Panama and United States Comparison
			United States of America		Republic of Panama
	Location:		North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico		Central America, bordering both the Caribbean between Colombia and Costa Rica Sea and the North Pacific Ocean,
	Population:		3,039,150		295,734,134
	Land area:		9,631,418 sq km		78,200 sq km
	Water area:		469,495 sq km		water: 2,210 sq km
	Total area:		9,631,418 sq km		78,200 sq km
	Land boundary:		12,034 km		555km
	GDP (Purchasing Power Parity, 2004 estimate):		$11.75 trillion		$20.57 billion
	GDP – real growth rate (2004 estimate):		4.4%		6%
	GDP – per capita (2004 estimate):		$40,100		$6,900
	GDP – composition by sector:		Agriculture: 0.9% Industry: 19.7% Services: 79.4%		Agriculture: 7.2% Industry: 13% Services: 79.8%
			Panama Canal
		The Panama Canal is a man-made canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It uses a series of locks and chambers to transport ships through the passage. A ship enters in and it is closed in a chamber. Then water is pumped in and the water level rises. The ship then passes into the next chamber. This process repeats times. In 1513, Vasco Nuñez de Balboa crossed the isthmus of Panama and discovered that it was very narrow. The Roman Emporer Charles V started a movement to make a passage through it. A route was surveyed in 1534, and it seemed impossible to make a passage. During the gold rush in 1848 in California, the need for a canal increased due to an increased amount of trade. The construction of the canal cost many lives. Insects carried all kinds of diseases. Although the distance through the isthmus was very small, the terrain was rugged and full of obstacles. It was hot and full of jungle. There was tons of rain which set back the construction. The construction soon became an international effort. In 1914, there were over 33,000 people working on it. It took lots of machines men, and explosives to complete the job. It was finally completed in January, 1914. Click here for more information...
		History
		The Spaniards first landed in Panama in 1501. The first white man to touch Panama was Christopher Columbus. Panama was part of the Spanish Empire. The Camino Real, royal road, connected the Atlantic and Pacific coasts in 1520. The Panama Canal greatest factor introduced that influenced Panama’s society, economy, political life, and foreign relations in 1879. The main religion was Roman Catholic and the language was Spanish. There were many immigrants that came to Panama and they were the: Chinese, Jews, Arabs, Greeks, East and West Asians, Lebonese, Europeans, and North Americans.
		Culture
		Panama’s population is made up of Indians Mestizos Middle Eastern Chinese Swiss Yugoslavia North Americans
		Religion
		Catholicism (main religion) Protestant Muslim Hindu Jewish minorities
		Language
		Spanish is the official language but U.S. influences has made English a second language.
		Holidays
		January 1st.		New Year's Day
		January 9^th		Martyr's Day
		Moving Date		Tuesday Carnival
		Moving Date		Good Friday
		May 1st.		Labor Day
		November 3^rd		Independence from Colombia
		November 4^th		Flag Day
		November 10^th		First call for Independence from Spain
		November 28^th		Emancipation
		December 8^th		Mother's Day
		December 25^th		Christmas Day