- note:

defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of Free
Association between Palau and the US, the US military is granted
access to the islands for 50 years, but it has not stationed any
military forces there (2008)

Transnational Issues
Palau

Disputes - international:

maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines,
Indonesia

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

======================================================================

@Panama

Introduction
Panama

Background:

Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama
broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador,
and Venezuela - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the latter
dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. With US
backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a
treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US
sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure
(the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army
Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. In 1977, an agreement was
signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama
by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and
increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the
subsequent decades. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was
deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the
Canal, and remaining US military bases were transferred to Panama by
the end of 1999. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious
plan to expand the Canal. The project, which began in 2007 and could
double the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in 2014-15.

Geography
Panama

Location:

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

Geographic coordinates:

9 00 N, 80 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 78,200 sq km
land: 75,990 sq km
water: 2,210 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:

total: 555 km
border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km

Coastline:

2,490 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin

Climate:

tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; p