Panama Geography and Climate

Panama is one of the most interesting countries in Central America. Tourists are attracted here by the opportunity to visit both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea for several hours. Such an important feature of the country provides unlimited opportunities for practicing various sports – diving, snorkeling, surfing, fishing and many others.

In Panama is the world famous resort of Bocas del Toro, where the game show “The Last Hero” was filmed. In addition, from south to north, the country is crossed by the Panama Canal – one of the most important transport routes in the world, linking the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

The canal towns are great shopping destinations. Panama will be interesting for fans of eco- and hiking tourism, because here you can see the most incredible landscapes – from volcanic formations to swampy lowlands, and a wide variety of representatives of the animal world, especially birds, of which there are about 1000 in Panama. tribes that still keep the traditions of their ancestors. Many sights have survived from colonial times in Panama – these are trade routes passing through dense forests, powerful fortifications that protected trade routes from pirates, and city architecture.

The best time to travel to Panama is during the dry season which runs from December to May. At this time, there is the most comfortable weather for any kind of recreation. In principle, you can relax here all year round. The rainy season differs only in that in the evenings there are heavy tropical downpours lasting no more than two hours.

The official language of the country is Spanish. English is widely spoken, especially in business. In mountainous areas, local residents communicate with each other in Indian dialects.

Geography in Panama

According to top-engineering-schools, Panama is located on the narrow Isthmus of Panama, which connects North and South America. The greatest width of the isthmus does not exceed 200 km, the smallest – 50 km. From the south, Panama is washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean, and from the north – by the waters of the Caribbean Sea. To the east, the country is bordered by Colombia, to the west by Costa Rica. Panama also includes more than 1.5 thousand islands. The total area of the country with the islands is 75.5 thousand square meters. km. Mountain ranges stretch across Panama from west to east. From Costa Rica the Cordillera de Veragua stretches to the central regions of the country. There are several volcanic peaks here, including the highest point in the country – the active volcano Baru (3475 m). A little to the east, the Serrania de Tabasara ridge stretches to the Panama Canal. Further, near the Caribbean coast, there is a mountain system – the Cordillera de San Blas, which, near the border with Colombia, passes into the Serrania del Darien mountain range. In the southeastern part of the country, off the Pacific coast, the Serrania del Baudo range stretches into Colombia . All these ranges have an average height of about 1000 m. The mountain ranges of Panama are strongly dissected – high peaks alternate with mountain plains. Coastal regions of Panama busy with the lowlands. The Pacific coast is heavily indented – there are peninsulas, among which the country’s largest peninsula is Azuero, and numerous islands (about 1000 islands in total).

The western and eastern mountain systems of Panama are separated by the 70-kilometer Panama Canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This is the main water artery of the country and one of the most important transport routes in the world. Most of the population lives around the Panama Canal.

Climate in Panama

Panama has a subequatorial type of climate. Throughout the year it is hot and humid, and fluctuations in average monthly temperatures do not exceed 2-3 degrees. The hottest is the Pacific coast of the country. Here, in the period from March to September, during the daytime, the air warms up to +34..+36 degrees, and at night it cools down to +20..+22 degrees. In the period from September to March, daytime air temperatures rise to +31..+33 degrees, and nighttime temperatures drop to +17..+19 degrees. On the Caribbean coast of Panama, the daily temperature variation is not so noticeable. From March to September during the day the air warms up to +30..+32 degrees, and at night it cools down to +23..+25 degrees. In a relatively cool season from September to March, daytime air temperatures reach +28..+30 degrees, nighttime temperatures drop to +20..+22 degrees.

During the year, up to 3500 mm of precipitation falls in Panama on the northern slopes of the mountains and on the Caribbean coast, and up to 2000 mm on the Pacific coast. Relatively dry season lasts from December to mid-April, rainy – from May to December. On the Pacific coast, these seasons are more pronounced: during the dry season, less than 50 mm of precipitation falls per month, and during the rainy season – 300-400 mm. On the Caribbean coast and on the northern slopes of the mountains, a fairly large amount of precipitation falls – from 200 to 400 mm per month. Also during the rainy season, powerful cyclonic eddies often come to the Caribbean coast, characterized by strong gusty winds and heavy rainfall, but the main path of tropical hurricanes characteristic of the Caribbean Sea passes to the north.

Best time to visit:
The best time to travel to Panama is during the dry season which runs from December to May. At this time, there is the most comfortable weather for any kind of recreation. In principle, you can relax here all year round. The rainy season differs only in that in the evenings there are heavy tropical downpours lasting no more than two hours.

Panama Geography