Location: Costa Rica is to its West, Columbia to its East, the Caribbean Sea to its North, and the North Pacific Ocean to its South.
Capital: Panama City
Population: 3.6 million (comparable to Connecticut)
Size: 29,157 square miles (comparable to South Carolina)
Language: Spanish, English
Government: Democracy with a president (currently Ricardo Martinelli) who serves a five-year term and who heads over the legislative branch of government (National Assembly). This executive branch is separate from the judiciary branch. They have a two-party system composed of the PRD and the Panamenista.
Economy: GNI is US $6,970; use the balboa
- It’s an isthmus, a narrow strip of land that connects two larger pieces of land.
- The 47.9 mile long Panama Canal was constructed from 1880-1914, and changed from French to Columbian to US control by the time it was completed. Panama has only had control of the canal since 2008.
- Because it connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and Central and South America, Panama is of strategic importance to the US.
- Panama is home to the biggest rainforest in the Western Hemisphere outside the Amazon Basin.
- Baseball is Panama’s national sport and they have sent more players to the MLB than any other Central American country.
Not So Fun Facts:
- 40% of Panama’s population lives below the poverty line.
- Panama has a reputation of being a hot spot for money laundering, drugs, and illegal alien operations.
- Traditionally, Panamanian politics are very corrupt.
- Their jungles are mosquito infested.
In the News Lately:
- Donald Trump’s new buildings in Panama: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-14152439
- American cruise ship ignores Panama castaways: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17780503
- Upgrading Panama Canal: http://www.npr.org/2012/04/04/149923363/an-upgrade-and-bigger-ships-for-the-panama-canal