Panama’s population has diverse origins, shaped by centuries of immigration and intermingling. Mestizos are the largest population group in Panama. They predominate in the savannas to the west of the canal and in the central provinces of Panamá and Colón, where they have intermarried with people of West Indian and African ancestry. In the 19th century, immigrants from North America, France, China, and the British West Indies arrived, especially during the construction of the Panama Canal. 

Indigenous groups like the Guaymí, Kuna, and Chocó inhabited the region initially. African slaves were brought during colonial times, contributing to the Afro-Panamanian population. Other minority groups include Chinese, East Indians, Middle Easterners, and a significant Jewish community, founded by refugees from the Inquisition and later bolstered by immigrants from the West Indies.