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 Panama
Panama: Travel tips, articles, photos, gallery, cities database, population, pics, flags, statistics, free maps online
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This page was last updated on 16 September, 2007| Introduction - Panama: |  | Location - Panama: |  | 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 or edge of continental margin
 |  |  |  | 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 Baru 3,475 m
 |  |  |  | Natural resources | copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower |  |  |  | Land use | arable land: 7.26% permanent crops: 1.95%
 other: 90.79% (2005)
 |  |  |  | Irrigated land | 430 sq km (2003) |  |  |  | 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 |  |  |  | People - Panama: |  | Government - Panama: |  | Economy - Panama: |  | Communications - Panama: |  | Transportation - Panama: |  | Military - Panama: |  Source: CIA >>>
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