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
water: 2,210 sq km
land: 75,990 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
Source: CIA World Factbook
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