3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821)
oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years
Religions
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%
Christian 60.8% (Orthodox 50.6%, Protestant 10.2%), Muslim 32.8%, traditional 4.6%, other 1.8% (1994 census)
Languages
Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual
Amarigna 32.7%, Oromigna 31.6%, Tigrigna 6.1%, Somaligna 6%, Guaragigna 3.5%, Sidamigna 3.5%, Hadiyigna 1.7%, other 14.8%, English (major foreign language taught in schools) (1994 census)
Exports
coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds
External Debt
$11,990,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
birr (ETB) per US dollar - 9.57 (2008 est.), 8.96 (2007), 8.69 (2006), 8.68 (2005), 8.6356 (2004) note: since 24 October 2001, exchange rates are determined on a daily basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.910%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
7
Location
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
Eastern Africa, west of Somalia
Area
75,420 km sq
1,104,300 km sq
Coastline
2,490 km
0 km
Climate
tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)
tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation
Rankings + Records
