Darien
Description
Darien is a province of the Republic of Panama. Covers an area of 11,896.5 km ² in which 50% is tropical rainforest. It is located at the eastern end of the country, bordered on the north by the province of Panama and Kuna Yala. To the south borders the Pacific Ocean and the Republic of Colombia.Al this borders on the Republic of Colombia, bounded on the west the Pacific Ocean and the Province of Panama.
Darien is the largest province of Panama and less populated. Its seat is La Palma, created in 1922. The province is divided into 2 districts and Pinogana, Chepigana consisting of 25 corregimientos. Also home to one of the region of indigenous Embera-Wounaan divided into two areas (they have autonomy to administer and manage their territory).
The conquest and colonization of Panamanian territory was through this province. The first Spanish to arrive in Panama, was Rodrigo de Bastidas, who furrow the coast of Darien in 1501. The first Spanish settlement in the Americas was in the historic City of Santa Maria la Antigua del Darien.
Darien's population is from black-skinned descendants of the Maroons, slaves who escaped from the Spanish colonizers. Likewise inhabit the region, the Kuna, represented by the Indian Caves, as well as the Embera and Wounaan Indians (both known as Choco). These communities are isolated, near the river courses, and have no political ties nor basic economic structures. They are engaged in hunting, gathering, fishing and handicrafts (baskets, wood carvings, works tagua or vegetable ivory).
As for its economic contribution to the country, is less active. Its main products are legal and illegal timber in its majority, bananas, bananas and rubber.
As for the climate, Darien region is very humid and rainy. This factor, together with the sparse population, is crucial in the conservation of fauna and flora, since it is one of the most ecologically diverse regions of our planet.
His forest was declared a Biosphere Reserve and National Park, is also known as the Darien Gap of Panama and the Amazon. This park is Panama's largest and second largest in Central America. It provides a biological corridor in which typically tropical species are mixed with other Nearctic. Specifically in terms of its flora, are the cuipo (reaches 50 meters high, a kind hard to find in Panama and Colombia), cannot (highly valued timber tree). Other features of its flora, are the freshwater swamp forests, large tracts of mangroves, pre-montane and montane forests, cloud forests and elfin forests.
The Fauna and Flora is diverse and unique Darien, since we can find mammals such as the capybara (rodent world's largest) and the mountain tapir. Like wise we find the wild dog, jaguar, ocelot and puma, all endangered species. We also find some primates like the night monkey, howler monkey, the little spider monkey and the red monkey. In the course of the rivers running through the province of Darien, find reptiles like the alligator and American crocodile. For the curious bird highlights the presence of the bird symbol of Panama, the harpy eagle, plus over 300 species of birds.
Darien is the only place in America where the Panamerican highway is interrupted
