Isthmus of Panama

The narrow land bridge connecting North and South America and separating the Caribbean Sea from the Pacific Ocean. Its formation joined the continents and reshaped ocean circulation.

Great American Biotic Interchange: The exchange of terrestrial animals between North and South America after a land connection formed. The land bridge enabled animals to migrate between the continents.
Isthmus of Panama formation: The geological processes that built and exposed the land connecting North and South America. This is the sequence that produced the present-day isthmus.
Panama Arc: A volcanic island arc that formed as oceanic plates subducted along the Pacific margin of Central America. Its volcanic islands were precursors to parts of the isthmus.
Panama Canal Zone: A former United States-administered territory surrounding the Panama Canal, returned to Panama in 1999. Its history shows how control of the isthmus became an international political issue.
Atlantic meridional overturning circulation: A system of Atlantic Ocean currents that transports warm surface water northward and cold deep water southward. The isthmus altered the seaways connecting the Atlantic and Pacific, influencing Atlantic circulation.
Panama Block: A tectonic block that moved northeastward from the Pacific and forms much of Panama and Costa Rica. Its motion carried crustal material toward the site of the isthmus.
Caribbean Plate: A tectonic plate underlying much of the Caribbean Sea and adjacent land. Its interactions with surrounding plates helped shape the region's tectonic history.
Colón, Panama: A Caribbean port city at the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. The city anchors the isthmus's Caribbean end and canal trade.
Panama Canal: A ship canal across Panama connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The canal cuts across the land bridge that otherwise divides the two oceans.
Cocos Plate: An oceanic tectonic plate subducting beneath parts of Central America. Its interaction with Central American plates contributed to the region's volcanic arc.

Linked from 19 pages