|
Location: Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea
and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
Geographic coordinates: 9 00 N, 80 00
W
Map references: Central America and
the Caribbean
Area:
total: 78,200 sq km
land: 75,990 sq km
water: 2,210 sq km
Area—comparative: slightly smaller
than South Carolina
Land boundaries:
total: 555 km
border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km
Coastline: 2,490 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid,
cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season
(January to May)
Terrain: interior mostly steep,
rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas
largely plains and rolling hills
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m
Natural resources: copper, mahogany
forests, shrimp
Land use:
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 20%
forests and woodland: 44%
other: 27% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 320 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment—current issues: water
pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources;
deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation
Environment—international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography—note: strategic location
on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge connecting North and
South America; controls Panama Canal that links North Atlantic
Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean
[Top of Page]
Population: 2,735,943 (July 1998
est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (male 446,001; female 428,532)
15-64 years: 62% (male 864,382; female 841,870)
65 years and over: 6% (male 74,529; female 80,629) (July
1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.56% (1998
est.)
Birth rate: 21.99 births/1,000
population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.14 deaths/1,000
population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.28 migrant(s)/1,000
population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 24
deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.47 years
male: 71.73 years
female: 77.31 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.57 children
born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Panamanian(s)
adjective: Panamanian
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed
Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%,
white 10%, Amerindian 6%
Religions: Roman Catholic 85%,
Protestant 15%
Languages: Spanish (official),
English 14%
note: many Panamanians bilingual
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.8%
male: 91.4%
female: 90.2% (1995 est.)
[Top of Page]
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Panama
conventional short form: Panama
local long form: Republica de Panama
local short form: Panama
Data code: PM
Government type: constitutional
republic
National capital: Panama
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces
(provincias, singular—provincia) and 2 territories* (comarca);
Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los
Santos, Panama, San Blas*, Veraguas, and a new, as yet unnamed
territory* or 'comarca' created 7 March 1997 when President PEREZ
BALLADARES signed a bill designating a reserve stretched across
three provinces
Independence: 3 November 1903 (from
Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821)
National holiday: Independence Day, 3
November (1903)
Constitution: 11 October 1972; major
reforms adopted April 1983
Legal system: based on civil law
system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES Gonzalez
Revilla (since 1 September 1994); First Vice President Tomas
Gabriel ALTAMIRANO DUQUE (since 1 September 1994); Second Vice
President Felipe Alejandro VIRZI Lopez (since 1 September 1994);
note—the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES
Gonzalez Revilla (since 1 September 1994); First Vice President
Tomas Gabriel ALTAMIRANO DUQUE (since 1 September 1994); Second
Vice President Felipe Alejandro VIRZI Lopez (since 1 September
1994); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice presidents elected on the
same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last
held 8 May 1994 (next to be held 2 May 1999)
election results: Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES elected
president; percent of vote—Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES (PRD) 33%,
Mireya MOSCOSO DE GRUBER (PA) 29%, Ruben BLADES (MPE) 17%, Ruben
Dario CARLES (MOLIRENA) 16%
Legislative branch: unicameral
Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (72 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 8 May 1994 (next to be held 2 May
1999)
election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by
party—PRD 32, PS 4, PALA 1, PA 14, MPE 6, MOLIRENA 4, PLA 3, PRC
3, PLN 2, PDC 1, UDI 1, MORENA 1
note: legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen
on a plurality basis while districts located in more populous
towns and cities elect multiple legislators by means of a
proportion-based formula
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of
Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia), nine judges appointed for
10-year terms; five superior courts; three courts of appeal
Political parties and leaders:
governing coalition: Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD),
Gerardo GONZALEZ; National Liberal Party (PLN), Raul ARANGO,
founder; Popular Nationalist Party, Jorge FLORES
other parties: Solidarity Party (PS), Samuel LEWIS GALINDO;
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (MOLIRENA), Guillermo
FORD; Arnulfista Party (PA), Mireya MOSCOSO DE GRUBER; Christian
Democratic Party (PDC), Ruben AROSEMENA; Papa Egoro Movement (MPE),
Ruben BLADES; Civic Renewal Party (PRC), Carlos ABADIA; National
Renovation Movement (MORENA), Pedro VALLARINO; Authentic Liberal
Party (PLA); Labor Party (PALA); Independent Democratic Union (UDI)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Council of Organized Workers (CONATO); National Council
of Private Enterprise (CONEP); Panamanian Association of Business
Executives (APEDE); National Civic Crusade; Chamber of Commerce;
Panamanian Industrialists Society (SIP); Workers Confederation of
the Republic of Panama (CTRP)
International organization participation:
AG (associate), CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer),
NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eloy ALFARO de Alba
chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans,
New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico),
Tampa
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William John HUGHES
embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 38, Apartado 6959, Panama
City 5
mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA
34002
telephone: [507] 227-1777
FAX: [507] 227-1964
Flag description: divided into four,
equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white (hoist side) with a
blue five-pointed star in the center and plain red, the bottom
quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with a red
five-pointed star in the center
[Top of Page]
Economy—overview: Because of its
key geographic location, Panama's economy is service-based,
heavily weighted toward banking, commerce, and tourism. Since
taking office in 1994, President PEREZ BALLADARES has advanced an
economic reform program designed to liberalize the trade regime,
attract foreign investment, privatize state-owned enterprises,
institute fiscal reform, and encourage job creation through labor
code reform. The government privatized its two remaining ports
along the Panama Canal in 1997 and approved the sale of the
railroad in early 1998. It also plans to sell other assets,
including the electric company. Panama joined the World Trade
Organization (WTrO) and approved a tariff reduction that will give
the country the lowest average tariff rates in Latin America. A
banking reform law was approved by the legislature in early 1998
and will take effect in June. After two years of near stagnation,
the reforms are beginning to take root; GDP grew by 3.6% in 1997
and is expected to grow by more than 5% in 1998. The most
important sectors driving growth have been the Panama Canal and
the shipping and port activities. The Colon Free Zone also
rebounded from a slow year in 1996.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$18
billion (1997 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 3.6% (1997
est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power
parity—$6,700 (1997 est.)
GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: 8%
industry: 18%
services: 74% (1997 est.)
Inflation rate—consumer price index:
1.2% (1997)
Labor force:
total: 1.044 million (1997 est.)
by occupation: government and community services 31.8%,
agriculture, hunting, and fishing 26.8%, commerce, restaurants,
and hotels 16.4%, manufacturing and mining 9.4%, construction
3.2%, transportation and communications 6.2%, finance, insurance,
and real estate 4.3%
note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of
unskilled labor
Unemployment rate: 13.1% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.4 billion
expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures
of $341 million (1997 est.)
Industries: construction, petroleum
refining, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar
milling
Industrial production growth rate:
0.4% (1995 est.)
Electricity—capacity: 957 million
kW (1995)
Electricity—production: 3.6 billion
kWh (1995)
Electricity—consumption per capita:
1,355 kWh (1995)
Agriculture—products: bananas,
rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; fishing
(shrimp)
Exports:
total value: $592 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
commodities: bananas 43%, shrimp 11%, sugar 4%, clothing
5%, coffee 2%
partners: US 37%, EU, Central America and Caribbean
Imports:
total value: $2.95 billion (c.i.f., 1997 est.)
commodities: capital goods 21%, crude oil 11%, foodstuffs
9%, consumer goods, chemicals
partners: US 48%, EU, Central America and Caribbean, Japan
Debt—external: $7.26 billion (1996
est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: NA
Currency: 1 balboa (B) = 100
centesimos
Exchange rates: balboas (B) per
US$1—1.000 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: calendar year
[Top of Page]
Telephones: 273,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: domestic and
international facilities well developed
domestic: NA
international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth
stations—2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central
American Microwave System
Radio broadcast stations: AM 91, FM
0, shortwave 0
Radios: 564,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 23
Televisions: 420,000 (1992 est.)
[Top of Page]
Railways:
total: 355 km
broad gauge: 76 km 1.524-m gauge
narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge
Highways:
total: 11,100 km
paved: 3,730 km (including 30 km of expressways)
unpaved: 7,370 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 800 km navigable by
shallow draft vessels; 82 km Panama Canal
Pipelines: crude oil 130 km
Ports and harbors: Balboa, Cristobal,
Coco Solo, Vacamonte, Manzanillo
Merchant marine:
total: 4,350 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 89,622,112
GRT/137,529,188 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1,240, cargo 1,033, chemical tanker
195, combination bulk 67, combination ore/oil 19, container 426,
liquefied gas tanker 175, livestock carrier 9, multifunction
large-load carrier 5, oil tanker 524, passenger 40,
passenger-cargo 6, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 296,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 101, short-sea passenger 40, specialized
tanker 15, vehicle carrier 158
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from
76 countries among which are Japan 1,236, Greece 418, Hong Kong
273, South Korea 247, Taiwan 227, China 185, Singapore 119, US
112, Switzerland 85, and Indonesia 60 (1997 est.)
Airports: 109 (1997 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:
total: 40
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 19 (1997 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways:
total: 69
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 52 (1997 est.)
[Top of Page]
Military branches: an amendment to
the Constitution abolished the armed forces, but there are
security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes the
National Police, National Maritime Service, and National Air
Service)
Military manpower—availability:
males age 15-49: 733,019 (1998 est.)
Military manpower—fit for military
service:
males: 502,731 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure:
$78 million (1995); note—for police and security forces
Military expenditures—percent of GDP:
NA%
[Top of Page]
Disputes—international: none
Illicit drugs: major cocaine
transshipment point and major drug money-laundering center; no
recent signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial
transactions is improving
Disclaimer |
Information on Panama