As the narrowest stretch of land in the Central American isthmus, Panama's geographical location has for centuries made it the crossroads for traders, travellers, European pirates, and world superpowers. Much of Panamanian history has been dominated by foreign powers. In the post-Columbus period, Panama was first a Spanish colony, then a province of Columbia, and then finally a quasi-territory of the United States during the 20th century. Suffering invasion by the United States in 1989 to oust the dictator Manuel Noriega, and then receiving full ownership of the Panama Canal at the end of 1999, Panama has rebuilt itself into a strong, if contentious democracy. This work chronicles and highlights the key events and figures in the country's past 500 years of history, from Columbus to the present day. It begins with Panama's colonial period, before examining the post-Spanish period when the Columbian province of Panama became a forgotten backwater until European powers and the U.S.A. began vying for canal rights. The main portion of the book details the events, figures, and intricacies of the Panama-U.S. relationship, which dominated Panama's history for the entire 20th century. It closes with an examination of the gains and challenges the country has faced in the post-Noriega years.