PANAMA
Geography People Government Economy Transportation Communications Defense Forces
PANAMA
@Panama:Geography
Location: Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
PANAMA - MAJOR CITIES
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Latitude, Internat'l Time
Population Longitude Phone Code Zone
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
PANAMA 688,000 8.57N, 79.30W 507- GMT-5
David 51,000 8.26N, 82.26W 507- GMT-5
La Chorrera 39,000 8.51N, 79.46W 507- GMT-5
Santiago 23,000 8.08N, 80.59W 507- GMT-5
Tocumen 22,000 9.05N, 79.22W 507- GMT-5
Colon 20,000 9.21N, 79.54W 507- GMT-5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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, 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
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, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but
not ratified - Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
Conservation, Tropical Timber 94
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
@Panama:People
Population: 2,680,903 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 34% (female 439,491; male 458,817)
15-64 years: 61% (female 812,876; male 823,124)
65 years and over: 5% (female 74,672; male 71,923) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.9% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 24.12 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 4.79 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 15.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.2 years
male: 72.57 years
female: 77.97 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.8 children born/woman (1995 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 (1990)
total population: 89%
male: 89%
female: 88%
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
@Panama:Government
Names:
conventional long form: Republic of Panama
conventional short form: Panama
local long form: Republica de Panama
local short form: Panama
Digraph: PM
Type: 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, elected 8 May
1994); First Vice President Tomas Gabriel ALTAMIRANO DUQUE (since 1
September 1994); Second Vice President Felipe Alejandro VIRZI Lopez
(since 1 September 1994 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; 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),
5 superior courts, 3 courts of appeal
Political parties and leaders:
governing coalition: Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), Gerardo
GONZALEZ; Solidarity Party (PS), Samuel LEWIS GALINDO; Liberal
Republican Party (PLR), Rodolfo CHIARI; Labor Party (PALA), Carlos
Lopez GUEVARA
other parties: Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (MOLIRENA),
Alfredo RAMIREZ; Authentic Liberal Party (PLA), Arnulfo ESCALONA;
Arnulfista Party (PA), Mireya MOSCOSO DE GRUBER; Christian Democratic
Party (PDC), Raul OSSA; Liberal Party (PL), Roberto ALEMAN Zubieta;
Papa Egoro Movement (MPE), Ruben BLADES; 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)
Member of: AG (associate), CG, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS,
OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
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: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Oliver P. GARZA
embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 38, Apartado 6959, Panama City 5
mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945; APO AA 34002
telephone: [507] 27-1777
FAX: [507] 27-1964
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
Overview: Because of its key geographic location, Panama's economy is
service-based, heavily weighted toward banking, commerce, and tourism.
Trade and financial ties with the US are especially close. GDP grew at
3.6% in 1994, a respectable rate, yet below the 7.1% average of the
early 1990s. Banking and financial services and trade through the
Colon Free Zone continued to expand rapidly, with the industrial and
agricultural sectors experiencing little growth. The new
administration, inaugurated 1 September 1994, has launched an economic
plan designed to reverse rising unemployment, attract foreign
investment, cut back the size of government, and modernize the
economy. The success of the plan in meeting its goals for 1995 and
beyond depends largely on the success of the administration in
reforming the labor code and instituting the reforms necessary to join
the GATT.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $12.3 billion (1994
est.)
National product real growth rate: 3.6% (1994 est.)
National product per capita: $4,670 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.8% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 12.9% (1994 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.93 billion
expenditures: $1.93 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1994)
Exports: $520 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
commodities: bananas 43%, shrimp 11%, sugar 4%, clothing 5%, coffee 2%
partners: US 45%, EU, Central America and Caribbean
Imports: $2.205 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
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.)
Industrial production: growth rate 1.8% (1994 est.); accounts for
about 9% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity: 960,000 kW
production: 2.8 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 1,047 kWh (1993)
Industries: manufacturing and construction, petroleum refining,
brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling
Agriculture: accounts for 10% of GDP (1992 est.); crops - bananas,
rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane; livestock; fishing; importer of food
grain, vegetables
Illicit drugs: major cocaine transshipment point and drug money
laundering center
Economic aid:
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $516 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-89), $582 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $4 million
Currency: 1 balboa (B) = 100 centesimos
Exchange rates: balboas (B) per US$1 - 1.000 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Panama:Transportation
Railroads:
total: 238 km
broad gauge: 78 km 1.524-m gauge
narrow gauge: 160 km 0.914-m gauge
Highways:
total: 8,530 km
paved: 2,745 km
unpaved: gravel, crushed stone 3,270 km; improved, unimproved earth
2,515 km
Inland waterways: 800 km navigable by shallow draft vessels; 82 km
Panama Canal
Pipelines: crude oil 130 km
Ports: Bahia de las Minas, Balboa, Colon, Cristobal, Panama
Merchant marine:
total: 3,526 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 60,748,525
GRT/95,102,552 DWT
ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 787, cargo 1,070, chemical tanker
175, combination bulk 33, combination ore/oil 25, container 259,
liquefied gas tanker 125, livestock carrier 8, multifunction
large-load carrier 6, oil tanker 465, passenger 24, passenger-cargo 3,
refrigerated cargo 284, roll-on/roll-off cargo 81, short-sea passenger
34, specialized tanker 9, vehicle carrier 137
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes 93 countries; the 10
major fleet flags are: Japan 1,171 ships, Greece 323, Hong Kong 276,
US 212, Taiwan 184, Singapore 181, South Korea 172, China 145 ships,
UK 102, and Norway 70
Airports:
total: 115
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: 74
with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 20
@Panama:Communications
Telephone system: 220,000 telephones; domestic and international
facilities well developed
local: NA
intercity: NA
international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; 2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean)
earth stations; connected to the Central American Microwave System
Radio:
broadcast stations: AM 91, FM 0, shortwave 0
radios: NA
Television:
broadcast stations: 23
televisions: NA
@Panama:Defense Forces
Branches: Panamanian Public Forces (PPF; includes the National Police
or PNP, Maritime Service, National Air Service, and Institutional
Protective Service); Judicial Branch Technical Police
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 701,691; males fit for military
service 481,927 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: expenditures for the Panamanian security forces
amounted to $105 million, 1.0% of GDP (1993 est.)
________________________________________________________________________