1. Panama

2. Wednesday, January 26th, 2011 Geography:
IN: What 2 oceans does Panama separate?
Why does it have an important location?

3. Content Objective: Students will locate physical and human features on a thematic map of Panama and evaluate implications for society by categorizing the features into positive, negative, or neither.

4. Physical Characteristics:
Mountains, rivers, lakes, rain forest, farmland, islands, and coasts from oceans on 2 sides.
Highest Mountain= 11,400 ft
Rain Forest= 2nd largest in Western Hemisphere outside of Amazonian Basin (Brazil)

5. Climate: Warm (65F-85F most of year) Humid (air= very wet)
Atlantic side= 2x as much rain as on Pacific side.

6. Panama: Country Profile
Population: 3,405,813
Capital: Panama (City)
Mestizo 58%,
Mulatto 14%
Native American 6.7%
White 8.6%
Asian 5.5%
other 7.1%

7. Human Characteristics:
Language: Spanish (official)
Religion: 80% Roman Catholic
History: Pre 1500’s Panama was ruled by various Native America groups.
1538–1821. Panama= Spanish colony
1821 Panama rebelled from Spain, and was a part of Colombia.
-1903 Panama got independence from Colombia with the help of the USA.
-But USA demanded ownership of 10 mile wide strip of land from Atlantic to Pacific.

8. Think-Pair-Share- Predict
For what will the USA use this 10 mile wide zone of land from the Atlantic to the Pacific?

9. Canal= built by USA
Many died building the canal:
5,600 during the USA construction
Also 29,000 during a previous French construction attempt
Most died from disease (Malaria and Yellow fever- both transmitted by Mosquito)
Workers brought from:
Africa, Asia, Europe, and United States.

10. Think-Pair-Share
Looking back at the diversity of Panama’s population, how much was caused by the building of the Panama Canal?
Mestizo 58%,
Mulatto 14%
Native American 6.7%
White 8.6%
Asian 5.5%
other 7.1%

11. Other Human Characteristics:
Music: Reggae en Espanol (1970s) which led to Reggaeton
Sports: Baseball Baseball Baseball! –Mariano Rivera
Food: Corn, seafood, tropical fruits

12. Economic/ Business The Canal Today
14,702 vessels (ships) used it in 2008
For each vessel, Panama collects a toll.
Canal earns $4.5 billion/yr
Also, Adventure Tourism

13. OUT: Make a TT chart.
Positive
Negative
Neither
Categorize the features on your map into the 3 columns above, then write a paragraph explaining why.