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Panama City, Florida Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.
Panama City, Florida facts for kids
Not to be confused with Panama City, Panama or Panama City Beach, Florida.
| Panama City, Florida | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| City | |||
| City of Panama City | |||
Panama City's city hall in November 2013.
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 Location in Bay County and the U.S. state of Florida |
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| Country |  United States of America |
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| State |  Florida |
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| County |  Bay |
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| Incorporated | 1909 | ||
| Area | |||
| • City | 35.4 sq mi (91.8 km2) | ||
| • Land | 29.3 sq mi (75.8 km2) | ||
| • Water | 6.2 sq mi (16.0 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 26 ft (8 m) | ||
| Population (2010) | |||
| • City | 36,484 | ||
| • Density | 1,029.3/sq mi (397.43/km2) | ||
| • Metro | 168,852 | ||
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) | ||
| Zip Codes | 32401–32409, 32411–32413, 32417, 32461 | ||
| Area code(s) | 850 | ||
| FIPS code | 12-54700 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0288448 | ||
| Website | www.pcgov.org | ||
Panama City is a city and the county seat of Bay County, Florida, United States. Located along U.S. Route 98, it is the largest city between Tallahassee and Pensacola. It is the more populated of two principal cities of the Panama City-Lynn Haven, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 36,484. When Panama City was incorporated in 1909, its original city limits were 15th Street (Hwy 98) on the north, Balboa Avenue on the west and Bay Avenue on the east.
Contents
Name
The development in this area of Northwest Florida had previous names such as "Floriopolis," "Park Resort" and "Harrison." In 1906 the development was titled "Panama City" and later incorporated as "Panama City" in 1909. According to the Panama City Public Library's A History of Panama City, a developer named George Mortimer West hoped to spur real estate development in Bay County during a period of intense popular interest in the construction of the Panama Canal by changing the town's name from Harrison to Panama City, because a straight line between Chicago and the capital of the Central American country of Panama intersected the Florida town. Additionally, since required meanders around land formations in a seaborne route to the canal added distance when starting at other ports, Panama City was the closest developed port in the US mainland to the Caribbean entrance of the Panama Canal.
As of the fourth quarter in 2016, there is a commercial rebranding campaign set out to rebrand the downtown area of Panama City, Florida to "Harrison" or "Harrison Historic Downtown Panama City." There is currently ongoing backlash to this rebranding attempt from the area's merchants. Harrison is the road (thoroughfare) that runs through downtown Panama City, Florida.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 422 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,722 | 308.1% | |
| 1930 | 5,402 | 213.7% | |
| 1940 | 11,610 | 114.9% | |
| 1950 | 25,814 | 122.3% | |
| 1960 | 33,275 | 28.9% | |
| 1970 | 32,096 | −3.5% | |
| 1980 | 33,346 | 3.9% | |
| 1990 | 34,378 | 3.1% | |
| 2000 | 36,417 | 5.9% | |
| 2010 | 36,484 | 0.2% | |
| Est. 2015 | 38,286 | 4.9% | |
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As of the census of 2010, there were 36,484 people, 14,792 households, and 8,613 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,245.2 people per square mile (481.3/km2). There were 17,438 housing units at an average density of 595.2 per square mile (230.1/km2). As of the census of 2010, the racial makeup of the city is 71.6% White, 22.0% African American, 1.6% Asian, 0.5% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.9% from two or more races, and 5.1% Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 14,792 households, out of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.3% were headed by married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.8% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28, and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city, the population was 20.7% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.7 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.
Geography
Panama City is located at 30°10′28″N 85°39′52″W / 30.17444°N 85.66444°W (30.174451, -85.664480) within the Florida Panhandle and along the Emerald Coast. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city limits encompass an area of 35.4 square miles (91.8 km2), of which 29.3 square miles (75.8 km2) is land and 6.2 square miles (16.0 km2), or 17.39%, is water.
Climate
Panama City has a humid subtropical climate, with short, mild winters and long, hot and humid summers. In January, the average low is 42 °F (6 °C), and in July the average high is 90 °F (32 °C).
The city is susceptible to hurricanes, such as Hurricane Earl, which brought winds of more than eighty miles per hour in 1998.
| Climate data for Panama City, Fla. | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °F (°C) | 63.3 (17.39) |
66.3 (19.06) |
71.6 (22) |
77.5 (25.28) |
84.4 (29.11) |
88.7 (31.5) |
90.1 (32.28) |
90.0 (32.22) |
88.2 (31.22) |
81.2 (27.33) |
73.0 (22.78) |
65.0 (18.33) |
78.28 (25.708) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 42.1 (5.61) |
46.3 (7.94) |
51.3 (10.72) |
57.4 (14.11) |
65.4 (18.56) |
72.7 (22.61) |
75.1 (23.94) |
74.8 (23.78) |
70.8 (21.56) |
60.4 (15.78) |
51.4 (10.78) |
44.2 (6.78) |
59.33 (15.181) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 4.89 (124.2) |
5.11 (129.8) |
5.68 (144.3) |
3.67 (93.2) |
3.08 (78.2) |
6.18 (157) |
7.39 (187.7) |
6.96 (176.8) |
6.03 (153.2) |
3.60 (91.4) |
4.47 (113.5) |
4.02 (102.1) |
61.1 (1,552) |
| Source: Florida Climate Center | |||||||||||||
Transportation
Roads
The two main east-to-west thoroughfares in Panama City proper are 23rd Street and U.S. Highway 98. The main north-to-south thoroughfare is Martin Luther King Boulevard, otherwise known as FL-77.
Rail
The Bay Line Railroad has an 82-mile (132 km) rail line running north to Dothan, Alabama, to a connection with CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern.
Bus transportation
Local transit is handled by the Baytown Trolley services. Service generally runs Monday-Saturday from 6 AM to 7 PM.
Intercity transit is handled by the city's Greyhound station.
Air transportation
The city was served by the Panama City-Bay County International Airport (PFN) until May 22, 2010. It was replaced by the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) with Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and Silver Airways.
Fictional references
- Charles "Trip" Tucker III, (short for "Triple", since he is the third generation of his family to be named Charles Tucker), played by Connor Trinneer, is a fictional character in the television series Star Trek: Enterprise. According to Star Trek lore, "Trip" was born and lived in Panama City. Tucker had a sister who was killed by the Xindi along with 7 million other Humans in the year 2153.
Images for kids
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The Rock-Tenn Factory