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The Republic of Panama is a small country in Central America. It borders to the east with Colombia and to the west with Costa Rica. To the north, the Caribbean Sea washes its coasts and to the south, the Pacific Ocean.
The narrowest strip of land is the Isthmus of Panama, which is only 80 km. This is where the Panama Canal was constructed. Cities lie at either entrance of the Canal; to the north is Colón and to the south Panama City, the capital and largest city.
There are also many islands. You may find some of the best beaches here. The largest island is Coiba, in the Pacific.
For more tourist information, visit the following sites:
Caribbean Sea
Bocas del Toro (Archipiélago de Bocas del Toro)
Colón (Portobelo and Isla Grande)
San Blas (Archipiélago de San Blas).
Pacific Ocean
- Gorgona
- Coronado
- San Carlos
- El Palmar
- Río Mar
- Corona
- Sea Cliff
- Santa Clara
- Playa Blanca
- Farallón
- Santa Catalina
The Panama Canal is a major ship canal that traverses the
Isthmus of Panama in Central America, connecting the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans. Construction of the canal was one of the largest and
most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken.
Although the concept of a canal near Panama dates back to the early
16th century, the first attempt to construct a canal began in 1880
under French leadership. After this attempt failed and saw 20,000
workers die, the project of building a canal was attempted and
completed by the United States in Panama in 1914, when the canal
opened.
Since opening, the canal has been enormously successful, and continues
to be a key conduit for international shipping. Each year more than
14,000 ships pass through the canal, carrying more than 203 million
tons of cargo. By 2002 about 800,000 ships had used the canal
altogether
Panama City has become one of the most important financial and
touristic centers in the Americas, with more than 104 banks, and has
become a hub for high-rise buildings eight of the ten tallest
skyscrapers in Latin America, commerce and industrialization. The city
enjoys five large multilevel malls and many five-star hotels. It is
also a dense metropolis, a touristic hub, a trading area and a coastal
city.
Panama la Vieja
Casco Antiguo
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