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Background:
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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.
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Location:
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Central America,
bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean,
between Colombia and Costa Rica |
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Map references:
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Central
America and the Caribbean |
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Area:
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total:
78,200 sq km
water: 2,210 sq km
land: 75,990 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller
than South Carolina |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 555
km
border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km |
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Coastline:
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2,490 km |
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Climate:
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tropical
maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to
January), short dry season (January to May) |
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Terrain:
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interior mostly
steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal
areas largely plains and rolling hills |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m |
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Natural resources:
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copper, mahogany
forests, shrimp, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land:
6.72%
permanent crops: 2.08%
other: 91.2% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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320 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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occasional severe
storms and forest fires in the Darien area |
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Environment - current issues:
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water pollution
from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources;
deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation and
soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air
pollution in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
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Geography - note:
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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 |
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Population:
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3,000,463 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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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.) |
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Median age:
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total:
25.9 years
male: 25.6 years
female: 26.2 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.31% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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20.36
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.39 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-0.91 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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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 |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 72.14 years
male: 69.82 years
female: 74.56 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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1.5% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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25,000 (2001
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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1,900 (2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Panamanian(s)
adjective: Panamanian |
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Ethnic groups:
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mestizo (mixed
Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian)
14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic
85%, Protestant 15% |
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Languages:
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Spanish
(official), English 14%
note: many Panamanians bilingual |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6%
male: 93.2%
female: 91.9% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Republic of Panama
conventional short form: Panama
local short form: Panama
local long form: Republica de Panama |
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Government type:
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constitutional
democracy |
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Capital:
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Panama |
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Administrative divisions:
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9 provinces (provincias,
singular - provincia) and 1 territory* (comarca); Bocas del
Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos,
Panama, San Blas*, and Veraguas |
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Independence:
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3 November 1903
(from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November
1821) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day,
3 November (1903) |
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Constitution:
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11 October 1972;
major reforms adopted 1978, 1983 and 1994 |
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Legal system:
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based on civil
law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme
Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: President Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (since 1
September 1999); First Vice President Arturo Ulises VALLARINO
(since 1 September 1999); Second Vice President Dominador
"Kaiser" Baldonero BAZAN Jimenez (since 1 September
1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO
Rodriguez (since 1 September 1999); First Vice President
Arturo Ulises VALLARINO (since 1 September 1999); Second Vice
President Dominador "Kaiser" Baldonero BAZAN Jimenez
(since 1 September 1999); 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 elected president;
percent of vote - Martin TORRIJOS 47.5%, Guillermo ENDARA
Galimany 30.6%, Jose Miguel ALEMAN 17%, Ricardo MARTINELLI
4.9%; note - Martin TORRIJOS will take office on 1 September
2004 |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral
Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (71 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - PRD 34, PA 18, PDC 5, PS 4, MOLIRENA 3, PLN 3,
Democratic Change 2, PRC 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
elections: last held 2 May 1999 (next to be held 2 May
2004) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court of
Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine judges appointed
for 10-year terms); five superior courts; three courts of
appeal |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Arnulfista Party
or PA [Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez]; Civic Renewal Party or
PRC [Serguei DE LA ROSA]; Democratic Change [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] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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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 |
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Economy - overview:
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Panama's
dollarised economy rests primarily on a well-developed
services sector that accounts for three-fourths of GDP.
Services include operating the Panama Canal, banking, the
Colon Free Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship
registry, and tourism. A slump in Colon Free Zone and
agricultural exports, the global slowdown, and the withdrawal
of US military forces held back economic growth in 2000-03.
The government has been backing public works programs, tax
reforms, new regional trade agreements, and development of
tourism in order to stimulate growth. Unemployment remains at
an unacceptably high level. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $18.62 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3.2% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $6,300 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
7%
industry: 17%
services: 76% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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37% (1999 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1.3% (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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1.1 million
note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of
unskilled labor (2000 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture
20.8%, industry 18%, services 61.2% (1995 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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14.5% (2003 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$1.9 billion
expenditures: $2 billion, including capital
expenditures of $471 million (2000 est.) |
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Industries:
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construction,
petroleum refining, brewing, cement and other construction
materials, sugar milling |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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1% (2003 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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4.039 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
37%
hydro: 61.3%
other: 1.7% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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3.681 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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52,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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bananas, rice,
corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp |
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Exports:
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$5.237 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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bananas, shrimp,
sugar, coffee, clothing (1999) |
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Exports - partners:
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US 47.8%, Sweden
5.8%, Costa Rica 4.8%, Honduras 4.5% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$6.622 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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capital goods,
crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals (1999) |
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Imports - partners:
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US 34.4%,
Colombia 5.9%, Japan 5.4%, Costa Rica 4.2%, Venezuela 4.2%
(2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$8.9 billion
(2003 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$197.1 million
(1995) |
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Currency:
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balboa (PAB); US
dollar (USD) |
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Currency code:
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PAB; USD |
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Exchange rates:
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balboas per US
dollar - 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000), 1 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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366,700 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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569,600 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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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 |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 101, FM 134,
shortwave 0 (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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38 (including
repeaters) (1998) |
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Internet country code:
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.pa |
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Internet hosts:
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7,393 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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120,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
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total: 355
km
broad gauge: 76 km 1.524-m gauge
narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge (2002) |
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Highways:
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total:
11,400 km
paved: 3,944 km (including 30 km of expressways)
unpaved: 7,456 km (1999) |
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Waterways:
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882 km
note: 800 km navigable by shallow draft vessels; 82 km
Panama Canal |
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Pipelines:
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crude oil 130 km
(2001) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Balboa, Cristobal,
Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part of Colon area), Vacamonte |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
4,833 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 122,960,929 GRT/183,615,337
DWT
registered in other countries: 85 (2003 est.)
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
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 |
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Airports:
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103 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 42
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 22 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 61
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 49 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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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) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 810,341 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 553,422 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$145 million
(2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.2% (2003) |
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Military - note:
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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" |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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Illicit drugs:
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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 11 May, 2004
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