Panama
Panama is situated in central America, between Costa Rica to the north and Colombia to the south. It has the Caribbean Sea along its north coast and the North Pacific Ocean along its south. Panama was inhabited by indigenous tribes before the Spanish colonists arrived in the 16th century and much of its culture has Spanish influences. Panama is known for the Panama Canal which cuts across the country allowing maritime traffic to pass from the Atlantic to Pacific ocean. Revenue from canal tolls continues to represent a significant portion of Panama's GDP, although commerce, banking, and tourism are major and growing sectors.
Read more…
A dominant feature of Panama's geography is the central spine of mountains and hills that forms the continental divide. The spine that forms the divide is the highly eroded arch of an uplift from the sea bottom, in which peaks were formed by volcanic intrusions.
Much of the country is covered in tropical forest with 40% of the country still wooded. This tropical environment supports an abundance of plants and Panama's wildlife is some of the most diverse in Central America - it is home to many South American species as well as to North American wildlife.
With a multitude of backcountry roads and paths running through the Central Highlands Panama offers unique horseback trails, stunning vistas and constantly changing micro-climates. On a horseback trail in Panama you can traverse along some of the most challenging terrains which are unique to the isthmus of Panama.