Panama

Panama, with its capital Panama, is located in Central America bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the north Pacific Ocean; between Colombia and Costa Rica. Its total area in size is 78,200 sq. km. and is slightly smaller than South Carolina. Their tropical maritime climate is hot and humid with cloudy prolonged rainy seasons from May to January, and a short dry season from January to May. The interior terrain is mostly steep with rugged mountains and the coastal areas have large plains and rolling hills. Their natural resources include: copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, and hydropower. The countries current environmental issues are: water pollution from agricultural runoff which threatens fishery resources, deforestation of tropical rain forest, and land degradation and soil erosion which threatens siltation of the Panama Canal.

In July 2001, the population was estimated at 2,845,647. The official language is Spanish; with 14 percent speaking English. Their agricultural products include: bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables, livestock, and shrimp. Some of their industries include: construction, petroleum refining, brewing, cement and other construction materials, and sugar milling.

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