PANAMA, IsTnams OF, is that portion of the narrow ridge of mountainous country connecting Central and South America which is bounded on the w. by the frontier of Costa Rica, and on the e. by the surveyed interoceauiic route from the bay of Caledonia on the n. to the gulf of San Miguel on the s. or Pacific side. It extends in lone. from 77° to 83° west. The "state" of Panama, one of those which form the United States of Colombia, is coextensive with the isthmus of the same name. Area. 29,750. Pop. '70, 220.542. Panama contains the provinces of Panama, Azuero, Chiriqui, and Veraguas. The isthmus is traversed throughout by a chain of mountains, forming the harrier between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and of which the highest peak is that of Picaeho (7,200 ft.) in the west.. Numerous streams, the largest of which is the Tuira (162 m. long, and navigable for 102 m.), fall into both oceans. On the Pacific shores are numerous beautiful islands, among which Las Perlas, so called from their pearl fisheries, and the island of Coiba, are the chief. On the n. coast the principal harbors are the Chiriqui lagoon, San Bias, and Caledonia; on the s. shore. Damns in the island of Coiba, the hay of San Miguel, and Golfo Dulce. Gold, which in ancient
times was obtained here in great quantities, is still found, and mines of salt, copper, iron, coal, etc., are worked. The climate is unhealthy, except in the interior and on the flanks of the mountains. Almost all the plants of the torrid zone may be raised here; but maize, rice, plantains. etc. (grown for the purpose of supplying the transit), are the chief crops. The total imports in 1872 amounted to 'N500,000, and the exports to the same value. The latter consisted of cotton, india-rubber, cloth and grass ham mocks, grass (Panama) hats, matting, etc. Commerce is the chief employment.
In 1855 a railway across the isthmus, from Aspinwall city on the Atlantic to Panama on the Pacific, was opened. The summit of the railway is 250 ft. above the level of the sea; and the average value of the goods that annually pass over it is estimated at £11,000,000. The isthmus has frequently been surveyed with the object of finding a route for an interoceanic canal. The name isthmus of Panama is generally used as interchangeable with the isthmus of Darien