Penonomé is the capital of the Panama

Panama

Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...

nian province of Coclé. The town is located along the Inter-American Highway

Inter-American Highway

The Inter-American Highway is the Central American section of the Pan-American Highway and spans 3,400 miles between Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and Panama City, Panama....

 in the wide, flat lowlands of central Coclé.

Penonomé was founded in 1581. The name of this town comes from the words "penó Nomé". Nome was a chief of a local native American tribe, who was put to death by the Spanish colonial officials. "Penó Nomé" means "Nome was executed." The town was the capital of Panama for a short period after Panama City was sacked by Henry Morgan

Henry Morgan

Admiral Sir Henry Morgan was an Admiral of the Royal Navy, a privateer, and a pirate who made a name for himself during activities in the Caribbean, primarily raiding Spanish settlements...

in 1671.

The Catedral de Penonomé and the municipal government office (Casa de Gobierno) are located on the town's central plaza. The town also has a small museum, El Museo de Penonomé, which is often closed. The town has two main shopping streets, Avenida Juan Demóstenes Arosemena and the Inter-American Highway along the edge of town.

The town is home to many descendants of Turkish, Chinese, and Arab immigrants.

Penonomé is served by buses to many locations in Panama.