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Panama
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Panama is a small country in Central America that has worldwide importance as a transportation center. It covers the Isthmus of Panama, a narrow strip of land that separates the Atlantic and Pacific oceans near the middle of the Western Hemisphere. The Panama Canal cuts through the isthmus, connecting the two oceans. Thousands of ships use the canal each year to pass from one ocean to the other. By doing so, they avoid a long trip around the southern tip of South America. Thus, Panama plays a key role in the world's transportation system. The country is sometimes called the Crossroads of the World because of this role.
Panama lies at the southern end of North America. It and the land north of it to Mexico's southern border make up the part of the North American continent called Central America. Panama is a narrow country that curves from west to east. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the south, Colombia to the east, and Costa Rica to the west. If
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Lowlands cover the part of Panama near the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The Atlantic coast is sometimes referred to as the Caribbean coast because it borders the part of the Atlantic Ocean that is called the Caribbean Sea. Mountains cover much of Panama's interior, and there are jungles and swamps in the east. Panama City is the country's capital and largest city.
Mestizos (people of mixed American Indian and white ancestry) and mulattoes (people of mixed black and white ancestry) make up more than two-thirds of Panama's population. Most of the rest of the people are of unmixed American Indian, black, or white ancestry.
Indians were the first inhabitants of what is now Panama. Spaniards conquered the Indians during the 1500's and ruled Panama for about 300 years. In 1821, Panama broke away from Spain and became a province of the nation of Colombia. In 1903, it rebelled against Colombia and became an independent nation.
The United States played a major role in Panama's history. It built the Panama Canal, which was completed in 1914. Many U.S. civilians and soldiers then moved to Panama to guard, operate, and maintain the canal. They lived in a special area bordering the canal called the Panama Canal Zone. The United States took control of the canal and the zone in exchange for payments to Panama. In 1977, Panama and the United States signed a treaty that resulted in the transfer of the Canal Zone to Panama in 1979. The treaty also provided for the transfer of the canal to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999.
Additional cruise information and cruise
destination information can be found at
Norwegian Cruises for the
Caribbean and Mexico.
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