Physical map of Panama

Physical map of Panama, equirectangular projection
Click on the map above to enlarge

Panama separates the Caribbean Sea from the Pacific Ocean via the vital Panama Canal. Control of the canal was returned to Panama on December 31, 1999. The dominant feature of the country's landform is the central spine of mountains and hills that forms the continental divide. The divide does not form part of the great mountain chains of North America, and only near the Colombian border are there highlands related to the Andean system of South America. The spine that forms the divide is the highly eroded arch of an uplift from the sea bottom, in which peaks were formed by volcanic intrusions.
The highest point in the country is the Volcán Barú, which rises to almost 3500 meters.