OTHERS

Panama has been called the crossroads of the world and with reason. It is home to thousands of North Americans and Europeans who move to Panama to retire or for business, as well as home to many East Indians, Arabs, Japanese, Koreans, and South Americans. You can find a variety of ethnic restaurants and cultural communities throughout Panama City.

Panama is also home to one of the seven Bahai Temple's in the world, who look at Panama as a very important and strategic location for their faith. Panama also hails a very large and extravagant Hindu temple in Panama City, as well as one in the city of Colón. There are also three buddhist temples and one Sikh temple.

There are nearly 9,000 Jews in Panama and over 10,000 muslims.
Unlike other parts of the world where devoutly practicing Jews and Muslims have not come into conflict, in Panama the two are almost symbiotic. Saturday nights find Panamanian Jews enjoying meals at Arab-run restaurants with halal-certified food, and in many cases businesses run by Orthodox Jews and Arab Muslims operate side by side without a hint of conflict. In some cases, businesses are co-owned by Jews and Arabs.

There are three Jewish congregations – two Orthodox and one Reform – and thousands of kosher and Sabbath-observant Jews. Panama stands out in Latin America as having one of the most devout and practicing Jewish populations.

There are seven mosques in Panama that are interspersed throughout the country.

As you can see, Panama is indeed a melting pot of nations and lives up to its name as the "Crossroads of the World".