Elimination Dariens Gap
Rafael Yee
World Geography
11/12/2012
Rafael Yee
World Geography
11/12/2012
Elimination of Darien´s Gap
Who will it truly benefit?
Intro
Darien´s Gap is an undeveloped, thick forest dividing Panama from Colombia. It is very short, about 160km, but because of the thickness of the forest and swamps it is very difficult to pass through it to go to Colombia. There is a wide debate that has been going through a long time ago deciding whether to open it or not. There are many reasons and factors that may be positive and also negatives for Panama and the complete American continent to eliminate this barrier that divides North/Central America with South America and it is the missing link of the Pan-American Highway.
History of Darien´s Gap The Darien´s Gap is home of the Embera-Wounaan and Guna Indians where they travel by a canoe and crop mostly corn, mandioca, plantains, and bananas where land is developed. There are two big national parks in Darien, Darien National Park, the largest national park in Central America and Los Katios national park. There has been many expeditions that have crossed Darien´s Gap with off-road vehicles but the first one in a vehicle was in 1959-1960 with a Land Rover and Jeep expedition with Panamanian´s Armando Arauz, his wife Reina Torres de Araúz, former Special Air Service man Richard E. Bevir , and engineer Terence John Whitfield. This first vehicular expedition lasted 136 days and averaging 201 meters per hour. The thick forest serves as a hiding spot for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) which they done countless assassinations, kidnaps, and lots of human rights violations during decades fighting against the Colombian Government. The Gap also serves as a barrier to difficult drug smuggling to the other side of the continent, even though they have very old paths that Indians have created where they contraband all kids of stuff, and serves protection to Panamanian citizens from this guerrilla people
World Geography
11/12/2012
Rafael Yee
World Geography
11/12/2012
Elimination of Darien´s Gap
Who will it truly benefit?
Intro
Darien´s Gap is an undeveloped, thick forest dividing Panama from Colombia. It is very short, about 160km, but because of the thickness of the forest and swamps it is very difficult to pass through it to go to Colombia. There is a wide debate that has been going through a long time ago deciding whether to open it or not. There are many reasons and factors that may be positive and also negatives for Panama and the complete American continent to eliminate this barrier that divides North/Central America with South America and it is the missing link of the Pan-American Highway.
History of Darien´s Gap The Darien´s Gap is home of the Embera-Wounaan and Guna Indians where they travel by a canoe and crop mostly corn, mandioca, plantains, and bananas where land is developed. There are two big national parks in Darien, Darien National Park, the largest national park in Central America and Los Katios national park. There has been many expeditions that have crossed Darien´s Gap with off-road vehicles but the first one in a vehicle was in 1959-1960 with a Land Rover and Jeep expedition with Panamanian´s Armando Arauz, his wife Reina Torres de Araúz, former Special Air Service man Richard E. Bevir , and engineer Terence John Whitfield. This first vehicular expedition lasted 136 days and averaging 201 meters per hour. The thick forest serves as a hiding spot for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) which they done countless assassinations, kidnaps, and lots of human rights violations during decades fighting against the Colombian Government. The Gap also serves as a barrier to difficult drug smuggling to the other side of the continent, even though they have very old paths that Indians have created where they contraband all kids of stuff, and serves protection to Panamanian citizens from this guerrilla people
Bibliography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darién_Gap http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2008/09/darien-gap-most-dangerous-absence-of.html http://www.elespectador.com/impreso/articuloimpreso133492-polemica-via-tapon-del-darien http://www.yurileveratto.com/articolo.php?Id=168 http://www.laestrella.com.pa/online/impreso/2010/01/23/uribe-insiste-en-abrir-el-tapon-de-darien.asp http://foros.slot-1.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3951 http://es.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100122113328AA4m8rz http://www.panamaamerica.com.pa/notas/524466-abrir-tapon-del-darien-es-un- http://www.thepanamadigest.com/2010/08/again-panama-says-highway-will-not-bridge-darien-gap/