Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

9 00 N, 80 00 W

Central America and the Caribbean

total: 78,200 sq km
land: 75,990 sq km
water: 2,210 sq km

slightly smaller than South Carolina

total: 555 km
border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km

2,490 km

contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season
(May to January), short dry season (January to May)

interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland
plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m

copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 44%
other: 27% (1993 est.)

320 sq km (1993 est.)

NA

water pollution from agricultural runoff
threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest;
land degradation and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal

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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

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