

CIGARS, CIGARETTES AND TOBACCO... Practically all cigarettes here are American brands.  A package of cigarettes in Panama costs 20 cents; in Canal Zone Commissaries, 13 cents.  Most of the tobaccos are Cuban brands.

CLIMATE... The temperature of tropical Panama is remarkable for its uniformity throughout the year.  The average temperature is around 80 degrees.  It is very hot around noon and ^[[true]] the offices and shops close for the two-hour siesta period.  The best time to visit Panama is during the driest months, January through April.

CLUBS... Rotary International of Panama; Golf Club and Union Club in Panama City; Rancho Gardens are also clubs.

COMMON COURTESIES AND LOCAL CUSTOMS... Like all Latins, Panamanians are more formal to strangers than ^[[not true]] we are in America.  The siesta is an important custom in Panama.

COMMUNICATIONS... There are telephone, telegraph and cable facilities in all major centers.  Local service is good.  Air-mail rates between Panama and the States are 10 cents a half-ounce.

CURRENCY... Monetary unit is the balboa, on a par with our own currency.

CUSTOMS REQUIREMENTS AND DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR UNITED STATES CITIZENS... The tourist card you will receive on arrival is sufficient identification in Panama.  If you plan to hire a car, you must have a current driver's license.

DRUG STORES... There are well-stocked drug stores in all the major centers in Panama.

FAUNA... The central jungles of Panama are full of rare birds and wild tropical game.  There are jaguars, puma, tigrillos, ocelots, mule deer, wild boar, peccary and the conejo pintado—painted rabbits.  The fowl include wild turkey, quail, partridge and pigeons.  The name "Panama" means abundance of fish.  The Panamanian waters on both shores offer all sorts of deep-sea

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