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Panama Geography - facts and figures

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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.

Geography of Panama Stats

Land Mass Total
30,193 sq mi (78,200 sq km)

Land
29,339 sq mi (75,990 sq km)

Water
853 sq mi (2,210 sq km)

Land Boundaries
Total: 344 mi (555 km)

Border countries: Colombia 139 mi (225 km), Costa Rica 205 mi (330 km)

Coastline
1,547 mi (2,490 km)

Maritime claim
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate/Weather
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: Pacific Ocean 0 ft (0 m)
Highest: Volcan de Chiriqu í 11,400 ft (3,475 m)

Natural Resources
Copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower.

Land use (1998):
Arable land 7%
Permanent crops 2%
Other 91%

Natural hazards
Occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area.

Panama 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.