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Article: Panama
- Article from:
- The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
CopyrightThe Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information)
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Panama , Span.
Panamá,
officially Republic of Panama, republic (2005 est. pop. 3,039,000), 29,760 sq mi (77,081 sq km), occupying the Isthmus of Panama, which connects Central and South America. To the west and east of Panama, respectively, are Costa Rica and Colombia; the Panama Canal bisects the country. The capital and largest city is
Panama
City.
Land and People
In the west are rugged mountains (Volcán Barú is 11,401 ft/3,475 m high) of volcanic origin, which yield in the middle of the country to low hills; there is a low mountain range in the east. Lowlands line both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, and there are numerous offshore islands. The ...