Panama
Panama is a country located in the southernmost part of Central America, situated on the Isthmus of Panama. This narrow bridge of land connects North America with South America. Panama shares borders with both Colombia and Costa Rica, making it wedged between the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean. The country has more than 1400 islands with some forming part of the Pacific and others part of the Caribbean.
Panama is the home of many Native American peoples, such as the Guaymí, Kuna, and Chocó. and became the first Spanish colony on the Pacific. The capital city, Panama City, is a cosmopolitan city comprising three distinct areas including the historic district, a rebuilt district, and modern sections.
Australia and Panama established diplomatic relations in 1974. Australia has an Honorary Consul in Panama City, with the Australian Ambassador to Mexico holding non-resident accreditation to Panama. The Embassy of Panama in Australia is located in Canberra and was opened in 2018, with an Honorary Consul also located in Sydney.
Panama is a member of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), the Organization of American States (OAS), Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the Central American Integration System (SICA).
Capital: Panama City
Population: 4,441,131
Gross Domestic Product (GDP): 52.94 billion US dollars (2020)
Did you know?
Panama is home to one of the 7 man-made wonders of the world, the famous Panama Canal.
Panama is the only country in the world where you can see the sun rise on the Pacific and set on the Atlantic. This can be viewed from the highest point in the country, Volcan Baru.
Panama was the first country in Latin America to adopt the US dollar as their official currency.
Data from 2019 showed that 200 Panamanian visitors came to Australia. Panama reported that the number of annual Australian visitors to Panama was 4,302.
Recipe - Panamanian Sancocho
Ingredients:
1 pound beef for stews, flank, chuck, or round [0.45 kg] cut into small pieces
1 pound goat meat, [0.45 kg] cut into small pieces
1 pound pork for stews, belly, or chump end [0.45 kg] cut into small pieces
Juice of two limes
1 teaspoons cilantro or parsley, chopped
½ teaspoons oregano, powdered
1 teaspoons garlic, crushed
1½ teaspoons salt
4 tablespoon oil
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced fine or pressed
2 Tbsp oregano
1 tsp black pepper
3 Tbsp chopped culantro (available from Latin markets) or cilantro*
1 large onion, diced
3 pounds peeled yams, yuca, green plantains, or potatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
3 ears corn, broken into 2-inch rounds
3 tsp salt (to taste)
*Culantro is stronger in flavor than cilantro; if cilantro is used, double the amount to 6 Tbsp, chopping both stems and leaves.
Method:
Make a spice rub of the garlic, oregano, and pepper. Rub all over the chicken.
In a tall, heavy pot, heat the oil till glistening and brown the chicken all over.
Cover the chicken with water and add the culantro or cilantro. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the chopped onions and root vegetables. Simmer on medium-low for 50 minutes, adding water as need to keep the ingredients just under water.
Add the corn and cook 15 minutes more until tender.
Add salt to taste and serve.
Serving: Serve hot accompanied with white rice (arroz blanco), avocado, and hot sauce on the side (best if you have agrio de naranja).
Recipe adapted from: https://www.dominicancooking.com/125/sancocho