Panama:
Geography

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Other pages in this profile of Panama:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.


Background	Definition Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the latter dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. 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. In 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the subsequent decades. 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 transferred to Panama by the end of 1999. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious plan to expand the Canal. The project, which began in 2007 and could double the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in 2014-15.

Location	Definition Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
Geographic coordinates	Definition 9 00 N, 80 00 W
Map references	Definition Central America and the Caribbean
Area	Definition - World rank and map total: 78,200 sq km land: 75,990 sq km water: 2,210 sq km
Area - comparative	Definition slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries	Definition total: 555 km border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km
Coastline	Definition 2,490 km
Maritime claims	Definition territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin
Climate	Definition tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)
Terrain	Definition interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills
Elevation extremes	Definition lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan Baru 3,475 m
Natural resources	Definition copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower
Land use	Definition - World rank and map arable land: 7.26% permanent crops: 1.95% other: 90.79% (2005)
Irrigated land	Definition 430 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources	Definition 148 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)	Definition total: 0.82 cu km/yr (67%/5%/28%) per capita: 254 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards	Definition occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area
Environment - current issues	Definition water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources
Environment - international agreements	Definition party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note	Definition 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

Panama: Geography

Panama:
Geography