PanamaGeography

Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica Geographic coordinates: 9 00 N, 80 00 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 78,200 sq km
land: 75,990 sq km
water: 2,210 sq km Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina Land boundaries: total: 555 km
border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km Coastline: 2,490 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May) Terrain: interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m Natural resources: copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower Land use: arable land: 7.36%
permanent crops: 1.98%
other: 90.66% (2001) Irrigated land: 320 sq km (1998 est.) Natural hazards: occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area Environment - current issues: 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: 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: 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 More about Panama: Introduction People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues