FUN WITH MAPS – ISSUE 2023-179 DAILY FEATURE:

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (November 3, 2023) – Today’s edition of Fun with Maps offers us a most convenient connection for world travel by water.

CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD

Today is Independence Day in Panama, celebrating 120 years since the establishment of the Republic of Panama, separating from neighboring Columbia.

Officially in Central America, Panama is the isthmus that connects the continents of North and South America.  Most of Panama’s economy is centered on the canal that allows boats and ships to cross between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Because of its importance in connecting north and south, east and west, the country is greatly influenced by cultures from all over the world and serves as a major hub of travel and trade.

At the country’s highest point, Volcan Baru, you are in the only spot in the world where you can see the sun rise on the Pacific Ocean and set on the Atlantic Ocean.  In one day, you can swim in both oceans.

Panama has a strong connection to the United States because of the Panama Canal project. The US dollar is one of the official currencies, and it was the first country outside the U.S. to sell Coca-Cola.

This map of the Panama Canal Zone from 1914 was created by Cram soon after the Canal opened.   

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.