Panama Essays - Panama Canal, Panama, Republics,

Panama The official name of Panama is the Republic of Panama or (Rep?blica de Panam?). Panama is located on the narrowest and lowest part of the Isthmus of Panama that links North America and South America. This part of the isthmus is situated between 7? and 10? north latitude and 77? and 83? west longitude. Panama is slightly smaller than South Carolina, approximately 77,082 square kilometers. The countrys two coastlines are referred to as the Caribbean and Pacific, rather than the north and south coasts. To the east is Colombia and to the west Costa Rica. Pacific. Dominant features of their landform is highlands forming the continental divide. The higher elevations near borders with Costa Rica and Colombia. The highest point in the country is the Volc?n Bar? which rises to almost 3,500 meters. The lowest elevation is in the middle of the country where it is crossed by the Panama Canal. Most of the population is on the Pacific side of the divide. The population of the country is around 2.8 million with a growth rate of 1.5%. The racial and ethnic groups are 65% mestizo, 14% African descent, 10% Spanish descent, 10% Indian. The religion is 85% Roman Catholic, 5% Protestant, and 5% Islamic. Spanish is the official language, though United States influence and the canal zone reinforce the use of English as a second language. Panama's arts show its ethnic mix. Indian tribes, West Indian groups, mestizos, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Swiss, Yugoslav and North American immigrants have all offer contributed ingredients to the culture. Traditional arts are woodcarving, weaving, ceramics and mask-making. The capital city is Panama City with major cities of Colon, Bocas del Toro, Potobelo, El porvenir, Santiago, Tocumen, La Palma, David, Balboa, and el Dorado. Political culture traditionally characterized by personalism, the tendency to give one's political loyalties to an individual rather than to a party. Politics from 1968 until his death in 1981 dominated by General Omar Torrijos Herrera, Their form of government is Executive under provisions of their 1972 Constitution, as amended in 1978 and 1983. The chief executive is president of the republic, he is assisted by two vice presidents, all elected by popular vote for five-year terms. The unit of currency is the Balboa which is equal to the United States dollar. Balboas are available only in coins. Almost 500 rivers intertwine through Panama's landscape. Many of these rivers originated as swift highland streams. The R?o Chepo and the R?o Chagres are sources of hydroelectric power. The R?o Chagres is one of the longest and most vital of the 150 rivers that flow into the Caribbean. A part of this river was dammed to create Gatun Lake, which forms a major part of the transit route between the locks near each end of the canal. Panama has a tropical climate with high temperatures and humidity year round. Seasons determined by rainfall rather than by changes in temperature. The country is divided into nine provinces, plus the Comarca de San Blas, which is treated as part of Col?n Province. The provincial borders have not changed since they were determined at independence in 1903. The provinces are divided into districts, which in turn are subdivided into sections called corregimientos. The country claims the seabed of the continental shelf, which has been defined by Panama. In addition, a 1958 law asserts jurisdiction over 12 nautical miles from the coastlines, and in 1968the government announced a claim to a 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone. The major port on the Pacific coastline is Balboa. The principal islands are Archipi?lago de las Perlas in the middle of the Gulf of Panama, the penal colony, and the island of Taboga, a tourist attraction that can be seen from Panama City. In all, there are some 1,000 islands off the Pacific coast. The Pacific coastal waters are extraordinarily shallow. Depths of 180 meters are reached only outside the perimeters of both the Gulf of Panama and the Golfo de Chiriqu?, and wide mud flats extend up to 70 kilometers from the coastlines. As a result, the tidal range is outrageous. A difference of about 70 centimeters between high and low water on the Caribbean coast contrasts sharply with over 700 centimeters on