the US
Department of the Interior continues to administer nine excluded
areas comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within the 12 nm
territorial sea or within the lagoon

Legal system:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of the US is used

Economy Palmyra Atoll

Economy - overview:
no economic activity

Transportation Palmyra Atoll

Highways:
most of the roads and many causeways built during World War II are
unserviceable and overgrown (2001)

Ports and harbors:
West Lagoon

Airports:
1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Palmyra Atoll

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Palmyra Atoll

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@Panama

Introduction Panama

Background:
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. On 7 September
1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal
from the US to Panama by the end of 1999. Certain portions of the
Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over
in the intervening years. 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 turned over to Panama by
or on 31 December 1999.

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

Climate:
tropical maritime; hot, humi