Panama

constitutional republicIndependence 3 November 1903 (from Colombia

Panama as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 128 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalPanama
LocationMiddle America, between Colombia and Costa Rica
1994

Every edition of Panama

Populationas each edition published it
2.63 million July 1994 est. · 2.43m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.94% 1994 est. · 1.98% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 25.6 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 74.56 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.85 children per woman 1994 est. · 3.1 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
16.5 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 22 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$4,500 1993 est. · $2,400 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
5.9% 1993 est. · 8% in 1993

Geography

Middle America, between Colombia and Costa Rica

22 fields
Coastline
2,490km
Land boundaries
555km
total · Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km
Irrigated land
320sq km
(1989 est.)

Location

Middle America, between Colombia and Costa Rica

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

78,200 sq km

land area

75,990 sq km

comparative area

slightly smaller than South Carolina

territorial sea

200 nm

Climate

  • tropical;
  • 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

Natural resources

copper, mahogany forests, shrimp

arable land

6%

permanent crops

2%

meadows and pastures

15%

forest and woodland

54%

other

23%

current issues

  • water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources;
  • deforestation of tropical rain forest;
  • land degradation

natural hazards

NA

international agreements

  • party to - Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands;
  • signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, 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

23 fields
Population
2.63million
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 1.94% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
24.61Death
4.87Net migration
-0.37

Ethnic divisions

mestizo (mixed Indian and European ancestry) 70%West Indian 14%white 10%Indian 6%
Labor force
921,000
(1992 est.)
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1990 est.)

Infant mortality rate

16.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

74.88 years

male

72.28 years

female

77.62 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.85 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Panamanian(s)

adjective

Panamanian

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Languages

Spanish (official), English 14%

note

many Panamanians bilingual

total population

88%

male

88%

female

88%

by occupation

government and community services 31.8%, agriculture, hunting, and fishing 26.8%, commerce, restaurants, and hotels 16.4%, manufacturing and mining 9.4%, construction 3.2%, transportation and communications 6.2%, finance, insurance, and real estate 4.3%

note

shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor

Government

Constitutional republic

38 fields

conventional long form

Republic of Panama

conventional short form

Panama

local long form

Republica de Panama

local short form

Panama

Type

constitutional republic

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*, 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 April 1983

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

chief of state and head of government

  • President Guillermo ENDARA (since 20 December 1989, elected 7 May 1989);
  • First Vice President Guillermo FORD Boyd (since 24 December 1992);
  • Second Vice President (vacant);
  • election last held on 7 May 1989, annulled but later upheld;
  • results - anti-NORIEGA coalition believed to have won about 75% of the total votes cast

note

  • a presidential election was held 8 May 1994 (next election to held on 9 May 1999) with inauguration of the successful candidates to take place on 1 September 1994;
  • results - President Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES Gonzales, First Vice President Tomas Altamirano DUQUE, and Second Vice President Felipe VIRZI were elected;
  • percent of vote for president - BALLADARES 33%, DE GRUBER 29%, BLADES 17%

cabinet

Cabinet; appointed by the president

National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional)

  • elections held on 27 January 1991;
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (67 total)

progovernment parties

PDC 28, MOLIRENA 15, PA 8, PLA 4

opposition parties

  • PRD 10, PALA 1, PL 1;
  • note - the PDC went into opposition after President Guillermo ENDARA ousted the PDC from the coalition government in April 1991;
  • an election of members of the National Assembly was held on 8 May 1994 (next election to be held on 9 May 1999) and they will take their seats on 1 September 1994;
  • results - percent of vote and seats won by party NA

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia), 5 superior courts, 3 courts of appeal

government alliance

  • Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (MOLIRENA), Alfredo RAMIREZ;
  • Authentic Liberal Party (PLA), Arnulfo ESCALONA;
  • Arnulfista Party (PA), Mireya MOSCOSO DE GRUBER

other parties

  • Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Raul OSSA;
  • Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), Gerardo GONZALEZ;
  • Agrarian Labor Party (PALA), Nestor Tomas GUERRA;
  • Liberal Party (PL), Roberto ALEMAN Zubieta;
  • Doctrinaire Panamenista Party (PPD), Jose Salvador MUNOZ;
  • Papa Egoro Movement, Ruben BLADES;
  • Civic Renewal Party (PRC), Tomas HERRERA;
  • National Integration Movement (MINA), Arrigo GUARDIA;
  • National Unity Mission Party (MUN), Jose Manuel PAREDES;
  • Solidarity Party (CPS), Samuel LEWIS GALINDO

note

following the elections of 8 May 1994 the following realignment of political parties took place

governing coalition

  • Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), Gerardo GONZALEZ;
  • Liberal Republican Party (PLR), Rodolfo CHIARI;
  • Labor Party (PALA), Carlos Lopez GUEVARA;
  • Solidarity Party (PS),Samuel LEWIS GALINDO

other parties

  • Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (MOLIRENA), Alfredo RAMIREZ;
  • Authentic Liberal Party (PLA), Arnulfo ESCOLONA;
  • Arnulfista Party (PA), Mireya Moscoso DE GRUBER;
  • Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Raul OSSA;
  • Liberal Party (PL), Roberto ALEMAN Zubieta;
  • Papa Egoro Movement, Ruben BLADES;
  • Civic Renewal Party (PRC), Tomas HERRERA;
  • National Unity Mission Party (MUN), Jose Manuel PAREDES

Other political or pressure groups

  • National Council of Organized Workers (CONATO);
  • National Council of Private Enterprise (CONEP);
  • Panamanian Association of Business Executives (APEDE);
  • National Civic Crusade;
  • Chamber of Commerce;
  • Panamanian Industrialists Society (SIP);
  • Workers Confederation of the Republic of Panama (CTRP)

Member of

AG (associate), CG, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

chief of mission

Ambassador Jaime FORD Boyd (to be replaced by Ambassador Ricardo Alberto ARIAS on 1 September 1994)

chancery

2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

(202) 483-1407

consulate(s) general

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

chief of mission

(vacant)

embassy

Avenida Balboa and Calle 38, Apartado 6959, Panama City 5

mailing address

American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945; APO AA 34002

telephone

(507) 27-1777

FAX

(507) 27-1964

Flag

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

GDP expanded by roughly 5.9% in 1993, following growth of 8% in 1992; | banking and financial services led the way in 1993.

26 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$4,500
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
5.9%
(1993 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 7% (1993 est.); accounts for about 9% of GDP
Unemployment rate
12.5%
(1993 est.)

Overview

GDP expanded by roughly 5.9% in 1993, following growth of 8% in 1992; banking and financial services led the way in 1993. The economy thus continues to recover from the crisis that preceded the ouster of Manuel NORIEGA, even though the government's structural adjustment program has been hampered by a lack of popular support and a passive administration.

Public investment has been limited as the administration has kept the fiscal deficit below 2% of GDP. Unemployment and economic reform are the two major issues the new government must face in 1994-95.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $11.6 billion (1993 est.)

revenues

$1.8 billion

expenditures

$1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $200 million (1992 est.)

Exports

$545 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities

bananas 43%, shrimp 11%, sugar 4%, clothing 5%, coffee 2%

partners

US 38%, EC, Central America and Caribbean

Imports

$2.5 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities

capital goods 21%, crude oil 11%, foodstuffs 9%, consumer goods, chemicals

partners

US 35%, EC, Central America and Caribbean, Japan

External debt

$6.1 billion (year-end 1993 est.)

capacity

1,584,000 kW

production

4.36 trillion kWh

consumption per capita

720 kWh (1992)

Industries

manufacturing and construction activities, petroleum refining, brewing, cement and other construction material, sugar milling

Agriculture

  • accounts for 10% of GDP (1992 est.), 27% of labor force (1992);
  • crops - bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane;
  • livestock;
  • fishing;
  • importer of food grain, vegetables

Illicit drugs

major cocaine transshipment point and drug money laundering center

recipient

  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $516 million;
  • Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $582 million;
  • Communist countries (1970-89), $4 million

Currency

1 balboa (B) = 100 centesimos

Exchange rates

balboas (B) per US$1 - 1.000 (fixed rate)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

16 fields

Railroads

238 km total; 78 km 1.524-meter gauge, 160 km 0.914-meter gauge

total

8,530 km

paved

2,745 km

unpaved

gravel, crushed stone 3,270 km; improved, unimproved earth 2,515 km

Inland waterways

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

Pipelines

crude oil 130 km

Ports

Cristobal, Balboa, Colon

Merchant marine

3,405 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 56,011,824 GRT/89,516,566 DWT, barge carrier 1, bulk 717, cargo 1,110, chemical tanker 181, combination bulk 31, combination ore/oil 24, container 215, liquefied gas 127, livestock carrier 9, multifunction large-load carrier 5, oil tanker 437, passenger 22, passenger-cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 287, roll-on/roll-off cargo 67, short-sea passenger 30, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 129

note

  • all but 30 are foreign owned and operated;
  • the top 4 foreign owners are Japan 34%, Greece 8%, Hong Kong 7%, and Taiwan 5%;
  • other foreign owners include
    • China at least 144 ships,
    • Vietnam 3,
    • Croatia 6,
    • Cuba 4,
    • Cyprus 4,
    • and Russia 41

total

118

usable

109

with permanent-surface runways

38

with runways over 3,659 m

0

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

2

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

15

Telecommunications

  • domestic and international facilities well developed;
  • connection into Central American Microwave System;
  • 220,000 telephones;
  • broadcast stations - 91 AM, no FM, 23 TV;
  • 1 coaxial submarine cable;
  • satellite ground stations - 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT

Defense Forces

3 fields

Branches

  • Panamanian Public Forces (PPF) includes the National Police, Maritime Service, National Air Service, Institutional Protective Service;
  • Judicial Technical Police operate under the control of Panama's judicial branch

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 686,479; fit for military service 471,780

Defense expenditures

expenditures for the Panamanian security forces amounted to $138.5 million, 1.0% of GDP (1993 est.)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Panama.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/panama/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →