The Geography of Panama and the Panama Canal Essay

The Geography of Panama and the Panama Canal The Panama Canal is one of the greatest works of engineering and modern achievements of mankind. An all-water passage through the continental divide of the Panama region had been suggested since early Spanish colonial times of the 16th century. Today a canal that was cut through the Isthmus of Panama is a reality. Its presence has greatly affected Panama in many ways, politically, economically, and socially. The Panama Canal is possibly one of the most well known man made geographic features ever. Only five days after the U.S. secured Panamas independence from Columbia, the first canal treaty was signed with the United States. Signing the treaty†¦show more content†¦The canal is bordered on both sides by the Panama Canal Zone, a strip of land given to the United States in 1903 but returned to Panama in 1979. The United States turned over the control of the canal to Panama in 1999. While the Panama Canal is a bridge of water connecting two oceans, building it ripped Panama apart. For Panama the opening of the canal meant a great boom in its economy. Panama has probably earned about $200 million form the canal every year. In war or peace, more than 12,000 ships from around the world sail through the fifty-one-mile long Panama Canal every year, carrying 160 million tons of cargo, representing about 5% of the worlds total sea borne trade. The canal is particularly vital to the economies of South America, connecting the Atlantic coast with the Orient, and the Pacific coast with Europe. Fifteen percent of all U.S. trade goes through the canal, and the oil pipeline beside it caries 600,000 barrels of Alaska crude oil to the U.S. eastern seaboard and beyond. Panamas special geography and history make its people the most cosmopolitan in the region. Nearly 40 percent of all Panamanians have ancestors who were neither Spanish nor Indian, but who had came to the isthmus over the last 110 years to build or traverse the canal. Panama is a service economy, trading, fina ncial, and transportation services account for threeShow MoreRelatedPanam A Unique Country1540 Words   |  7 Pagesresearched Panama and discovered that it is a very unique country. Traits such as religion, geography, and food are great examples when showing Panama’s differences from other countries. Sports is also another sample that illustrates Panama’s self-faith, which is going to be my first topic. The main sport of Panama is baseball. The stadium is located eight kilometers from the city centre and named after Rod Carew, a Major League Baseball Hall-of-Fame player that actually originated from Panama. As aRead MoreDescriptive Essay : The Heart Of The Universesounds Exciting And Remarkable1471 Words   |  6 Pagesadventure! Background 1502, Panama was explored and discovered by Columbus and then later on by Balboa in 1513. In the 16th Century, Panama was delved into by Spain and Spanish became its official language. In 1821, Panama joined the Republic of Gran Colombia; a joint union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. In the colonial days, to be able to import and export goods between South and Central America, they have to operate through Panama. 1903 a treaty was signed between Panama and the U.S. to have URead MoreThe Panama Canal Between 1904 And 19141628 Words   |  7 Pages1502, Panama was explored and discovered by Columbus and then later on by Balboa in 1513. In the 16th Century, Panama was probed by Spain and Spanish became its official language. In 1821, Panama joined the Republic of Gran Colombia; a joint union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. In the colonial days, to be able to import and export goods between South and Central America, they have to operate through Panama. 1903 a treaty was signe d between Panama and the U.S. to have U.S. Army Corps of EngineersRead MoreHow Can Make The Most Delicious Fried Chicken?1711 Words   |  7 Pagesits nicely brown and crunchy looking, remove it from the frying pan onto a plate 10. Enjoy your fried chicken because it’s the best fried chicken you have ever eaten before. Geography: Panama City is the capital of Panama and it is located in southernmost in Central America, connecting both North and South America. Panama is also bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, and it also shares land borders with two other countries, Colombia and Costa Rica. It is slightly smaller thanRead MoreLogistics Clusters : Delivering Value And Driving Growth2730 Words   |  11 Pagesservices. Logistic clusters are a geographical conglomeration of related activities in the field of distribution and transportation. Sheffi discusses many things in this book, but the three most important supply chain concepts in my opinion are the geography of the logistics clusters, adding value, and the role of infrastructure. Once a cluster successfully starts, it’ll continue to grow on its own. This book was read prior to arriving in Northern Europe and prior to me experiencing the logistics activitiesRead MoreRisk Analysis For The Republic Of Nicaragua2218 Words   |  9 Pagesrisks associated with opening a business, creating trade agreements, or investing in a country. A country risk analysis is very important because it takes into account many factors including the current and past political climate, economic risk, geography and climate risks, cultures, and laws pertaining to the country being analyzed. Often, countries are given a grade to enable a quick comparison to how risky investing in one country is compared to another country. It is important to indicate thatRead MoreBanana Cultures By John Soluri1647 Words   |  7 Pages including manuscript census data from Honduras, fruit company records, published scientific records, Honduran and U.S government correspondence, oral testimonies, and ephemera from U.S mass culture. Throughout his work, he combines elements of geography, biology, social history, foreign affairs, and environmental history. Soluri also looks at labor practices and worker’s lives, changing gender roles on the banana plantations, and the effects of pesticides in the Honduran environment and people.Read MoreDifferences Between Physical And Human Geography Essay1152 Words   |  5 Pagesbetween physical geography, human (or cultural) geography, and regional geography. Give examples of each. A: The major difference between physical and human geography, is that physical geography exists without the presence of human beings, as where human geography is a byproduct of human activity on the earth. Regional geography is a study of both physical and human geography with in a specific spatial unit. Mountains, and oceans or seas are great examples of physical geography. They have been createdRead MoreTheodore Roosevelt, President Of New York1745 Words   |  7 PagesRoosevelt bulked up the U.S. Navy and created the Great White Fleet, sending it on a world tour as a testament to U.S. military power. He also helped expedite completion of the Panama Canal by providing tacit approval of the Panama revolution with funds and a naval blockade preventing Colombian troops from landing in Panama. President Roosevelt was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 for his role in negotiating the end of the Russo-Japanese War. Roosevelt believed that if Japan had devastated RussiaRead MoreEssay on HISTORY1490 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Name: Date: Graded Assignment Final Exam Part 2 I. Map On this world map, indicate the following features: Amazon Rainforest Panama Canal The Himalayas The Ring of Fire The Mississippi River The Gobi Desert (10 points) II. Graphic Organizer Fill in the table below about these five major world religions. Do not fill in the shaded boxes. (10 points) Religion Name at least one Holy Text How do you achieve enlightment? Describe their view about the afterlife. Hinduism