Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá; IPA) is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on an isthmus, it is a stunning transcontinental nation connecting the north and south part of the Americas. It borders Costa Rica to the north-west, Colombia to the south-east, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south.
The strategic location of Panama is personified by its famous Canal. The Panama Canal raises ocean-going liners 26 metres on the 67 km voyage between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The 16 km wide Canal was owned and operated by the United States from 1914 to 1999 |
