Panama was inhabited by indigenous tribes before Spanish colonists arrived in the 16th century. It broke away from Spain in 1821 and joined the Republic of Gran Colombia, a union of Nueva Granada, Ecuador, and Venezuela. After Gran Colombia dissolved in 1831, Panama and Nueva Granada eventually became the Republic of Colombia. With the backing of the United States, Panama separated from Colombia in 1903, allowing the construction of the Panama Canal to be completed by the United States between 1904 and 1914.
Panama has a few Indians tribes, included the Guaymi Indians with a population of about 300,000. Many located in the area where we are ministering to start new churches.