Gulf of Panama facts for kids
The Gulf of Panama (called Golfo de Panamá in Spanish) is a large bay in the Pacific Ocean. It is located off the southern coast of Panama. Most of eastern Panama's southern shores touch this gulf. The gulf is about 250 kilometers (155 miles) wide. It is about 220 meters (720 feet) deep. The total area is around 2,400 square kilometers (927 square miles). The famous Panama Canal connects the Gulf of Panama to the Caribbean Sea. This link joins the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Panama City, the capital of Panama, is the main city on the gulf shore.
The Gulf of Panama also has a few smaller gulfs inside it. These include Panama Bay to the north, Gulf of Parita to the west, and Gulf of San Miguel to the east. There are also some islands in the gulf. Important ports like Panama City, La Palma, and Chitrè are found along the coast. The Pearl Islands are a group of over 200 islands. They are located in the eastern part of the gulf.
Panama’s largest river, the Tuira, flows south into the Gulf of San Miguel.
Contents
Exploring the Gulf of Panama
Tourism and the Pearl Islands
Tourism is a very important part of Panama's economy. Much of this tourism happens around Panama Bay. The most popular place to visit is the Pearl Islands. These islands have clear, nutrient-rich water. They also have many different kinds of wildlife. This draws many tourists and divers to explore the area.
Because the Pearl Islands are so popular, local communities have changed. Some islands, like Pedro González, have benefited from tourism. People there think it helps their local economy. However, people on other islands, such as Contadora, feel that tourism is not good. They want to protect their local culture.
Climate and Seasons
The climate in the Panama Bay area can be extreme. It has a very dry season from January to April. Then, it has a very wet season from May to December. This climate greatly affects the mangroves in the region. Strong storms during the dry season and El Niño can harm the mangroves. These storms can also stop them from reproducing properly.
Mangroves: Important Habitats
Mangroves are special trees that grow in salty water. They are a very important part of the bay's ecosystem and habitats. These mangroves are vital for the survival of local bird species. They provide shelter and food for many birds. Over 20 species of birds have been seen in the bay. Most of these are found in the Pearl Island region.
Brown pelicans are the most common birds in the bay. Cattle egrets and great egrets are also very common. Other plentiful birds include the sooty tern, bridled tern, and white ibis. You can also find the glossy ibis, little blue heron, and cocoi heron. The bare-throated tiger heron, black-crowned night heron, and blue footed booby live here too. Other birds are the brown booby, magnificent frigatebird, and snowy egret. The health of these seabirds also shows how healthy the fish are. Fish rely on the rich food from the mangroves to survive.
Local communities have used mangroves for hundreds of years. They use them for charcoal, long-lasting firewood, poles, and bark. Mangroves are still important to these communities today. The bay's waters have lots of seafood and nutrients. This has made it a good place to live for thousands of years. People lived here as far back as 6000 BC.
Recently, scientists found dolphin remains in an ancient camp on the Pearl Islands. This camp belonged to hunter-gatherers from a very old time. This discovery suggests that these early people hunted not only small fish but also larger animals like dolphins and sharks. The bay's nutrient-rich water attracts many fish and sea animals. This gave the ancient hunter-gatherers a wide variety of food. Evidence shows these people mainly ate fish and turtles. But they also used dolphins and sharks for meat, bones, and oil.
Researchers are not sure if these early people hunted dolphins on purpose. They might have just herded them towards the islands until they got stuck. Still, this is an important discovery. It is the first ancient site found in the Pearl Islands. It is also the first proof in Central America that early people used dolphins for food.
Protecting the Gulf
Environmental Concerns
People have recently become worried about the health of Panama Bay. Industries have grown a lot in the Panama City area. The oil industry, in particular, has expanded. Oil is a major import and export for Panama City. Because of this, there is a big concern about oil spills. Such spills would greatly harm the bay.
Another big worry is the destruction of mangroves. Both the wildlife in the bay and the people living there depend on mangroves to survive. Mangroves are also threatened by too much dirt from erosion. Dam construction and pesticides from local farms also cause problems. In addition, mangroves are being used for industrial farming.
Laws and Regulations
The creation of the Panama Canal in 1914 was a huge step for international transport. It made Panama a new global center for trade. But while it brought business, this new boom in transport greatly affected the environment. As Panama's economy has grown, so have its laws. This includes laws about the ocean.
Marine resources in and around Panama Bay are key to many industries. These include farming and fishing. Over 80% of the people living nearby rely directly on these resources to survive. Laws have been put in place over the years. They have changed the way things are built and how the government works. However, there are still big gaps in how these laws are enforced.
Many laws were made for business, not for protecting the environment. Water treatment is a big problem in Panama Bay. Much of the water, which was once clean, is now polluted. It contains sewage and chemical waste. Sewage treatment is poor in many parts of Panama. Because there are not enough proper waste treatment plants, raw sewage is often dumped into the bay. It gets little to no treatment.
Panama City and nearby areas get their drinking water from the Panama Canal watershed. But the recent growth of cities and pollution threatens this drinking water. The Panamanian Government and other groups are working to protect the watershed. However, loose laws for industry and waste management make this difficult.
Conservation Efforts
In 2009, the Panama Bay was named a "Wetland of International Importance." This was done by the Ramsar Convention. This is an international agreement to protect important wetlands. However, this protection was temporarily stopped in 2012 by the Panamanian Government. They did this to protect industry and farming. This caused a lot of debate among environmentalists. In 2013, the bay got its protected status back. This happened with the help of the Panamanian Supreme Court and the Panama Audubon Society.
In February 2015, the Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela signed a new law. This law banned construction in a 210,000-acre area of the Bay of Panama. He also declared the bay a "wetlands complex as a protected wildlife refuge area." This action was debated within the Panamanian Government. The previous president, Ricardo Martinelli, was criticized by environmentalists. They said he ignored the destruction of mangroves in Panama Bay. This new law was mainly put in place to protect the mangrove forests and stop erosion. It also helps protect the homes of birds that migrate there.
See also
In Spanish: Golfo de Panamá para niños
