Despite its small size, Panama has played a big role in history. Located at the junction of Central America and South America, its famous canal offers the fastest passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Readers will learn how Panama was first settled, how it came to be the site of one of the world's most important canals, and what life is like there today. The complex text in this title allows the reader to explore unique features of the country and determine how key details support the main idea of the text. Text features, such as bold print, captions, and call-out boxes provide clarity and help students locate answerrs to questions.