Indians in Panama

Infobox Ethnic group
group = Indo-Panamanians
poptime = 10,000 [http://indiandiaspora.nic.in/diasporapdf/chapter19.pdf]
popplace = Panama City
langs = Spanish, Hindi
rels = Hinduism, Christianity, Islam
related-c = Non-resident Indian and Person of Indian Origin, Desi, Spanish Gypsies, Anglo-Indians

There are an estimated 10,000 people of Indian origin in Panama. They are employed in the shipping industry while others are mainly engaged in commerce. A majority are Hindu with a substantial Muslim minority and they maintain temples and msques in Panama City and Colon.

Panama's Indian community originates from Gujarat or to Sindh(now a part of Pakistan). The first significant immigration was during the US phase of the building of the Panama Canal, and were prmarily from the Caribbean islands under British rule. Many of the founders of the Colon Free Zone were Indians. Since then, the Indian community has grown with a slow but steady stream of immigrants.

Prominent Indian Panamanians

References

*Panama#Demographics
* [http://moia.gov.in/showsublink.asp?sublinkid=226 Indian Associations in Panama]
* [http://indiandiaspora.nic.in/diasporapdf/chapter19.pdf Indian Diaspora in the Caribbean]
* [http://www.thepanamanews.com/pn/v_11/issue_15/community_01.html India Festival in Panama]
* [http://www.thepanamanews.com/pn/v_11/issue_15/community_02.html Panama City's Hindu temple]