2015 Edition

Background

Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the latter dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. 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. In 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the subsequent decades. 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 transferred to Panama by the end of 1999. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious plan (estimated to cost $5.3 billion) to expand the Canal. The project, which began in 2007 and could double the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in 2016.

Area

land

74,340 sq km

total

75,420 sq km

water

1,080 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Climate

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

Coastline

2,490 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Volcan Baru 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, Environmental Modification, 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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

296.1 cu m/yr (2005)

total

0.91 cu km/yr (27%/2%/71%)

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

Irrigated land

346.2 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries (2)

Colombia 339 km, Costa Rica 348 km

total

687 km

Land use

arable land 7.3%; permanent crops 2.5%; permanent pasture 20.7%

agricultural land

30.5%

forest

43.6%

other

25.9% (2011 est.)

Location

Central 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 or edge of continental margin

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area

Natural resources

copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Terrain

interior mostly steep, rugged mountains with dissected, upland plains; coastal plains with rolling hills

Total renewable water resources

148 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

27.06% (male 505,079/female 484,471)

15-24 years

17.2% (male 320,329/female 308,717)

25-54 years

40.24% (male 745,309/female 726,211)

55-64 years

7.55% (male 136,506/female 139,513)

65 years and over

7.95% (male 133,930/female 156,959) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

18.32 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Child labor - children ages 5-14

note

data represents children ages 5-17 (2010 est.)

percentage

7%

total number

59,294

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.9% (2008)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

52.2% (2009)

Death rate

4.81 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Demographic profile

Panama has expanded access to education and clean water, but the availability of sanitation and, to a lesser extent, electricity remains poor. The increase in secondary schooling - led by female enrollment - is spreading to rural and indigenous areas, which probably will help to alleviate poverty if educational quality and the availability of skilled jobs improve. Inadequate access to sanitation contributes to a high incidence of diarrhea in Panama's children, which is one of the main causes of Panama's elevated chronic malnutrition rate, especially among indigenous communities.

Panama is a country of demographic and economic contrasts. It is in the midst of a demographic transition, characterized by steadily declining rates of fertility, mortality, and population growth, but disparities persist based on wealth, geography, and ethnicity. Panama has one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America and dedicates substantial funding to social programs, yet poverty and inequality remain prevalent. The indigenous population accounts for a growing share of Panama's poor and extreme poor, while the non-indigenous rural poor have been more successful at rising out of poverty through rural-to-urban labor migration. The government's large expenditures on untargeted, indirect subsidies for water, electricity, and fuel have been ineffective, but its conditional cash transfer program has shown some promise in helping to decrease extreme poverty among the indigenous population.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

11.7%

potential support ratio

8.5% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

53.4%

youth dependency ratio

41.7%

Drinking water source

urban: 97.7% of population

rural: 86.6% of population

total: 94.7% of population

urban: 2.3% of population

rural: 11.4% of population

total: 5.3% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

3.3% of GDP (2011)

Ethnic groups

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Native American 12.3% (Ngabe 7.6%, Kuna 2.4%, Embera .9%, Bugle .8%, other .4%, unspecified .2%), black or African descent 9.2%, mulatto 6.8%, white 6.7% (2010 est.)

Health expenditures

7.2% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.65% (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

600 (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

15,500 (2013 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.2 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

female

9.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

11.16 deaths/1,000 live births

total

10.41 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Spanish (official), indigenous languages (including Ngabe, Bugle, Kuna, Embera, Wounaan, Naso Tjerdi, and Bri Bri)

note

many Panamanians are bilingual

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.39 years (2015 est.)

male

75.67 years

total population

78.47 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

94.4% (2015 est.)

male

95.7%

total population

95%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

intermediate

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne disease

dengue fever (2013)

Major urban areas - population

PANAMA CITY (capital) 1.673 million (2015)

Median age

female

29 years (2015 est.)

male

28.2 years

total

28.6 years

Nationality

adjective

Panamanian

noun

Panamanian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

26.5% (2014)

Physicians density

1.65 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

Population

3,657,024 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

1.32% (2015 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Sanitation facility access

urban: 83.5% of population

rural: 58% of population

total: 75% of population

urban: 16.5% of population

rural: 42% of population

total: 25% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2012)

male

13 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.03 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.85 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.35 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

13.3% (2012 est.)

male

8.7%

total

10.3%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.07% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

66.6% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 3 indigenous territories* (comarcas); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Embera-Wounaan*, Herrera, Kuna Yala*, Los Santos, Ngobe-Bugle*, Panama, Panama Oeste, Veraguas

Capital

geographic coordinates

8 58 N, 79 32 W

name

Panama City

time difference

UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

several previous; latest effective 11 October 1972; amended several times, last in 2004 (2010)

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Panama

conventional short form

Panama

local long form

Republica de Panama

local short form

Panama

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Jonathan D. FARRAR (since 15 May 2012)

embassy

Edificio 783, Avenida Demetrio Basilio Lakas Panama, Apartado Postal 0816-02561, Zona 5, Panama City

FAX

[507] 317-5568

mailing address

American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002; American Embassy Panama, 9100 Panama City PL, Washington, DC 20521-9100

telephone

[507] 317-5000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador Emanuel Arturo GONZALEZ-REVILLA Lince (since 18 September 2014)

consulate(s) general

Honolulu, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, Tampa (FL), Washington DC

FAX

[1] (202) 483-8413

telephone

[1] (202) 483-1407

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President Juan Carlos VARELA (since 1 July 2014); Vice President Isabel de SAINT MALO de Alvarado (since 1 July 2014); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

Juan Carlos VARELA elected president; percent of vote - Juan Carlos VARELA (PP) 39.1%, Jose Domingo ARIAS (CD) 31.4%, Juan Carlos NAVARRO (PRD) 28.2%, other 1.3%

elections/appointments

president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (president eligible for a single non-consecutive term); election last held on 4 May 2014; next to be held in 2019)

head of government

President Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal (since 1 July 2009); Vice President Juan Carlos VARELA Rodriguez (since 1 July 2009)

note

the ruling government coalition - formerly comprised of CD (Democratic Change), Panamenista Party, MOLIRENA (Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement), and UP (Patriotic Union Party) - split in August 2011 when President MARTINELLI relieved Vice President VARELA from his position as Foreign Minister, prompting the Panamenistas to pull out of the coalition; UP merged with CD, and CD and the Panamenista Party ran separate candidates for the 2014 presidency

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; the blue and red colors are those of the main political parties (Conservatives and Liberals respectively) and the white denotes peace between them; the blue star stands for the civic virtues of purity and honesty, the red star signifies authority and law

Government type

constitutional democracy

Independence

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

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

BCIE, CAN (observer), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA, UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 9 magistrates and 9 alternates and divided into civil, criminal, administrative, and general business chambers)

judge selection and term of office

magistrates appointed by the president for staggered 10-year terms

subordinate courts

appellate courts or Tribunal Superior; Labor Supreme Courts; Court of Audit; circuit courts or Tribunal Circuital (2 each in 9 of the 10 provinces); municipal courts; electoral, family, maritime, and adolescent courts

Legal system

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (71 seats; 45 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - populous towns and cities - by proportional representation vote and 26 directly elected in single-seat constituencies - outlying rural districts - by plurality vote; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 26, CD 25, Panamenista 16, MOLIRENA 2, PP 1, independent 1; note - only 57 deputies were officially installed because fourteen runners-up challenged the election

elections

last held on 4 May 2014 (next to be held in May 2019)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Jeronimo DE LA OSSA/Santos A. JORGE

name

"Himno Istmeno" (Isthmus Hymn)

note

adopted 1925

National holiday

Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

National symbol(s)

harpy eagle; national colors: blue, white, red

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal]

Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Carlos PEREZ Herrera]

Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Francisco "Pancho" ALEMAN]

Panamenista Party [Juan Carlos VARELA Rodriguez] (formerly the Arnulfista Party)

Popular Party or PP [Milton C. HENRIQUEZ] (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC)

Political pressure groups and leaders

Chamber of Commerce

Concertacion Nacional (mechanism for Government of Panama to formally dialogue with representatives of civil society)

National Council of Organized Workers or CONATO

National Council of Private Enterprise or CONEP

National Union of Construction and Similar Workers (SUNTRACS)

Panamanian Association of Business Executives or APEDE

Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP

Workers Confederation of the Republic of Panama or CTRP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$12.69 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$10.86 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-4.1% of GDP (2014 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

6.6% (31 December 2014 est.)

6.59% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

-$5.257 billion (2014 est.)

-$4.806 billion (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$15.47 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$13.88 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

51.9 (2010 est.)

56.1 (2003)

Economy - overview

Panama's dollar-based economy rests primarily on a well-developed services sector that accounts for more than three-quarters of GDP. Services include operating the Panama Canal, logistics, banking, the Colon Free Trade Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. Economic growth will be bolstered by the Panama Canal expansion project that began in 2007 and is estimated to be completed by 2016 at a cost of $5.3 billion - about 10-15% of current GDP. The expansion project will more than double the Canal's capacity, enabling it to accommodate ships that are too large to traverse the existing canal. The United States and China are the top users of the Canal. Panama completed a metro system in Panama City, valued at $1.2 billion in 2014. Panama's transportation and logistics services sectors, along with infrastructure development projects, have boosted economic growth; however, public debt surpassed $17 billion in 2014 because of excessive government spending and public works projects. Foreign direct investment has continued to be a source of growth. Strong economic performance has not translated into broadly shared prosperity, as Panama has the second worst income distribution in Latin America. About one-fourth of the population lives in poverty; however, from 2006 to 2012 poverty was reduced by 10 percentage points. The US-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement was approved by Congress and signed into law in October 2011, and entered into force in October 2012.

Exchange rates

balboas (PAB) per US dollar -

1 (2014 est.)

1 (2013 est.)

1 (2012 est.)

1 (2011 est.)

1 (2010 est.)

Exports

$18.07 billion (2014 est.)

$17.5 billion (2013 est.)

note

includes the Colon Free Zone

Exports - commodities

fruit and nuts, fish, iron and steel waste, wood

Exports - partners

US 19.8%, Germany 10.7%, China 8.5%, Costa Rica 6.7%, Netherlands 5.2%, Vietnam 4.3% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

75.3%

government consumption

11.3%

household consumption

52.9%

imports of goods and services

-74%

investment in fixed capital

28.7%

investment in inventories

5.8%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

2.9%

industry

14.1%

services

83% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$19,500 (2014 est.)

$18,300 (2013 est.)

$16,900 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

6.2% (2014 est.)

8.4% (2013 est.)

10.7% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$43.78 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$76.42 billion (2014 est.)

$71.95 billion (2013 est.)

$66.39 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

17.8% of GDP (2014 est.)

17.8% of GDP (2013 est.)

18.8% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

40.1% (2010 est.)

lowest 10%

1.1%

Imports

$25.65 billion (2014 est.)

$24.26 billion (2013 est.)

note

includes the Colon Free Zone

Imports - commodities

fuels, machinery, vehicles, iron and steel rods, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners

US 25.1%, China 8.1%, Mexico 4.2% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

8.2% (2014 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.6% (2014 est.)

4% (2013 est.)

Labor force

1.563 million

note

shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

17%

industry

18.6%

services

64.4% (2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$12.54 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$10.68 billion (31 December 2011)

$8.348 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

26% (2012 est.)

Public debt

37.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

36.8% of GDP (2013 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$3.048 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$2.848 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of broad money

$28.22 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$25.81 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$8.34 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$7.835 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$39.39 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$35.69 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$40.11 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$28.83 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$6.887 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$6.347 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

24.3% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.1% (2014 est.)

4.1% (2013 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

16.23 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Electricity - consumption

6.626 billion kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - exports

59 million kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

43.5% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

56.5% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - imports

19 million kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

2.391 million kW (2011 est.)

Electricity - production

7.642 billion kWh (2011 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

101,400 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

111,100 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Broadcast media

multiple privately owned TV networks and a government-owned educational TV station; multi-channel cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; more than 100 commercial radio stations (2007)

Internet country code

.pa

Internet users

percent of population

48.4% (2014 est.)

total

1.7 million

Radio broadcast stations

AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telephone system

domestic

mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has increased rapidly

general assessment

domestic and international facilities well-developed

international

country code - 507; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1), the MAYA-1, and PAN-AM submarine cable systems that together provide links to the US and parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

16 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

590,000

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

172 (2014 est.)

total

6.2 million

Television broadcast stations

38 (including repeaters) (1998)

Airports

117 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

3

2,438 to 3,047 m

3

914 to 1,523 m

20

over 3,047 m

1

total

57

under 914 m

30 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

51 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

8

total

60

Heliports

3 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 2,525, cargo 1,115, carrier 27, chemical tanker 588, combination ore/oil 1, container 742, liquefied gas 205, passenger 42, passenger/cargo 51, petroleum tanker 545, refrigerated cargo 191, roll on/roll off 87, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 290

foreign-owned

5,151 (Albania 4, Argentina 5, Australia 4, Bahamas 6, Bangladesh 5, Belgium 1, Bermuda 27, Brazil 3, Bulgaria 6, Burma 3, Canada 6, Chile 14, China 534, Colombia 2, Croatia 2, Cuba 2, Cyprus 5, Denmark 41, Ecuador 3, Egypt 11, Finland 2, France 7, Gabon 1, Germany 24, Gibraltar 1, Greece 379, Hong Kong 144, India 24, Indonesia 10, Iran 5, Ireland 1, Israel 1, Italy 25, Japan 2372, Jordan 11, Kuwait 12, Lebanon 2, Lithuania 3, Luxembourg 1, Malaysia 12, Maldives 2, Malta 2, Mexico 5, Monaco 11, Netherlands 6, Nigeria 6, Norway 81, Oman 10, Pakistan 3, Peru 9, Philippines 5, Portugal 10, Qatar 1, Romania 3, Russia 49, Saudi Arabia 11, Singapore 92, South Korea 373, Spain 30, Sweden 2, Switzerland 15, Syria 34, Taiwan 328, Tanzania 2, Thailand 6, Turkey 62, UAE 83, UK 37, Ukraine 8, US 90, Venezuela 13, Vietnam 43, Yemen 4)

registered in other countries

1 (Honduras 1) (2010)

total

6,413

Pipelines

oil 128 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Balboa (3,232,265), Colon (2,390,976), Manzanillo (2,391,066)

major seaport(s)

Balboa, Colon, Cristobal

Railways

standard gauge

77 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)

total

77 km

Roadways

paved

6,351 km

total

15,137 km

unpaved

8,786 km (2010)

Waterways

800 km (includes the 82-km Panama Canal that is being widened) (2011)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49

890,006 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

728,329 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

731,254

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

30,879 (2010 est.)

male

32,142

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"

Military branches

no regular military forces; Panamanian Public Security Forces (subordinate to the Ministry of Public Security), comprising the National Police (PNP), National Air-Naval Service (SENAN), National Border Service (SENAFRONT) (2013)

Disputes - international

organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within the remote border region with Panama

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

15,551 (Colombia) (2014)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Panama is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; most Panamanian victims are sexually exploited domestically; indigenous girls and women are also forced into domestic servitude in the country; foreign women from nearby countries migrate to Panama legally but some are subsequently exploited in sex trafficking or, to a lesser extent, in domestic service; Chinese adults and men from neighboring countries are subjected to debt bondage, while Colombian and Middle Eastern men are used as forced labor in restaurants

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List – Panama does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; several public awareness events were conducted in 2013, but the government did not demonstrate overall increasing anti-trafficking efforts; authorities did not report whether any internal sex trafficking or forced labor involving the movement of victims was investigated or prosecuted in 2013; many officials lack an understanding of human trafficking; fewer trafficking victims were identified and assisted in 2013; victim assistance mechanisms required by Panamanian law were not implemented (2014)