Why Panama?

Panama has a population of approx. 3,000,463.
Mestizos, which is a mixture of natives and Spaniards, make up 70% of the population, Westerners 14%, whites 10% and Indians 6%.

Panama is a proud nation that appreciates its seven Native American tribes and their great Spanish heritage from colonial times. This mix of different ethnic groups makes visiting the country an incredibly interesting cultural experience.

Furthermore, the country has a beautiful nature with tropical rainforests, large grasslands, mountains and long coastlines.

Panama is a country largely dominated by its coasts, north of the Caribbean Sea and south of the Pacific Ocean. A mountain range that reaches a considerable height divides the country into two rather sharply demarcated areas: a wide zone covered by rainforest, facing the Caribbean Sea, and a narrower forest cover, in the area facing the Pacific Ocean.

The highest point in Panama is 3,475 meters. The land area is 77,082 square kilometers. Panama has a length of 772 kilometers and varies from 60 to 177 kilometers in width. The border area between Panama and Colombia is known as the Darién plug.
A dense rainforest area where the indigenous people live. The area is today threatened by the plans for the construction of a road.

The navigation of the Panama Canal and the trade and financial activities associated with it are the focal point of the country’s economy.
In addition, a number of tropical agricultural products are grown and copper is extracted from the tenants in Cerro Colorado.

Panama is, along with Costa Rica, the most developed economies in the sub-region.
The economy is mainly based on a well-developed service sector, in particular services related to the Panama Canal, financial services, the Colon free zone, insurance, container ports and tourism, which contribute ¾ of GDP.

A decline in exports from the free zone and agriculture, as well as the US withdrawal from the military, pushed economic growth in 2000-2003.
In 2004 and 2005, growth increased, thanks to increased exports and a sharp rise in the construction sector due to tax incentives.
In 2004 and 2005, growth was 7.6% and 6.4%, respectively. The agricultural and fisheries sectors, which are responsible for a large part of the employment in the country, are experiencing increasing demand.

Unemployment, which was 9.6% in 2005, is falling despite the high level and is expected to fall further. Despite the growth of the economy, the proportion of the population living in poverty is unchanged. Social and economic structures prevent the distribution of resources and thus contribute to the great inequality in income distribution.

About 40% of the population lives in poverty, 16.6% in extreme poverty and it is especially the rural population and people of Native American descent who are affected. Inflation in 2005 reached its highest level in decades with 3.4%, mainly due to high oil prices.
The development debt in 2005 was DKK 9.5 billion. kr.