Editing Geography of Panama (section)

==Elevation==
[[File:Panama Topography.png|thumb|upright=2.0|Panama's topography]]

The dominant feature of Panama's landform is the central spine of mountains and hills that forms the continental divide. The divide does not form part of the great mountain chains of North America, and only near the Colombian border are there highlands related to the [[Andes|Andean]] system of South America. The spine that forms the divide is the highly eroded arch of an uplift from the sea bottom, in which peaks were formed by volcanic intrusions.

The western portion of the spine, the Cordillera Central, extends from Costa Rica to a low saddle near the Panama Canal. Within the Cordillera Central are three ranges. The lofty [[Cordillera de Talamanca]] extends east from Costa Rica and contains Panama's highest peak, [[Volcán Barú]], at {{convert|3475|m|ft|0|sp=us}}. Volcán Barú (or Volcán de Chiriquí) last erupted in 1550<ref>{{Cite web|title=Barú|url=https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=346010|access-date=27 April 2021|website=Global Volcanism Program|publisher=Smithsonian Institution}}</ref> and is the apex of a highland that includes Panama's richest soil. Further east are the lower Serranía de Tabasará and Sierra de Veraguas ranges, the latter extending towards the Panama Canal.