| Isthmus Of Panama |
Index for Isthmus Of |
Website Links For Panama |
Information AboutIsthmus Of Panama |
|
The Isthmus of Panama is the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean , linking North and South America . It was formed some 3 million years ago during the Pliocene epoch. It lies in the nation of Panama , and is cut by the Panama Canal . Like many Isthmuses , it is a location of great strategic value . Geology The formation of the Isthmus of Panama during the Pliocene Epoch (5-1.8 million years ago) resulted in a change in ocean circulation patterns leading to what is now known as the Gulf Stream . Evidence also suggests that the creation of this land mass and the subsequent, warm wet weather over northern Europe resulted in the formation of an Arctic ice cap and contributed to the Ice Age during the following Pleistocene Epoch. Various geologic changes occurring in the region have made the Panama isthmus a bewildering mix of marine, igneous and sedimentary geotypes. This made the construction of the Panama Canal especially difficult. Biosphere As the connecting bridge between two vast land masses the Panamanian biosphere is crammed with overlap fauna and flora from both North and South America. There are, for example, over 500 species of birds in the isthmus area. The tropical climate also encourages a myriad large and brightly coloured species: insects, snakes, fish and reptiles. Divided along its length by a mountain range, the isthmus's weather is generally wet on the Atlantic / Caribbean side but shows a clearer division into wet and dry seasons on the Pacific side. |