Key Facts About Panama

Key Facts About Panama

• Location: Panama is a country in Central America.
  • It is located on the Isthmus of Panama, a narrow bridge of land that connects North America and South America.
• Borders: It is bordered by Costa Rica in the west and Colombia in the east.
  • It is bounded by the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south.
• Relief: A central mountain chain divides the country into Atlantic and Pacific-facing slopes.
  • The Panama Canal passes through a lowland depression.
• Highest peak: Barú is the country’s highest peak.
• Major Rivers: It has many short rivers, including the Chagres, Tuira, Chucunaque, Chepo and Chiriquí Viejo rivers.
• Climate: It has a tropical climate with heavier rainfall on the Caribbean side and a distinct dry season in many Pacific regions.
• Rainforest: It has the largest rainforest in the Western Hemisphere outside the Amazon Basin, and its tropical rainforests support rich biodiversity.

About Panama Canal

• Location: The Panama Canal is an artificial waterway located across the Isthmus of Panama.
  • It connect the Atlantic Ocean through the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean.
• Built by: The Panama Canal was built by the United States between 1904 and 1914 and officially opened on 15 August 1914.
• Controlled by: Panama has owned and administered the canal since 1999 after the transfer of control from the United States.
• Size: It is approximately 80 km long, making it one of the two most strategic artificial waterways in the world (the other being the Suez Canal).
• Structure: It has a series of locks that raise and lower ships by changing the water level, allowing them to pass across the continental divide.