5 facts about Panama/Panama City:
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1) The Panama Canal is so important to the history of the country, that it is literally the reason Panama exists. The US-French corporation that wanted to build the canal together with the US government aided Panamanian nationalists to rebel against Colombia (which Panama was part of), because Colombia didn’t want to give control of the canal to the US after it was built.
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2) Though Panama theoretically has its own currency (the balboa) it doesn’t mint its own paper money anymore, because the currency used in Panama is the US dollar.
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3) Use of the US dollar, Panamanians running the Panama Canal even more profitably after the US handover in 1999, and laws making Panama a hub for financial services have made it one of the fastest growing economies in the region. However, deep inequality persists. The top 20% of Panamanians hold about 55% of the wealth. Greater GDP doesn’t always mean money trickles down to the people.
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4) The Canal Zone was a US territory until 1979. Panamanians were either heavily discouraged from or outright banned from entering it, as it was home to US citizens and US military bases. Anti-US protests were frequent in the late 50s and 60s and led to clashes and violence between Panamanians and US troops, and several deaths.
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5) Panama City is the only capital city in the world that has a rainforest within its limits.
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