Geography
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 area: 78,200 sq km
land area: 75,990 sq km
comparative area: 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
International disputes: none
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
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m
Natural resources: copper, mahogany forests, shrimp
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 2%
meadows and pastures: 15%
forest and woodland: 54%
other: 23%
Irrigated land: 320 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens
fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed,
but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation,
Tropical Timber 94
Geographic 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
People
Population: 2,655,094 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 445,382; female 426,111)
15-64 years: 62% (male 828,384; female 806,205)
65 years and over: 5% (male 71,823; female 77,189) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.64% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 23.2 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 5.42 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 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: 0.93 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.03 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 29.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.92 years
male: 71.19 years
female: 76.75 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.71 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Panamanian(s)
adjective: Panamanian
Ethnic divisions: mestizo (mixed Indian and European ancestry) 70%,
West Indian 14%, white 10%, Indian 6%
Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%
Languages: Spanish (official), English 14%
note: many Panamanians bilingual
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 90.8%
male: 91.4%
female: 90.2%
Government
Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Panama
conventional short form: Panama
local long form: Republica de Panama
local short form: Panama
Data code: PM
Type of government: constitutional republic
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*, 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 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 and 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) were elected for five-year
terms by popular vote; election last held 8 May 1994 (next to be held 9
May 1999); results - Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES (PRD) 33%, Mireya MOSCOSO
DE GRUBER (PA) 29%, Ruben BLADES (MPE) 17%, Ruben Dario CARLES (MOLIRENA)
16%
cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral
Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa): 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 8 May 1994 (next to be
held 9 May 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (72 total)
PRD 32, PS 4, PALA 1, PA 14, MPE 6, MOLIRENA 4, PLA 3, PRC 3, PL 2, PDC
1, UDI 1, MORENA 1
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; Liberal Republican Party (PLR), Rodolfo CHIARI; Labor Party (PALA),
Carlos Lopez GUEVARA
other parties: Solidarity Party (PS), Samuel LEWIS GALINDO; Nationalist
Republican Liberal Movement (MOLIRENA), Delia CARDENAS; Authentic Liberal
Party (PLA), Arnulfo ESCALONA; Arnulfista Party (PA), Mireya MOSCOSO DE
GRUBER; Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Ruben AROSEMENA; Liberal Party
(PL), Roberto ALEMAN Zubieta; Papa Egoro Movement (MPE), Gloria YOUNG;
Civic Renewal Party (PRC), Tomas HERRERA; National Unity Mission Party
(MUN), Jose Manuel PAREDES; Independent Democratic Union (UDI), Jacinto
CARDENAS; National Renovation Movement (MORENA), Pedro VALLERINO
Other political or pressure groups: 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), ECLAC, FAO,
G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM,
OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ricardo Alberto ARIAS
chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York,
San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa
US diplomatic representation:
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] 227-1377
FAX: [507] 227-1964
Flag: 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
Economy
Economic overview: Because of its key geographic location, Panama's
economy is service-based, heavily weighted toward banking, commerce, and
tourism. The manufacturing and agriculture sectors have become inefficient
under protectionist policies. After fast growth during the early 1990s,
the economy has slowed down in the last two years, with GDP growth at 2.8%
in 1994 and in 1995. The slowdown has been due mostly to a reduction in
construction activities and stagnation in the Colon Free Zone and financial
services, the three fastest growing sectors early in the decade. To counter
the slowdown, the PEREZ BALLADARES administration has launched an economic
reform program designed to reverse unemployment, attract foreign investment,
cut back the size of government, and modernize the economy. In 1995, Panama
reached an agreement in principle to reschedule its commercial debt - one
of the highest in the world in per capita terms - which will allow the
country to reenter international financial markets. Panama should complete
all requirements to join the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in 1996.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $13.6 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 2.8% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $5,100 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 10%
industry: 16%
services: 74% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.1% (1995)
Labor force: 979,000 (1994 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: 13.8% (1995)
Budget:
revenues: $1.86 billion
expenditures: $1.86 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995)
Industries: construction, petroleum refining, brewing, cement and other
construction materials, sugar milling
Industrial production growth rate: 0.4% (1995 est.)
Electricity:
capacity: 960,000 kW
production: 2.8 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 1,047 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock;
fishing (shrimp)
Illicit drugs: major cocaine transshipment point and major drug money
laundering center; minor producer of coca leaf; active eradication program
Exports: $548 million (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: bananas 43%, shrimp 11%, sugar 4%, clothing 5%, coffee
2%
partners: US 39%, EU, Central America and Caribbean
Imports: $2.45 billion (c.i.f., 1995)
commodities: capital goods 21%, crude oil 11%, foodstuffs 9%, consumer
goods, chemicals
partners: US 40%, EU, Central America and Caribbean, Japan
External debt: $6.7 billion (yearend 1993 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $58 million (1993)
Currency: 1 balboa (B) = 100 centesimos
Exchange rates: balboas (B) per US$1 - 1.000 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation
Railways:
total: 355 km
broad gauge: 76 km 1.524-m gauge
narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge
Highways:
total: 10,103 km
paved: 3,233 km
unpaved: 6,870 km (1992 est.)
Waterways: 800 km navigable by shallow draft vessels; 82 km Panama
Canal
Pipelines: crude oil 130 km
Ports: Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo North, Vacamonte
Merchant marine:
total: 3,758 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 69,960,500 GRT/107,632,713
DWT
ships by type: bulk 902, cargo 1,050, chemical tanker 168, combination
bulk 40, combination ore/oil 19, container 307, liquefied gas tanker 155,
livestock carrier 7, multifunction large-load carrier 3, oil tanker 488,
passenger 31, passenger-cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 295, roll-on/roll-off
cargo 93, short-sea passenger 34, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier
150
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 83 countries
among which are Japan 1,212, Greece 360, Hong Kong 263, Taiwan 203, South
Korea 198, US 160, China 152, Singapore 118, UK 79, Switzerland 67, and
Norway 58 (1995 est.)
Airports:
total: 99
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 5
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 14
with paved runways under 914 m: 60
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 18 (1995 est.)
Communications
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.)
Defense
Branches: Panamanian Public Forces (PPF; includes the National Police,
National Maritime Service, National Air Service, and Institutional Protective
Service); Judicial Technical Police
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 705,427
males fit for military service: 484,571 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $78 million, NA% of
GDP (1995); note - for police and security forces