Panama is located in Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica.
Panama has borders with Colombia for 225km and Costa Rica for 330km.
Land in Panama is interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills.
Panamanian land covers an area of 78200 square kilometers which is slightly smaller than South Carolina
As for the Panamanian climate; tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May).
Panamanian(s) speak Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual.
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Bocas del Toro Chiriquí Coclé Colón Darién Herrera | Los Santos Panamá Panama (general) San Blas Veraguas |
With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. On 7 September 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of 1999. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the intervening years. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the Canal, and remaining US military bases were turned over to Panama by or on 31 December 1999.
Panama's dollarised economy rests primarily on a well-developed services sector that accounts for three-fourths of GDP. Services include operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. A slump in the Colon Free Zone and agricultural exports, the global slowdown, and the withdrawal of US military forces held back economic growth in 2000-03; growth picked up in 2004 and 2005 led by export-oriented services and a construction boom stimulated by tax incentives. The government has implemented tax reforms, as well as social security reforms, and backs regional trade agreements and development of tourism. Unemployment remains high.
Panamanian natural resources include copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower
strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean
Panamanian religion is Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%.
Natural hazards in Panama include occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area.