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| The World Factbook |
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Panama
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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
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Background:
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Explored and settled by the
Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a
union of Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador - 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 transfered to Panama by the
end of 1999. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious plan to
expand the Canal. The project, which is to begin in 2007 and could double
the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in 2014-15. |
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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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Geographic coordinates:
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9 00 N, 80 00 W |
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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
land: 75,990 sq km
water: 2,210 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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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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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: 7.26%
permanent crops: 1.95%
other: 90.79% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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430 sq km (2003) |
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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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3,191,319 (July 2006 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 30.3%
(male 492,403/female 472,996)
15-64 years: 63.4% (male 1,025,898/female 998,926)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 94,122/female 106,974) (2006 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 26.1 years
male: 25.8 years
female: 26.5 years (2006 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.6% (2006 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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21.74 births/1,000 population
(2006 est.) |
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Death rate:
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5.36 deaths/1,000 population
(2006 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2006 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: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 16.37
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.75 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population:
75.22 years
male: 72.68 years
female: 77.87 years (2006 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.68 children born/woman
(2006 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.9% (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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16,000 (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 500 (2003 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 long form: Republica de Panama
local short form: Panama |
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Government type:
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constitutional democracy |
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Capital:
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name: Panama
geographic coordinates: 8 58 N, 79 32 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
Time) |
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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*(Kuna Yala), 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, 1994, and 2004 |
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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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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
and compulsory |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state:
President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1 September 2004); First Vice
President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1 September 2004); Second Vice
President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since 1 September 2004); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1
September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1
September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since 1
September 2004); 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 (eligible for two more terms); election
last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held 3 May 2009); note - beginning in 2009,
Panama will have only one vice president.
election results: Martin TORRIJOS Espino elected president; percent
of vote - Martin TORRIJOS Espino 47.5%, Guillermo ENDARA Galimany 30.6%,
Jose Miguel ALEMAN 17%, Ricardo MARTINELLI 4.9%
note: government coalition - PRD (Democratic Revolutionary Party), PP
(Popular Party) |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral National Assembly
(formerly called Legislative Assembly) or Asamblea Nacional (78 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in
2009, the number of seats will change to 71
elections: last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held 3 May 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
PRD 40, PA 17, PS 8, MOLIRENA 3, CD 2, PP 2, PLN 1, other 5
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 |
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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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Democratic Change or CD
[Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hugo GUIRAUD];
National Liberal Party or PLN [Anibal GALINDO]; Nationalist Republican
Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Jesus ROSAS]; Panamenista Party or PA
(formerly the Arnulfista Party) [Marco AMEGLIO]; Popular Party or PP
(formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC) [Ricardo ARIAS Calderon];
Solidarity Party or PS [Jose Raul MULINO] |
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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
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 |
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International organization participation:
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CAN (observer), CSN
(observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAES,
LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Federico HUMBERT Arias
chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407
FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York,
Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador William A. EATON
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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Flag description:
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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
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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 the Colon Free Zone and agricultural exports, the global
slowdown, and the withdrawal of US military forces held back economic growth
in 2000-03; growth picked up in 2004 and 2005 led by export-oriented
services and a construction boom stimulated by tax incentives. The
government has implemented tax reforms, as well as social security reforms,
and backs regional trade agreements and development of tourism. Unemployment
remains high. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$23.33 billion (2005 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$14.89 billion (2005 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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6.4% (2005 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$7,400 (2005 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 6.8%
industry: 15.6%
services: 77.6% (2005 est.) |
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Labor force:
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1.39 million
note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor
(2005 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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9.8% (2005 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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37% (1999 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 35.7% (1997) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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56.4 (2000) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.9% (2005 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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16.5% of GDP (2005 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $3.426
billion
expenditures: $3.959 billion; including capital expenditures of $471
million (2005 est.) |
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Public debt:
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64.9% of GDP (2005 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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bananas, rice, corn, coffee,
sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp |
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Industries:
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construction, brewing, cement
and other construction materials, sugar milling |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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1.7% (2005 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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5.398 billion kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 37%
hydro: 61.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 1.7% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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4.87 billion kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - exports:
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175 million kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - imports:
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25 million kWh (2003) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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78,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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NA bbl/day |
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Oil - imports:
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NA bbl/day; note - imports
oil |
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m (2003 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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0 cu m (2003 est.) |
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Current account balance:
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$-705.7 million (2005 est.)
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Exports:
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$7.481 billion f.o.b.; note -
includes the Colon Free Zone (2005 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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bananas, shrimp, sugar,
coffee, clothing |
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Exports - partners:
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US 44.9%, Spain 8.9%, Sweden
5.6%, Netherlands 4.9%, Costa Rica 4% (2005) |
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Imports:
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$8.734 billion f.o.b.
(includes the Colon Free Zone) (2005 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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capital goods, foodstuffs,
consumer goods, chemicals |
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Imports - partners:
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US 27.5%, Netherlands
Antilles 11.4%, Costa Rica 4.7%, Japan 4.5% (2005) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$1.211 billion (2005 est.)
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Debt - external:
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$9.758 billion (2005 est.)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$197.1 million (1995) |
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Currency (code):
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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
(2005), 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001) |
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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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440,100 (2005) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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1.352 million (2005) |
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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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Radios:
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815,000 (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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38 (including repeaters)
(1998) |
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Televisions:
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510,000 (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.pa |
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Internet hosts:
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7,149 (2006) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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6 (2000) |
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Internet users:
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300,000 (2005) |
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Airports:
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117 (2006) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 53
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 28 (2006) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 64
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 53 (2006) |
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Railways:
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total: 355 km
standard gauge: 77 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 278 km 0.914-m gauge (2005) |
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Roadways:
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total: 11,643 km
paved: 4,028 km
unpaved: 7,615 km (2000) |
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Waterways:
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800 km (includes 82 km Panama
Canal) (2005) |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 5,473 ships
(1000 GRT or over) 146,511,342 GRT/219,940,567 DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 1,776, cargo 992, chemical
tanker 476, combination ore/oil 2, container 663, liquefied gas 193,
livestock carrier 7, passenger 49, passenger/cargo 77, petroleum tanker 518,
refrigerated cargo 299, roll on/roll off 123, specialized tanker 23, vehicle
carrier 274
foreign-owned: 4,922 (Anguilla 1, Argentina 9, Australia 3, Bahamas,
The 2, Belgium 11, Bermuda 1, Bulgaria 1, Canada 4, Chile 9, China 420,
Colombia 5, Croatia 5, Cuba 11, Cyprus 14, Denmark 34, Egypt 16, Estonia 3,
France 15, Gabon 1, Germany 35, Greece 524, Hong Kong 169, India 19,
Indonesia 50, Iran 4, Ireland 2, Israel 6, Italy 15, Japan 2007, Jordan 13,
South Korea ( ( (291, Kuwait 2, Latvia 3, Lebanon 2, Lithuania 5, Malaysia
13, Maldives 1, Malta 3, Mexico 5, Monaco 9, Morocco 1, Netherlands 21,
Nigeria 7, Norway 66, Pakistan 3, Peru 15, Philippines 13, Poland 15,
Portugal 10, Qatar 1, Romania 9, Russia 7, Saudi Arabia 8, Singapore 67,
South Africa 3, Spain 53, Sri Lanka 5, Sudan 1, Sweden 5, Switzerland 226,
Syria 18, Taiwan 308, Thailand 9, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 42, UAE 105,
UK 37, Ukraine 8, US 94, Venezuela 14, Vietnam 4, Yemen 3)
registered in other countries: 1 (Venezuela 1) (2006) |
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Ports and terminals:
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Balboa, Colon, Cristobal |
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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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Manpower available for military service:
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males age 18-49:
751,065 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males age 18-49:
591,604 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males age 18-49:
29,724 |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$150 million (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1% (2005 est.) |
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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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Transnational Issues |
Panama |
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Disputes - international:
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organized illegal narcotics
operations in Colombia operate within the border region with Panama |
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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 |
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This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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