Panama

Republic of PanamaRepublica de Panama

constitutional republicIndependence 3 November 1903 (from Colombia

Panama as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 97 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

Position9 00 N, 80 00 W

Area78,200 sq km

LocationMiddle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the

Populationas each edition published it

2.69 million July 1997 est. · 2.43m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.58% 1997 est. · 1.98% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 25.6 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

74.28 years 1997 est. · 74.56 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.6 children per woman 1997 est. · 3.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

24.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 22 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$5,300 1996 est. · $2,400 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

1.5% 1996 est. · 8% in 1993

Geography

Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the | North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

18 fields

Land useshare of 78,200 sq km

arable land 7%permanent crops 2%permanent pastures 20%forests and woodland 44%other 27% (1993 est.)irrigated 320 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

78,200sq km

land: 75,990 sq kmwater: 2,210 sq kmslightly smaller than South Carolina

Coastline

2,490km

territorial sea: 200 nm

Highest point

3,475m

Volcan de Chiriquilowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Land boundaries

555km

border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km

Location

Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

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

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: Marine Life Conservation

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

People

15 fields

Population

2,693,417

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 1.58% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

22.27Death

5.15Net migration

-1.35

Ethnic groups

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%white 10%Amerindian 6%

Literacy

90.8%

definition: age 15 and over can read and writemale: 91.4%female : 90.2% (1995 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 32% (male 444,673; female 426,823)
15-64 years:: 62% (male 846,707; female 824,690) 65 years and over : 6% (male 72,472; female 78,052) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

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:: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

24.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 74.28 years
male:: 71.55 years
female :: 77.1 years (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Panamanian(s)
adjective:: Panamanian

Languages

Spanish (official), English 14% note: many Panamanians bilingual

Government

Constitutional republic

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

33%

Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES (PRD) 33%Mireya MOSCOSO DE GRUBER (PA) 29%Ruben BLADES (MPE) 17%Ruben Dario CARLES (MOLIRENA) 16%election last held 8 May 1994 (next to be held 9 May 1999)

Legislature, 72 seatsone dot, one seat

PRD 32PS 4PALA 1PA 14MPE 6MOLIRENA 4PLA 3PRC 3PL 2PDC 1UDI 1MORENA 1

Country name

conventional long form:: Republic of Panama
conventional short form:: Panama
local long form:: Republica de Panama
local short form:: 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)

Constitution

11 October 1972; major reforms adopted April 1983

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 Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES Gonzalez Revilla (since 1 September 1994);
First Vice President Tomas Gabriel ALTAMIRANO DUQUE (since 1 September 1994);
Second Vice President Felipe Alejandro VIRZI Lopez (since 1 September 1994);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government :: President Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES Gonzalez Revilla (since 1 September 1994);
First Vice President Tomas Gabriel ALTAMIRANO DUQUE (since 1 September 1994);
Second Vice President Felipe Alejandro VIRZI Lopez (since 1 September 1994);
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 8 May 1994 (next to be held 9 May 1999)
election results:: Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES elected president;
percent of vote - Ernesto PEREZ BALLADARES (PRD) 33%, Mireya MOSCOSO DE GRUBER (PA) 29%, Ruben BLADES (MPE) 17%, Ruben Dario CARLES (MOLIRENA) 16%

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections :: last held 8 May 1994 (next to be held 9 May 1999)
election results:: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 32, PS 4, PALA 1, PA 14, MPE 6, MOLIRENA 4, PLA 3, PRC 3, PL 2, PDC 1, UDI 1, MORENA 1

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 (Corte Suprema de Justicia), nine judges appointed for 10-year terms;
five superior courts;
three courts of appeal

Political parties and leaders

governing coalition :: Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), Gerardo GONZALEZ;
Liberal Republican Party (PLR), Rodolfo CHIARI;
Labor Party (PALA), Carlos Lopez GUEVARA
other parties:: Solidarity Party (PS), Samuel LEWIS GALINDO;
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (MOLIRENA), Ramon MORALES Quijano;
Authentic Liberal Party (PLA), Arnulfo ESCALONA;
Arnulfista Party (PA), Mireya MOSCOSO DE GRUBER;
Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Ruben AROSEMENA;
Liberal Party (PL), Roberto ALEMAN Zubieta;
Papa Egoro Movement (MPE), Gloria YOUNG;
Civic Renewal Party (PRC), Tomas HERRERA;
National Unity Mission Party (MUN), Jose Manuel PAREDES;
Independent Democratic Union (UDI), Jacinto CARDENAS;
National Renovation Movement (MORENA), Pedro VALLERINO

Political pressure groups and leaders

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)

International organization participation

AG (associate), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Eduardo Gonzalez MORGAN
chancery:: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 483-1407
consulate(s) general :: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador William John HUGHES
embassy:: Avenida Balboa and Calle 38, Apartado 6959, Panama City 5
mailing address :: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002
telephone:: [507] 227-1377

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

Because of its key geographic location, Panama's | economy is service-based, heavily weighted toward banking, commerce, | and tourism.

22 fields

Real growth rate

1.5%

(1996 est.)industrial production growth: 0.4% (1995 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

1.3%

(1996 est.)

Unemployment rate

14%

(1996 est.)

Labor force

1.015million

(1996 est.)note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor

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%

GDP - composition by sector(1995 est.)

agriculture 10%industry 16%services 74% (1995 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$1.86 billionExpenditures

$1.86 billion (1995)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Economy - overview

Because of its key geographic location, Panama's economy is service-based, heavily weighted toward banking, commerce, and tourism. Panama's former protectionist policies have taken their toll, and the economy has been sluggish the last two years, with GDP growth at 1.9% in 1995 and 1.5% in 1996.

Although tourism and the Panama Canal posted growth in 1996, most sectors remained stagnant, and some, like the Colon Free Zone, banana and shrimp exports, and construction, were down from 1995. Although the PEREZ BALLADARES administration has advanced an economic reform program designed to liberalize the trade regime, attract foreign investment, privatize state-owned enterprises, institute fiscal reform, and encourage job-creation through labor code reform, the positive effects of this program have not yet been felt at the macroeconomic level.

In 1996, the government concluded a Brady-type plan to restructure the country's commercial debt - one of the highest in the world in per capita terms - allowing it to reenter international financial markets. Panama also completed all requirements to join the World Trade Organization (WTrO) and is awaiting legislative ratification to become a full member.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $14 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,300 (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - capacity

1.1405 billion kW (1995)

Electricity - production

3.519 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

1,069 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products

bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables;
livestock;
fishing (shrimp)

Exports

total value:: $570 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities:: bananas 43%, shrimp 11%, sugar 4%, clothing 5%, coffee 2%
partners:: US 39%, EU, Central America and Caribbean

Imports

total value:: $2.512 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
commodities:: capital goods 21%, crude oil 11%, foodstuffs 9%, consumer goods, chemicals
partners:: US 40%, EU, Central America and Caribbean, Japan

Debt - external

$5.6 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $58 million (1993)

Currency

1 balboa (B) = 100 centesimos

Exchange rates

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

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

273,000

(1991 est.)

Telephone system

domestic and international facilities well developed

domestic:: NA
international:: 1 coaxial submarine cable;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean);
connected to the Central American Microwave System

Radio broadcast stations

AM 91, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

564,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations

Televisions

420,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

9 fields

Merchant marine, 4,062 ships by typeships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 80,120,443 GRT/122,668,194 DWT

bulk 1,051cargo 1,049chemical tanker 172combination bulk 65combination ore/oil 21container 353liquefied gas tanker 169livestock carrier 8multifunction large-load carrier 4oil tanker 529passenger 35passenger-cargo 10railcar carrier 1refrigerated cargo 293roll-on/roll-off cargo 90short-sea passenger 38specialized tanker 12vehicle carrier 162note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 76 countries among which are Japan 1,240, Greece 361, Hong Kong 301, South Korea 226, Taiwan 212, China 168, Singapore 132, US 127, Switzerland 76, and UK 65 (1996 est.)

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 14

Railways

total :: 355 km
broad gauge:: 76 km 1.524-m gauge
narrow gauge:: 279 km 0.914-m gauge

Highways

total:: 10,792 km
paved :: 3,615 km
unpaved:: 7,177 km (1995 est.)

Military

5 fields

Military branches

Panamanian Public Forces (PPF; includes the National Police, National Maritime Service, National Air Service, and Institutional Protective Service);
Judicial Technical Police;
note - the Constitution prohibits armed forces

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

major cocaine transshipment point and major drug money-laundering center;
minor producer of coca leaf;
active eradication program PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Central Intelligence Agency. “Panama.” The World Factbook 1997. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/panama/1997.

How to cite ← 1996 edition 1998 edition →