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Location:
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Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
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Geographic coordinates:
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9 00 N, 80 00 W
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Map references:
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central america and the caribbean
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Area:
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total: 78,200 sq km
water: 2,210 sq km
land: 75,990 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than South Carolina
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Land boundaries:
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total: 555 km
border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km
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Coastline:
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2,490 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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Climate:
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tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)
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Terrain:
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interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m
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Natural resources:
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copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower
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Land use:
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arable land: 7.36%
permanent crops: 1.98%
other: 90.66% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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320 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area
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Environment - current issues:
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water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
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Geography - note:
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strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean
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