Panama City is bounded on the west by the port of Balboa and the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. The city stretches from southwest to northeast along the shore of the Bay of Panama, covering 106 sq km (41 sq mi). The metropolitan area occupies 678 sq km (262 sq mi).
With their colonial ruins, modern high-rise office buildings, luxury homes, and squatters' slums, the city's neighborhoods reflect a blend of cultures, eras, and economic levels. In the southwest, on a peninsula jutting south into the bay, is the Casco Viejo(Old City). Built by the Spaniards in the 1670s, this district originally was surrounded by walls to provide protection from pirates. Some remnants of the Spanish fortifications can still be seen, including Las Bovedas (the Vaults), a sea wall containing dungeons. The Casco Viejo features several notable buildings, including the colonial Catholic cathedral (begun in 1673), the Presidential Palace, where the nation's president lives, and the National Theater.
Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Panama Information info
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