| Location | Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica |
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| Geographic coordinates | 9 00 N, 80 00 W |
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| Zone | Central America |
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| Area | total: 78,200 sq km
land: 75,990 sq km
water: 2,210 sq km |
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| Land boundaries | total: 555 km
border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km |
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| Coastline | 2,490 km |
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| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin |
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| Climate | tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May) |
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| Terrain | interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills |
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| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Baru 3,475 m |
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| Natural resources | copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower |
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| Irrigated land | 2,490 km |
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| Natural hazards | occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area |
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Environment -
current issues | 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 | 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 | 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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