PANAMA

13th May, 2024 Geography

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Picture Courtesy: https://www.voanews.com/a/panama-s-mulino-says-he-will-close-one-of-world-s-busiest-migration-routes/7607243.html

Context: Panama's newly elected president, José Raúl Mulino, plans to shut down the migrant route through the Darien Gap, marking a significant shift in Panama's immigration policy with potential implications for regional migration dynamics.

Details

The Darien Gap has become a crucial transit point for migrants, with more than 500,000 people using this route last year. Panama has facilitated the movement of migrants through its territory, enabling them to continue their journey northward towards the United States.
José Raúl Mulino, the new president, aims to close this migration route, emphasising that Panama's Darien region is not merely a transit zone but a national border that requires protection.
The Darien route poses significant risks to migrants, including exposure to criminal activities such as sexual assault, robbery, and drowning while crossing rivers.

About Panama

Panama is a country located in Central America at the southern end of the continent, bordering South America.
The country is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south, situated between Colombia and Costa Rica in Central America.
The Darién Gap, an impenetrable forest, serves as a natural barrier between Panama and Colombia.
Panama has a rich biodiversity, with approximately 40% of its land by evergreen forests that are home to a diversity of tropical plants and animals, including species that are endemic and found nowhere else on Earth.

The Panama Canal, completed in 1914, connects the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean. It plays a crucial role in global trade and maritime transportation, contributing significantly to Panama's economy.
Panama has a tropical climate characterised by high temperatures and humidity throughout the year. There is minimal seasonal variation, and diurnal temperature ranges are low.
Soberanía National Park is renowned for its birdwatching opportunities and diverse wildlife, including mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.