Panama

PANAMA is a Central American country located on an isthmus (thin strip of land with water on both sides) connecting North and South America. Panama's bordering countries are Colombia —— located east and southeast of Panama — and Costa Rica — situated to the west and northwest. Panama also borders the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south and west. First opened in 1914, the famous Panama Canal links the two water bodies. In the early 1900s, the United States of America resumed construction after France quit constructing it in the late 1800s. Panama's capital and largest city is Panama City, also simply known as Panamá. Coiba island, located to the southwest of the town of Santiago, is Central America's largest island. The currency is the Panamanian Balboa, and its ISO 4217 currency code is PAB.