Panama's Geography | Panama Geography

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

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

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