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Panama- 20 questions

Can you answer these questions about Panama?
Quiz by marjobro
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Last updated: July 26, 2020
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First submittedJuly 23, 2020
Times taken27
Average score55.0%
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Hint
Answer
What country attempted to establish a settlement in Panama in 1696? It failed and virtually bankrupted the country.
Scotland
What Central American country was originally considered as a location for a canal to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans?
Nicaragua
Concern about what natrual event, common in the above country, caused the commission to move its attention to Panama?
earthquake
What disease that ravaged early canal builders was virtually eradicated after the transmitter of the disease was identified ?
yellow fever
Who began the process of eradicating the suspected cause of the above?
Dr. William Gorgas
What island chain, with over 200 islands, is on the Pacific side of Panama?
Las Perlas
What mid-eastern ruler, who had been deposed and taken shelter in the U.S., was secretly moved to one of the above islands in 1979?
Mohammed Reza Pahlavi
What island chain lies off the Atlantic side of Panama?
San Blas
Who are the people who live on these islands?
Kuna
What are the reverse applique fabric panels, part of the natives' dress and now popular with tourists, called?
molas
Hint
Answer
Who was the president of Panama when the 1978 treaties were signed?
Demetrio Lakas
Who was head of the Guardia Nacional at that time and controlled the government?
Omar Torrijos
Who was president of the U.S. when the treaties were signed?
Carter
What is the highlands area in western Panama known as?
Volcan
What man-made lake forms the largest area of the Panama Canal?
Gatun
What is the name of the island in the lake above that is the home of a nature reserve?
Barro Colorado`
What American institute has had a tropical research center on the above island for almost 100 years?
Smithsonian
What tiny town, located on the canal at the Chagres RIver, is now the site of a major resort?
Gamboa
What was the name given to the 1989 U. S. invasion of Panama?
Operation Just Cause
Who is the current president of Panama, elected in May, 2019?
Laurentino Cortizo
+2
Level 88
Jul 24, 2020
Tough, but informative. Would you consider allowing the actual name of the the mid-eastern ruler as a type-in? I tried a lot of variations on his name and title before one was accepted.
+1
Level 50
Jul 25, 2020
Hey, great quiz! Very in depth. I would have to agree with vermiciousknid though, it would be good to accept different variations of the answer. I kept typing in "Pahlavi" and "Mohammed Reza Pahlavi" but they wouldn't work. And "Pearl Islands" or "Las Perlas" for the island chain. Out of curiosity - do you work for the Smithsonian in Panama?
+2
Level 66
Jul 26, 2020
Thank you so much! You are both quite right that I should have the shah's name as a type-in. I'm new at this, but I'll see if I can't figure out how to do that. And I couldn't quite deicde how to label the Perlas Islands. When I was living there, it was generally referred to simply as "the Perlas." I never heard anyone actually refer to it as "Pearl Islands, but, of course it is officirally "Las Perlas."

No. I don't work for the Smithsonian! However I had the good fortune to become friends with Dr. Leigh, the long-time head of STRI at Barro Colorado, and his wife through, of all things, their personal invitation to come to the island to accompany a visiting scientist on their harpsichord so she could perform the Bach flute sonatas that Dr. Leigh loved. Later, he invited me to climb the scaffolding that had been erected over the jungle canopy in company with him and another visiting scientist.

This was in the 70s.

Are you from Panama?

+1
Level 50
Aug 10, 2020
Marjobro, what a cool story! Wow, Panama must have been a whole different world in the 70's. I'm not Panamanian but I've lived in Panama since 2006 :) And I also have a lot of friends at STRI, although I've never worked there myself
+2
Level 66
Aug 11, 2020
Hey ElijahCaine...Just saw your reponse and hope you check in here again. Those two visits to the island I mentioned aren't my only stories! My parents, age 65 at the time, came to Panama for a visit and obtained permission to come to the island. They took off on the 'trail' but didn't return. Long story short- they spent the night on the jungle floor; an intensive search had been launched; the CZ governor happened to be in the audience of "Cabaret" the show I was playing for when they were reported missing. He helped launch the search. They found their way out the next morning. The next step was going to be to release Army dogs that had come to my house to sniff their clothes. My mother, a stauch conservationist long before it was popular, would have been horrified to cause any distrubance to the island ecology....(They were fine except for a whole lot of insect bites!)
+1
Level 50
Dec 27, 2020
It took four months, but I did return to see your response Marjobro! What a story! Do you remember the year it happened? Fortunately, Barro Colorado isn't very big, so I can't imagine they would have been lost for very long. When was the last time you came to Panama? The country has changed so much, even in the last ten years
+1
Level 66
Jan 20, 2021
I just found your response. Thanks for checking in! My parents' adventure took place in March, 1975. They had been instructed to follow a marked path which eventually would end at the water's edge where a boat would pick them up. Because it was dry season, the path and jungle floor were thick with fallen leaves. They were watching their steps carefully so as not to trip and fall, but then lost track of the markers on the trees. They did reach the water, but wrong place and no boat. When darkness fell, they knew there was no way they could find their way back so they got in an argument about how to best make a bed with palm leaves on the jungle floor! My mom said she was not afraid, but the director told me later that THEY were afraid of a lot of things....snakes, poachers, spiders, et al. They could hear the roaring of Howler monkeys but knew they wouldn't hurt them. When morning came they were able to work their way back to a trail where a search party met them.
+1
Level 66
Jan 20, 2021
continuing my long story.....The director told us they were going to rethink their strategy with visitors after this. Far from complaining, my parents felt guilty at causing so much trouble. I still have a lovely letter from Ira Rubinov thanking them for their donations and the support of their institution.

We left Panama in 1979 and have not been back. I know the changes have been enormous. The most striking one for me is to see the place where we used to eat Chinese food for $1.25 on Friday nights, overlooking the Chagres, turned into a huge luxury resort! We lived in Gamboa for several years and I loved it. We moved to Ancon after I had become so involved with teaching at CZcollege and performing that the many trips became a problem.

I hope you are doing well there. Can one still buy lobster tails for $.25 each???