Panama

Panama (English: Panamá, IPA ) is the southernmost country of Central America. more...

A transcontinental country, its isthmus constitutes the southernmost part of a natural land bridge between the North American and South American continents. It borders Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south.

History

Much of Panama's domestic politics and international diplomacy in the 20th century was tied to the Panama Canal and the foreign policy of the United States. At the turn of the 20th century, Theodore Roosevelt pursued United States diplomatic efforts to facilitate a deal with Colombia that would allow it to take over French canal operations started by Ferdinand de Lesseps. In November 1903, a small number of wealthy Panamanian landowners led by a covert Separatist Junta presided by Dr. Manuel Amador Guerrero, were encouraged to commit what amounted to treason and secede from Colombia with support from the United States.

On November 3 1903, Panama declared its independence from Colombia. The President of the Municipal Council, Demetrio H. Brid, highest authority at the time, became its de facto President, appointing on November 4 a Provisional Government to run the affairs of the new republic. The United States was the first country to recognize the new Republic of Panama and sent troops to protect the nation. The 1904 Constituent Assembly elected Dr. Manuel Amador Guerrero, a prominent member of the Conservative political party, as the first constitutional President of the Republic of Panama.

Read more at Wikipedia.org