Panama

Panama is a Central American country and isthmus between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Its narrow land bridge and canal make it a major route between the Atlantic and Pacific.

Isthmus of Panama: The narrow land bridge joining North and South America, with the Caribbean Sea to its north and the Pacific Ocean to its south. Its land bridge forms the geographic connection between the two oceans.
Isthmus of Panama formation: The geological process that joined North and South America and separated the Caribbean from the Pacific. Formation of the isthmus created Panama's defining land bridge.
Omar Torrijos: A Panamanian military leader who negotiated the 1977 treaties transferring the canal to Panama. His negotiations secured a timetable for ending United States control.
Panama Canal Authority: The autonomous Panamanian agency that operates and maintains the Panama Canal. It manages the canal that makes Panama a global shipping crossroads.
Separation of Panama from Colombia: The 1903 break that established Panama as an independent republic after it separated from Colombia. The new republic's relationship with the canal project shaped its early history.
Panama Canal: A ship canal across Panama connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through locks and artificial lakes. The canal cuts across the isthmus, letting ships avoid the long route around South America.
Great American Interchange: The migration of land animals between North and South America after the continents became connected. The land bridge through Panama enabled a major exchange of species.
Jimmy Carter: The 39th president of the United States, who signed the 1977 Panama Canal treaties. His administration agreed to transfer the canal to Panama.
Panama Canal tolls: Fees charged to vessels for passage through the Panama Canal. Tolls turn the interoceanic route into a major source of national revenue.
Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty: The 1903 treaty granting the United States control of the Panama Canal Zone to build and operate a canal. It gave the United States extensive authority over the canal route inside Panama.

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