A country of southeast Central America. The region was inhabited by a variety of Indian peoples when Columbus landed on its Caribbean coast in 1502. In 1513 Balboa crossed the isthmus to discover the Pacific Ocean. Controlled by Spain until 1821, the area then became part of Colombia. Eager for a canal across the isthmus, the United States supported a revolution leading to Panamanian independence in 1903. Panama is the capital. Population: 3,240,000.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.