2003 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 30.6% (male 461,670; female 443,671) 15-64 years: 63.3% (male 950,089; female 924,038) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 86,006; female 95,310) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp

Airports

103 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

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

total

41

under 914 m

21 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

62 914 to 1,523 m: 12

under 914 m

50 (2002) Military Panama

Area

land

75,990 sq km

total

78,200 sq km

water

2,210 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than South Carolina

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. Geography Panama

Birth rate

20.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$2 billion, including capital expenditures of $471 million (2000 est.)

revenues

$1.9 billion

Capital

Panama

Climate

tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)

Coastline

2,490 km

Constitution

11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983 and 1994

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Panama

conventional short form

Panama

local long form

Republica de Panama

local short form

Panama

Currency

balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)

Currency code

PAB; USD

Death rate

6.25 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$7 billion (2002 est.)

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Roberto ALFARO Estripeaut

Disputes - international

none

Distribution of family income - Gini index

48.5 (1997)

Economic aid - recipient

$197.1 million (1995)

Economy - overview

Panama's economy is based 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 2000-02. The government has been backing public works programs, tax reforms, new regional trade agreements, and development of tourism in order to stimulate growth.

Electricity - consumption

3.681 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

118 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

43 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

4.039 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

37%

hydro

61.3%

nuclear

0%

other

1.7% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

Marine Life Conservation

Ethnic groups

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%

Exchange rates

balboas per US dollar - 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000), 1 (1999), 1 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

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

election results

Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez elected president; percent of vote - Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (PA) 44%, Martin TORRIJOS (PRD) 37%

elections

president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 2 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2004)

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

note

government coalition - PA, MOLIRENA, Democratic Change, MORENA, PLN, PS

Exports

$5.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing (1999)

Exports - partners

US 47.8%, Sweden 5.8%, Costa Rica 4.8%, Honduras 4.4% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 483-8416

[507] 227-1964

chancery

2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa

telephone

[1] (202) 483-1407

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Panama

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 Economy Panama

GDP

purchasing power parity - $18.06 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

7%

industry

17%

services

76% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $6,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

0.7% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

9 00 N, 80 00 W

Geography - 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 Panama

Government type

constitutional democracy

Highways

paved

3,944 km (including 30 km of expressways)

total

11,400 km

unpaved

7,456 km (1999)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,900 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

25,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

35.7% (1997)

lowest 10%

1.2%

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 18 December, 2003

Imports

$6.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital goods, crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals (1999)

Imports - partners

US 34.3%, Colombia 5.9%, Japan 5.4%, Costa Rica 4.2%, Venezuela 4.2% (2002)

Independence

3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821)

Industrial production growth rate

0.5% (2002 est.)

Industries

construction, petroleum refining, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling

Infant mortality rate

female

19.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

23.59 deaths/1,000 live births

total

21.44 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.1% (2001 est.)

International organization participation

ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Internet country code

.pa

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

6 (2000)

Internet users

45,000 (2000) Transportation Panama

Irrigated land

320 sq km (1998 est.)

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

Labor force

1.1 million

note

shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 20.8%, industry 18%, services 61.2% (1995 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km

total

555 km

Land use

arable land

6.72%

other

91.2% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

2.08%

Languages

Spanish (official), English 14%

note

many Panamanians bilingual

Legal system

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch

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

elections

last held 2 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2004)

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

74.79 years (2003 est.)

male

69.97 years

total population

72.32 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

91.9% (2003 est.) Government Panama

male

93.2%

total population

92.6%

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

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 NM

exclusive economic zone

200 NM

territorial sea

12 NM

Median age

female

25.9 years (2002)

male

25.4 years

total

25.6 years

Merchant marine

convenience

Albania 2, Angola 1, Antigua and Barbuda 1, Argentina 11, Australia 13, Austria 2, The Bahamas 5, Belgium 2, Belize 6, Brazil 6, British Virgin Islands 8, Cambodia 1, Canada 9, Chile 12, China 259, Colombia 14, Croatia 2, Cuba 20, Cyprus 3, Denmark 3, Dominican Republic 1, Ecuador 3, Egypt 16, Equatorial Guinea 1, France 9, Germany 72, Greece 523, Haiti 1, Honduras 3, Hong Kong 299, Iceland 1, India 18, Indonesia 48, Ireland 1, Israel 5, Italy 9, Japan 1,642, Kenya 1, Kuwait 2, Latvia 8, Liberia 5, Lithuania 1, Malaysia 18, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 1, Mexico 8, Monaco 112, Netherlands 19, Netherlands Antilles 1, Nigeria 3, Norway 98, Paraguay 1, Peru 15, Philippines 49, Poland 5, Portugal 7, Puerto Rico 2, Romania 7, Russia 12, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Saudi Arabia 4, Seychelles 1, Singapore 112, South Africa 3, South Korea 342, Spain 52, Sri Lanka 3, Sudan 1, Sweden 2, Switzerland 81, Taiwan 334, Thailand 14, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Tunisia 1, Turkey 4, Ukraine 1, UAE 54, UK 73, US 115, Venezuela 6 (2002 est.)

note

includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

ships by type

barge carrier 5, bulk 1,443, cargo 846, chemical tanker 376, combination bulk 72, combination ore/oil 17, container 588, liquefied gas 207, livestock carrier 6, multi-functional large-load carrier 12, passenger 38, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 537, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 287, roll on/roll off 107, short-sea passenger 41, specialized tanker 33, vehicle carrier 240

total

4,860 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 122,543,755 GRT/184,910,607 DWT

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

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 expenditures - dollar figure

$128 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.3% (FY99)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

797,456 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

544,967 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

Nationality

adjective

Panamanian

noun

Panamanian(s)

Natural hazards

occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area

Natural resources

copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Net migration rate

-0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

52,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 130 km (2001)

Political parties and leaders

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]

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

Population

2,960,784 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

37% (1999 est.)

Population growth rate

1.36% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part of Colon area), Vacamonte

Radio broadcast stations

AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

815,000 (1997)

Railways

broad gauge

76 km 1.524-m gauge

narrow gauge

279 km 0.914-m gauge (2002)

total

355 km

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

domestic and international facilities well developed

international

1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System

Telephones - main lines in use

396,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

17,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

38 (including repeaters) (1998)

Televisions

510,000 (1997)

Terrain

interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills

Total fertility rate

2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

16% (2002 est.)

Waterways

882 km

note

800 km navigable by shallow draft vessels; 82 km Panama Canal