3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821)
Religions
mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%
Languages
Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety of sources including Arabic and English; it has become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most people is one of the local languages
Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual
Exports
bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing
External Debt
$13,340,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
balboas (PAB) per US dollar - 1 (2008 est.), 1 (2007), 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004) note: the US dollar is the legal currency
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.000%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
1
Location
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
Area
947,300 km sq
75,420 km sq
Coastline
1,424 km
2,490 km
Climate
varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands
tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)
