Located in Central America, Panama is famous for its canal that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. In 2007, construction to expand the Panama Canal began. Home to one of the largest rainforests in the Western Hemisphere, the country boasts astonishing fauna and flora including a diversity of tropical birds. You can also find beautiful beaches along its pristine coastlines.

In 1821, Panama obtained independence from Spain and joined a union of Columbia, Ecuador, and Venezuela called the Republic of Gran Columbia. When the union dissolved nine years later, Panama remained a part of Colombia. However, it seceded from Colombia in 1903 with aid from the United States and signed a treaty with the US to permit the construction of a canal and to allow US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the canal. The Panama Canal took 10 years to build and it cost over $350 million! In 1999, the US finally relinquished the canal to Panama.

Social inequality pervades Panama’s society. Wealth is in the hands of a few, and nearly 40% of the population lives below the poverty line. In addition, Peru is the largest producer of coca, the raw material for cocaine. Many children from poor families are forced to work as coca-pickers in the eastern region. People living in these rural areas suffer from poor health, illiteracy, and unclean water.