Panama's Second Independence Day

People all across PANAMA recently celebrated their country's second Independence Day on Saturday, November 28th, which follows Panama's first Independence Day observed earlier this month on Tuesday, November 3rd. Panama achieved independence from Spain in 1821. Happy belated Independence Day!

Independence Day in Panama

People all across PANAMA recently celebrated their country's Independence Day on Tuesday, November 3rd. Panama achieved independence from Colombia in 1903. Happy belated Independence Day! Later this month, this Central American isthmus country will commemorate another Independence Day on the 28th — when independence was gained from Spain in 1821.

Panama Exports

According to National Geographic MapMaker (mapmaker.nationalgeographic.org), the following items are major exports of PANAMA: bananas, beverages, chocolate and cocoa, coffee beans, construction materials, copper, corn (maize), gold, iron and steel waste, pineapples, rice, seafood (especially shrimp), sugar, watermelons, and wood. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include the United States (top importer), the Netherlands, India, Costa Rica, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Italy, Portugal, Vietnam, China, Colombia, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, South Korea, Spain, Peru, Ecuador, and Denmark.

Panama Quiz

See if you can answer these quiz questions pertaining to PANAMA without the help of literary resources and the Internet. Answers are provided at the end — good luck!

1)      (Completely) true or (partially) false: In 1983, Panama issued a scallop-edged 500 Balboas gold coin featuring a butterfly. Mint-condition and proof (mirror-like) examples of these coins have resale values between $1,250–2,250 (US).
A — True
B — False

2)      A summit from which a person could rarely view both the Caribbean Sea (north) and Pacific Ocean (south), the Volcán Barú stratovolcano is Panama’s tallest peak. The neighboring country located 35 km and 22 mi west of the stratovolcano is ____________________.
A — COLOMBIA
B — NICARAGUA
C — COSTA RICA

3)      Which of the following is not a gulf adjoining the northern or southern coastline?
A — Golfo de Chiriquí
B — Golfo de Cañazas
C — Golfo de los Mosquitos

4)      Featuring one of the world’s only forests with square-trunked trees, the Valley of Square Trees is located near what town or city?
A — San Felix
B — Changuinola
C — El Valle

5)      In what year did Panama gain control of the Panama Canal from the UNITED STATES as scheduled in the Torrijos-Carter Treaties?
A — 1999
B — 1985
C — 2004


















ANSWERS
Question 1:
A . . . . . True — visit my Money and Geography Blog (↗) for a comprehensive webpage and list of coins shaped like countries, squares, triangles, numbers, etc.

Question 2:
C . . . . . Costa Rica

Question 3:
B . . . . . Golfo de Cañazas

Question 4:
C . . . . . El Valle

Question 5:
A . . . . . 1999

So, how did you do? Thanks for taking this quiz! Map image is credited to National Geographic's Mapmaker Interactive (↗)

Panama Endangered Species

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ for PANAMA in Central America lists 55 critically endangered species and 124 endangered species. Panama's critically endangered species include the Almirante Trail Toad, American Cinchona Plantation Treefrog, Black-Headed Spider Monkey, Continental Divide Treefrog, Dark-Rumped Petrel, Elkhorn Coral, Fin-Joined Goby, Golfito Robber Frog, Lemur Leaf Frog (big eyes like a lemur!), Maritime Worm Salamander, Narrow-Lined Treefrog, Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth, Rabb's Fringe-Limbed Treefrog, Townsend's Shearwater bird, and Waved Albatross bird. The American Eel, Azuero Parakeet, Bare-Necked Umbrellabird, Boulder Star Coral, Cerro Pando Salamander, Costa Rica Brook Frog, Galápagos Penguin, Glow-Throated Hummingbird, Golden-Cheeked Warbler, Great Green Macaw, Isthmian Goby, Nassau Grouper, Polkadot Poison Frog, Yellow-Billed Cotinga, and Zanthoxylum panamense plant are some endangered species.

Species Named After Panama

Thanks to its rainforests, isolated islands, and coral reefs, PANAMA is a hotspot for species biodiversity — including well over 1,000 endemic species living only in this country. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that about thirty species are named after Panama. Some Panama-named species include the False Panama Anchovy, Panama Croaker fish, Panama Cross-banded Treefrog, Panama Goby fish, Panama Graysby fish, Panama Hat Plant, Panama Humming Frog, Panama Least Gecko, Panama Silverside fish, Panama Anchovy, Panama Hake fish, Panama Kingfish, Panama Longfin Herring, Panama Sand Eel, Panama Sergeant Major damselfish, Panama Spadefish, Panama Triplefin fish, Panamanian Climbing Rat, Panamanian Dwarf Boa, Panamanian Flycatcher, Panamanian Night Monkey, Panamanian Spiny Pocket Mouse, Panamanian (Yellow-Green) Tyrannulet bird, Panamanian Worm Blenny fish, and Panamanian Jawfish.

Burica Peninsula

The Burica Peninsula in Central America is interesting because it is a rather skinny piece of land that is nevertheless shared by two countries. COSTA RICA is the western side of the Burica Peninsula which drops down into the Pacific Ocean. West of the Bahía de Charco Azul, the peninsula's eastern side is PANAMA. It is partially forested and has several cities, most notably Puerto Armuelles, Panama on the northeast shoreline of the peninsula. Other communities include Clarida and Las Penas in Costa Rica and Limones, Puerto Armuelles, Quebrada del Medio, and San Vicente in Panama.

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.