Panama Canal

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorHigh School, 10th grade October 2001

download word file, 3 pages 2.0

Introduction Panama is a Central American country about the size of Connecticut. Although it is small it has great importance to the world, The Panama Canal.

This canal provides a shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, which is important for all the worlds shipping. Through many treaties, The US has been able to maintain control over the Canal Zone. Since 1914, the completion of the canal has helped many people get through the world easier, and also help the economic development. Although the United States is Panama's main trader, the people feel that they should have complete control, which they have gotten as of 1999. Panama has problems though, they have unstable governments, dictators, and drug trafficking, but they can also have a rich history and an amazing education system.

Climate The Isthmus of Panama connects the North and South American continents. Panama is a country that has a tropical climate.

Panama has places in higher elevations, which have a cooler temperature. The average temperature in these areas is 62 degrees Fahrenheit. Panama is different from other countries because it has only two seasons; the rainy season and the dry season. During the rainy season the temperature is an average 86 degrees Fahrenheit, and in the dry season the average temperature is 89 degrees Fahrenheit.

Geography The southernmost country of the Central American nations, Panama is south of Costa Rica and north of Colombia. The Panama divides the isthmus at its narrowest and lowest point, allowing passage from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean. Panama is about the size of Connecticut. It has a chain of mountains in the west, moderate hills in the frontier, and low range on the East Side. There are fertile forests in the Caribbean area History Since 8000 B.C., the Isthmus of...