Panama: Environmental Issues:
Panama: Environmental Issues Topography
Climate Tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May) Interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m
Panama: Environmental Issues:
Panama: Environmental Issues Industries
Agriculture and mining – gold, silver, and copper
Water
Surface water contaminated with raw sewage, industrial wastes, and runoff
Cyanide and mercury contamination due to gold mining
Air
Localized pollution near urban and industrial centers
Soil
Localized near industry and waste disposal sites
Panama: Environmental Issues:
Panama: Environmental Issues Greatest short-term environmental health risks
Water contaminated with raw sewage or runoff
Panama: Diseases of Operational Importance:
Panama: Diseases of Operational Importance Intermediate risk country
Diseases of greatest risk
Food and water-borne: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A
Vector-borne: dengue fever, malaria
Water contact: leptospirosis
Panama: Diseases of Operational Importance:
Panama: Diseases of Operational Importance Diseases of potential risk
Food and water-borne: protozoal diarrhea, typhoid/paratyphoid fever
Vector-borne: Chagas disease, leishmaniasis
Sexually transmitted: gonorrhea/chlamydia, hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS
Soil contact: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
Respiratory: tuberculosis
Animal contact: rabies