The Republic of Panama is a country in central America. It has a total area of 78,200 km2. The climate is tropical; hot and humid, cloudy with a prolonged rainy season lasting from May through to the following January and a short dry season from January to May. The terrain is comprised of an interior which is mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains and coastal areas largely of plains and rolling hills. Natural resources are copper, mahogany forests, shrimp. The religion is over 93% Roman Catholic, 6% Protestant. The official language is Spanish with English also spoken. Panama was governed by Spain as part of New Granada until gaining independence in 1821 as a province of Gran Colombia (Colombia) until 1903 when it proclaimed itself an independent nation, and was at once recognized by the United States, which concluded with it an agreement for the construction of a canal across the isthmus - the Panama Canal.
Abbreviations
Gazetteer
Research Panama