FTV Panama Our First Port

This Central American country is bordered by Costa Rica and Colombia, and is situated between the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean. Panama is a narrow land bridge, or isthmus, connecting North and South America. Panama is slightly smaller than South Carolina.The most dominant features of Panama are the forested, volcanic-in-origin, mountains that extend from its Costa Rican border to Colombia, South America. Significant ranges include the lengthy Central Mountains, as well as the San Blas, Talamanca and Tabasara.

Flag of Panama

FAST FACTS

OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Panama

FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Constitutional democracy

CAPITAL: Panama City

POPULATION: 3,608,431

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Spanish, English

AREA: 29,118 square miles (75,416 square kilometers)

MONEY: Balboa, U.S. dollar







GEOGRAPHY

The sandy beach coastlines of Panama merge into forested lowlands that rise into the foothills of the inland mountain ranges.

The eastern third of Panama (the Darien province) is a sparsely populated land of rain forests, rivers and swampy lowlands bordered by high mountain peaks. The Darian Gap, fronting the border with Colombia, is an inhospitable, almost impassable thick jungle.

The northern coastline is ringed by the hundreds of small islands that form the Bocas del Torro and San Blas Archipelagos. Significant islands along the southern coastlines include the Pearl Islands (of Survivor fame), Taboga, Cebaco and Coiba.

NATURE

The country is very diverse with mountains, rain forests, beautiful white-sand beaches, and 1,500 islands. Darién Gap, from Panama City to Colombia, has about 12 million acres of rain forest, yet few Panamanians or tourists ever visit the area, which is only accessible by boat. This remote nature preserve is threatened by development and the proposed extension of the Pan-American Highway through this region.

The national flower is a white orchid called the Flor del Espiritu Santo, or Flower of the Holy Spirit. There are over 1,400 tree species, including the square tree, which has a square shaped trunk and is found in the mountains west of Panama City.

Panama is home to many unique animals that are found only in Panama. The mysterious golden frogs have gleaming, shimmering skin and are thought to bring people good luck. The numbers of golden frogs is declining and so are the numbers of sea turtles.

Watch this video to see how the tree sloths of Panama are being protected.

In this webquest you will explore the geography and culture of the 7 countries of Central America.

Learn to Do the Tamborito Dance!

Try this Map Puzzle of Central America