Short facts about the geography of Panama

Location:

Middle 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:

contiguous zone:  24 NM exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 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% permanent crops:  2% permanent pastures:  20% forests and woodland:  44% other:  27% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

320 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

NA

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

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands 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

Source: World Factbook