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Background:
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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.
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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: 7.36%
permanent crops: 1.98%
other: 90.66% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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320 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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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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3,039,150
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 29.8% (male 460,840/female 443,359)
15-64 years: 63.9% (male 984,558/female
956,748)
65 years and over: 6.4% (male 91,383/female
102,262) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
26.18 years
male: 25.89 years
female: 26.48 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.26%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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19.96
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.54
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-0.86
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005
est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
20.47 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 22.59 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 71.94 years
male: 69.67 years
female: 74.31 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.45
children born/woman (2005 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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Panama |
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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; 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 [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] |
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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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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 |
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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 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 |
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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
four-fifths 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; growth picked up in 2004 led by
export-oriented services and a construction boom
stimulated by tax incentives. The government has
been backing tax reforms, reform of the social
security program, new regional trade agreements, and
development of tourism. Unemployment remains high. |
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GDP:
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purchasing
power parity - $20.57 billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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6%
(2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing
power parity - $6,900 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
7.2%
industry: 13%
services: 79.8% (2004 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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25% of
GDP (2004 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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48.5
(1997) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2%
(2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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1.32
million
note: shortage of skilled labor, but an
oversupply of unskilled labor (2004 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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12.6%
(2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$3.095 billion
expenditures: $3.737 billion, including
capital expenditures of $471 million (2004 est.) |
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Public debt:
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69.2%
of GDP (2004 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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5.4%
(2004 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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4.873
billion kWh (2002) |
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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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4.473
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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120
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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61
million kWh (2002) |
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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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40,520
bbl/day (2003 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Current account balance:
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$-469.6
million (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$5.699
billion f.o.b. (includes the Colon Free Zone) (2004
est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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bananas,
shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing (1999) |
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Exports - partners:
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US
12.2%, Nigeria 9.4%, Germany 8.4%, South Korea 8.2%,
El Salvador 5.7%, Peru 5.1%, Costa Rica 5.1%, Japan
4.1% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$7.164
billion f.o.b. (includes the Colon Free Zone) (2004
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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Japan
32.9%, China 10.6%, US 9.8%, South Korea 7.2%,
Singapore 7.1%, Italy 4.5% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
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$1.076
billion (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$8.78
billion (2004 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$197.1
million (1995) |
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Currency:
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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 (2004), 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1
(2001), 1 (2000) |
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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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386,900
(2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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834,000
(2003) |
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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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7,129
(2003) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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6
(2000) |
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Internet users:
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120,000
(2002)
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Railways:
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total:
355 km
standard gauge: 76 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge (2003) |
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Highways:
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total:
11,643 km
paved: 4,028 km (including 30 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 7,615 km (2000 est.) |
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Waterways:
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800 km
(includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Balboa,
Cristobal, Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part of Colon
area), Vacamonte |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
5,005 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 122,960,929 GRT/183,615,337
DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 1,548,
cargo 886, chemical tanker 465, combination ore/oil
13, container 605, liquefied gas 183, livestock
carrier 8, passenger 42, passenger/cargo 77,
petroleum tanker 521, refrigerated cargo 298, roll
on/roll off 97, specialized tanker 5, vehicle
carrier 256
foreign-owned: 4,388 (Andorra 1, Argentina 9,
Australia 3, Bahamas 1, Belgium 14, Brazil 1, Canada
1, Chile 14, China 310, Colombia 5, Croatia 1, Cuba
9, Cyprus 7, Denmark 13, Egypt 15, France 7, Germany
23, Greece 546, Hong Kong 159, India 8, Indonesia
46, Ireland 1, Isle of Man 2, Israel 3, Italy 8,
Japan 1814, Jordan 9, Latvia 2, Lithuania 5,
Malaysia 11, Maldives 1, Malta 1, Mexico 4, Monaco
8, Netherlands 22, New Zealand 1, Nigeria 6, Norway
66, Pakistan 1, Peru 13, Philippines 15, Poland 19,
Portugal 8, Romania 13, Russia 4, Saudi Arabia 4,
Singapore 54, South Africa 3, South Korea 292, Spain
41, Sri Lanka 1, Sudan 1, Sweden 4, Switzerland 188,
Syria 7, Taiwan 301, Thailand 10, Trinidad &
Tobago 1, Tunisia 1, Turkey 18, Ukraine 9, UAE 83,
United Kingdom 29, United States 88, Venezuela 20,
Vietnam 2, Yemen 1) (2005) |
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Airports:
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105
(2004 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
44
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
61
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 49 (2004 est.)
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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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Military manpower - availability:
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males
age 18-49: 733,031 (2005 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 511,905 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$147
million (2004) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.1%
(2004) |
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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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