Panamanian American - Demography

Demography

The Panamanians have traditionally preferred the large urban cities. Thus, during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the Panamanians congregated in urban areas, especially in very large metropolitan cities. Most Panamanian immigrants are set in New England, or on the Gulf Coast, or Pacific Coast, or in middle Atlantic or Great Lakes areas. While, New York City contains the largest urban population of Panamanians. Also there an important number of Panamanians settled in Florida and California. Unlike most other Hispanic groups, the vast majority of Panamanian Americans are black, with the remaining being mainly Mestizo. Although most Panamanian Americans speak Spanish, the group tends to identify itself more with West Indian groups rather than with other Hispanic groups, this tendency is most prevalent among black Panamanian Americans, which may be due to large Jamaican immigration, which occurred during the early 1900s, many of them retained their West Indian culture. Most Panamanians, along with Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Colombians, and Venezuelans have higher percentages of African descent than other Hispanic groups.