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| Introduction | Panama |
| Background: | With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. On 7 September 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of 1999. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the intervening years. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the Canal, and remaining US military bases were turned over to Panama by or on 31 December 1999. |
| People | Panama |
| Population: | 3,000,463 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 30.2% (male 461,427; female 443,932) 15-64 years: 63.6% (male 967,490; female 940,344) 65 years and over: 6.2% (male 88,611; female 98,659) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 25.9 years male: 25.6 years female: 26.2 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.31% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 20.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 6.39 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 20.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 23.08 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 72.14 years male: 69.82 years female: 74.56 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.49 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.9% (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 16,000 (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 500 (2003 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: 92.6% male: 93.2% female: 91.9% (2003 est.) |
| Government | Panama |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Panama conventional short form: Panama local short form: Panama local long form: Republica de Panama |
| Government type: | constitutional democracy |
| Capital: | Panama |
| Administrative divisions: | 9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 territory* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*, and Veraguas |
| 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 1978, 1983 and 1994 |
| 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 Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1 September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1 September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since 1 September 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1 September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1 September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since 1 September 2004); 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 2 May 2004 (next to be held NA May 2009) note: government coalition - PA, MOLIRENA, Democratic Change, MORENA, PLN, PS election results: Martin TORRIJOS Espino elected president; percent of vote - Martin TORRIJOS Espino 47.5%, Guillermo ENDARA Galimany 30.6%, Jose Miguel ALEMAN 17%, Ricardo MARTINELLI 4.9% |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (78 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 40, PA 17, PS 8, MOLIRENA 3, Democratic Change 2, PP 2, PLN 1, other 5 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 elections: last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held 2 May 2009) |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine judges appointed for 10-year terms); five superior courts; three courts of appeal |
| Political parties and leaders: | Arnulfista Party or PA [Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez]; Civic Renewal Party or PRC [Serguei DE LA ROSA]; Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Martin TORRIJOS]; National Liberal Party or PLN [Raul ARANGO Gasteazopo]; National Renovation Movement or MORENA [Pedro VALLARINO Cox]; Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Ramon MORALES]; Popular Party or PP (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC) [Ruben AROSEMENA]; Solidarity Party or PS [Samuel LEWIS Galindo] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Chamber of Commerce; National Civic Crusade; National Council of Organized Workers or CONATO; National Union of Construction and Similar Workers (SUNTRACS); National Council of Private Enterprise or CONEP; Panamanian Association of Business Executives or APEDE; Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers Confederation of the Republic of Panama or CTRP |
| International organization participation: | FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto ALFARO Estripeaut FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407 chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Linda Ellen WATT embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 37, Apartado Postal 0816-02561, Zona 5, Panama City 5 mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002 telephone: [507] 207-7000 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 |
| Communications | Panama |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 386,900 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 834,000 (2003) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: domestic and international facilities well developed domestic: NA international: country code - 507; 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios: | 815,000 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 38 (including repeaters) (1998) |
| Televisions: | 510,000 (1997) |
| Internet country code: | .pa |
| Internet hosts: | 7,129 (2003) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 6 (2000) |
| Internet users: | 120,000 (2002) |
| Transportation | Panama |
| Railways: | total: 355 km standard gauge: 76 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge (2003) |
| Highways: | total: 11,400 km paved: 3,944 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 7,456 km (1999) |
| Waterways: | 800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2004) |
| Ports and harbors: | Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part of Colon area), Vacamonte |
| Merchant marine: | total: 4,833 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 122,960,929 GRT/183,615,337 DWT registered in other countries: 85 (2003 est.) foreign-owned: Albania 2, Angola 1, Antigua and Barbuda 2, Argentina 7, Australia 11, Austria 1, Bahamas 3, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 5, Belize 4, Brazil 4, British Virgin Islands 8, Cambodia 2, Canada 6, Cayman Islands 1, Chile 13, China 286, Colombia 14, Croatia 3, Cuba 17, Cyprus 6, Denmark 4, Dominican Republic 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 16, Equatorial Guinea 1, France 7, Germany 89, Greece 549, Haiti 1, Honduras 2, Hong Kong 288, India 22, Indonesia 44, Iran 1, Ireland 2, Israel 4, Italy 7, Japan 1630, Jordan 8, Kenya 1, South Korea 349, Kuwait 1, Latvia 11, Liberia 3, Lithuania 2, Luxembourg 1, Malaysia 12, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 7, Monaco 29, Netherlands 14, Netherlands Antilles 1, New Zealand 1, Nigeria 6, Norway 86, Oman 1, Pakistan 1, Peru 17, Philippines 41, Poland 12, Portugal 6, Puerto Rico 3, Romania 9, Russia 8, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Saudi Arabia 6, Singapore 105, South Africa 3, Spain 52, Sri Lanka 3, Sudan 1, Sweden 4, Switzerland 93, Syria 1, Taiwan 348, Thailand 14, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 12, Ukraine 2, United Kingdom 51, United States 99, Venezuela 4 by type: barge carrier 3, bulk 1,434, cargo 819, chemical tanker 388, combination bulk 73, combination ore/oil 18, container 613, liquefied gas 190, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large load carrier 15, passenger 36, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 514, rail car carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 281, roll on/roll off 125, short-sea/passenger 37, specialized tanker 36, vehicle carrier 242 |
| Airports: | 103 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 44 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 61 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 49 (2004 est.) |
| Military | Panama |
| Military branches: | an amendment to the Constitution abolished the armed forces, but there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes the Panamanian National Police, National Maritime Service, and National Air Service) |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 810,341 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 553,422 (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $145 million (2003) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1.2% (2003) |
| Military - note: | on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting the creation of a standing military force, but allowing the temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of "external aggression" |
| Transnational Issues | Panama |
| Disputes - international: | none |
| Illicit drugs: | major cocaine transshipment point and primary money-laundering center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering activity is especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore financial center; negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial transactions is improving; official corruption remains a major problem |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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