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Panama City, Panama: Panamanian Mania from $360
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Panama City, Panama: Panamanian Mania from $360Panama City flight + hotel 3 night from $675Panama City flight + hotel 4 night from $849Panama - General Country Information
Introduction
General Information:
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The capital of Panama is Panama.
Major cities of Panama are: Bahia Pinas, Bocas Del Toro, Changuinda, Chitre, Colon, Contadora, David, El Real, Garachine, Jaque, La Palma, Panama City, San Miguel. |
Geography
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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 |
| Coordinates: | 9 00 N, 80 00 W |
| Area: | total: 78,200 sq km
land: 75,990 sq km water: 2,210 sq km |
| Area Comparative: | 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: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: | tropical maritime; 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 |
| Elevation Extremes: | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m |
| Natural Resources: | copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower |
| Land Use: | arable land: 7.36%
permanent crops: 1.98% other: 90.66% (2001) |
| Irrigated Land: | 320 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural Hazards: | occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area |
| 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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
| 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
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Population:
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3,000,463 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age Structure: | total: 25.9 years
male: 25.6 years female: 26.2 years (2004 est.) |
| Population Growth Rate: | 1.31% (2004 est.) |
| Birth Rate: | 20.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death Rate: | 6.39 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Migration Rate: | -0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex Ratio: | 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: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant Mortality Rate: | total: 20.95 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
| Expectancy Birth: | total population: 72.14 years
male: 69.82 years female: 74.56 years (2004 est.) |
| Fertility Rate: | 2.49 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV Adult Prevalence Rate: | 0.9% (2003 est.) |
| People Living HIV: | 16,000 (2003 est.) |
| HIV Deaths: | less than 500 (2003 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Panamanian(s)
adjective: Panamanian |
| Ethnic Groups: | mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6% |
| Religions: | Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15% |
| Languages: | Spanish (official), English 14%
note: many Panamanians bilingual |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6% male: 93.2% female: 91.9% (2003 est.) |
Gouvernment
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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 |
| Government Type: | constitutional democracy |
| 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*, and 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 1978, 1983, 1994, and 2004 |
| 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: 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; 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) |
| Legislative Branch: | 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, Democratic Change 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 |
| 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 |
| Political Parties Leaders: | Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Martin TORRIJOS]; National Liberal Party or PLN [Anibal GALINDO]; Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Jesus ROSAS]; Panamenista Party or PA (formerly the Arnulfista Party) [Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez]; Popular Party or PP (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC) [Ruben AROSEMENA]; Solidarity Party or PS [Jose Raul MULINO] |
| Political Pressure Groups 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 |
| International Organization Participation: | FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, 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 |
| Diplomatic in US: | 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 |
| Diplomatic from 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 FAX: [507] 227-1964 |
| 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
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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 Colon Free Zone and agricultural exports, the global slowdown, and the withdrawal of US military forces held back economic growth in 2000-03. The government has been backing public works programs, tax reforms, new regional trade agreements, and development of tourism in order to stimulate growth. Unemployment remains at an unacceptably high level. |
| GDP: | purchasing power parity - $18.78 billion (2003 est.) |
| GDP Growth Rate: | 4.1% (2003 est.) |
| GDP Capital: | purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2003 est.) |
| GDP Composition: | agriculture: 8.3%
industry: 14.7% services: 77.1% (2003 est.) |
| Investment: | 24.8% of GDP (2003) |
| Population Below Poverty Line: | 37% (1999 est.) |
| Household Income: | lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 35.7% (1997) |
| Gini Index: | 48.5 (1997) |
| Inflation Rate: | 1.4% (2003 est.) |
| Labor Force: | 1.19 million
note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2003 est.) |
| Labor Force Occupation: | agriculture 20.8%, industry 18%, services 61.2% (1995 est.) |
| Unemployment Rate: | 13.8% (2003 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $2.995 billion
expenditures: $3.421 billion, including capital expenditures of $471 million (2003 est.) |
| Public Debt: | 73.3% of GDP (2003) |
| Agriculture Products: | bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp |
| Industries: | construction, petroleum refining, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling |
| Industry Production Growth Rate: | 7% (2003 est.) |
| Electricity Production: | 4.039 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity Consumption: | 3.681 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity Exports: | 118 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity Imports: | 43 million kWh (2001) |
| Oil Production: | 0 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
| Oil Consumption: | 52,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
| Oil Exports: | NA (2001) |
| Oil Imports: | NA (2001) |
| Current Account Balance: | $-408 million (2003) |
| Exports: | $5.237 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
| Exports Commodities: | bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing (1999) |
| Exports Partners: | US 13.9%, Nigeria 9.8%, Germany 8.1%, South Korea 7.8%, Peru 5.1%, Costa Rica 4.9%, Belgium 4.8%, Japan 4.5% (2003) |
| Imports: | $6.622 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
| Imports Commodities: | capital goods, crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals (1999) |
| Imports Partners: | Japan 33.2%, US 11.4%, China 9.1%, South Korea 7.7%, Singapore 7.1% (2003) |
| Reserves: | $1.011 billion (2003) |
| Debt External: | $8.834 billion (2003 est.) |
| Currency: | balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD) |
| Currency Code: | PAB; USD |
| Exchange Rates: | balboas per US dollar - 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000), 1 (1999) |
| Fiscal Year: | calendar year |
Communications
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Telephones Lines Use:
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386,900 (2002) |
| Mobile Cellular: | 834,000 (2003) |
| Telephone System: | 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 |
| Radio Stations: | AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Television Stations: | 38 (including repeaters) (1998) |
| Internet Code: | .pa |
| Internet Hosts: | 7,129 (2003) |
| Internet Users: | 120,000 (2002) |
Military
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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) |
| Military Availability: | males age 15-49: 810,341 (2004 est.) |
| Fit Military Service: | males age 15-49: 553,422 (2004 est.) |
| Military Expenditures Dollar Figure: | $145 million (2003) |
| Military Expenditures Percent GDP: | 1.2% (2003) |
Transnational Issues
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Disputes International:
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none |
| 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 |
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