9781422286586

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Panama

Caribbean coastline, which is rather straight, on its northern shore, and a 1,048-mile-long (1,690 km) Pacific coastline to the south. The Pacific coast is irregular and interrupted by peninsulas . A scattering of islands lies offshore on both coasts. The famous canal is 50 miles (80 km) long and cuts the country into eastern and western regions. The western half of Panama is taken up by a single mountain range, the Serranía de Tabasara. More than 6,500 feet (1,980 m) high near the Costa Rican border, it slopes to less than 1,000 feet (300 m) near the Panama Canal. Several large volcanoes poke above the range. The highest, Barú (formerly known as Chiriquí), reaches 11,400 feet (3,475 m). From the Canal Zone, a long valley runs in a southeasterly direction, separated from the Caribbean by the narrow mountain ranges of the Cordillera de San Blas and Serranía del Darien. On the opposite side, two ranges separate the valley from the Pacific—the Serranías de Maje and del Sapo, and the Sierra de Jungurudo. archipelago— an expanse of water with many scattered islands in it. fauna— the animal life of a region. flora— the plant life of a region. isthmus— a narrow strip of land connecting two larger areas of land. peninsula— a portion of land nearly surrounded by water and connected to a larger body of land. tonnage— total weight in tons shipped. trade winds— constant winds that aid sailing ships near the equator. Words to Understand in this Chapter