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Background: |
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 transferred 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: |
Central America, bordering both
the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa
Rica |
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Geographic coordinates: |
9 00 N, 80 00 W |
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Map references: |
Central America and the
Caribbean |
|
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 or edge of continental margin |
|
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 |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Pacific
Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan Baru 3,475 m |
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Natural resources: |
copper, mahogany forests,
shrimp, hydropower |
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Land use: |
arable land: 7.26%
permanent crops: 1.95%
other: 90.79% (2005) |
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Irrigated land: |
430 sq km (2003) |
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Total renewable water resources: |
148 cu km (2000) |
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Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural): |
total: 0.82 cu km/yr
(67%/5%/28%)
per capita: 254 cu m/yr (2000) |
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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 |
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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 |
|
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 |
|
Population: |
3,292,693 (July 2008 est.)
|
|
Age structure: |
0-14 years: 29.8% (male
500,579/female 480,635)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male
1,061,446/female 1,033,675)
65 years and over: 6.6% (male
100,780/female 115,578) (2008 est.) |
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Median age: |
total: 26.6 years
male: 26.3 years
female: 26.9 years (2008 est.)
|
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Population growth rate: |
1.528% (2008 est.) |
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Birth rate: |
21.15 births/1,000 population
(2008 est.) |
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Death rate: |
5.52 deaths/1,000 population
(2008 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
-0.34 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2008 est.) |
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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: 0.87
male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2008
est.) |
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Infant mortality rate: |
total: 15.62
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 16.95 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 75.17
years
male: 72.71 years
female: 77.73 years (2008
est.) |
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Total fertility rate: |
2.65 children born/woman (2008
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
0.9% (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
16,000 (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
less than 500 (2003 est.)
|
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Major infectious diseases: |
degree of risk:
intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
and hepatitis A
vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008) |
|
Nationality: |
noun: Panamanian(s)
adjective: Panamanian |
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Ethnic groups: |
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and
white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian
6% |
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Religions: |
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant
15% |
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Languages: |
Spanish (official), English
14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 91.9%
male: 92.5%
female: 91.2% (2000 census)
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|
Country name: |
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: |
constitutional democracy |
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Capital: |
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: |
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 |
|
Independence: |
3 November 1903 (from Colombia;
became independent from Spain 28 November 1821) |
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National holiday: |
Independence Day, 3 November
(1903) |
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Constitution: |
11 October 1972; major reforms
adopted 1978, 1983, 1994, and 2004 |
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Legal system: |
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: |
18 years of age; universal and
compulsory |
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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)
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 on 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: |
unicameral National 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 41, PA 17, PS 9, MOLIRENA 4, CD 3, PLN 3, PP 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 |
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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 |
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Political parties and leaders: |
Democratic Change or CD
[Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hugo
GUIRAUD]; Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Gisela
CHUNG]; Panamenista Party or PA [Juan Carlos VARELA] (formerly the
Arnulfista Party); Patriotic Union Party or PU (combination of the Liberal
National Party or PLN and the Solidarity Party or PS)[Jose Raul MULINO and
Anibal GALINDO]; Popular Party or PP [Rene ORILLAC] (formerly Christian
Democratic Party or PDC) |
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
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: |
BCIE, CAN (observer), CSN
(observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN
Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the 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, Honolulu, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia,
San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa |
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador William A. EATON
embassy: Edificio 783, Avenida
Demetrio Basilio Lakas Panama, 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: |
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 - overview: |
Panama's dollarized 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. Economic growth will be bolstered by the Panama
Canal expansion project that began in 2007 and should be completed by 2014
at a cost of $5.3 billion (about 30% of current GDP). The expansion
project will more than double the Canal's capacity, enabling it to
accommodate ships that are now too large to transverse the transoceanic
crossway and should help to reduce the high unemployment rate. The
government has implemented tax reforms, as well as social security
reforms, and backs regional trade agreements and development of tourism.
Not a CAFTA signatory, Panama in December 2006 independently negotiated a
free trade agreement with the US, which, when implemented, will help
promote the country's economic growth. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$29.14 billion (2007 est.)
|
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GDP (official exchange rate): |
$19.28 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate: |
7.8% (2007 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$9,000 (2007 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 6.8%
industry: 16.2%
services: 77% (2007 est.) |
|
Labor force: |
1.471 million
note:
shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2007
est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 15%
industry: 18%
services: 67% (2006) |
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Unemployment rate: |
7.2% (2007 est.) |
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Population below poverty line: |
37% (1999 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: 0.7%
highest 10%: 43% (2003) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index: |
56.1 (2003) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
5.1% (2007 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed): |
20.5% of GDP (2007 est.) |
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Budget: |
revenues: $5.206 billion
expenditures: $5.089 billion (2007 est.) |
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Public debt: |
53.6% of GDP (2007 est.) |
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Agriculture - products: |
bananas, rice, corn, coffee,
sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp |
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Industries: |
construction, brewing, cement
and other construction materials, sugar milling |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
7.8% (2007 est.) |
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Electricity - production: |
5.661 billion kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 37%
hydro: 61.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 1.7%
(2001) |
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Electricity - consumption: |
4.735 billion kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - exports: |
51 million kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - imports: |
55 million kWh (2005) |
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Oil - production: |
0 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
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Oil - consumption: |
93,000 bbl/day (2006 est.)
|
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Oil - exports: |
4,140 bbl/day (2004) |
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Oil - imports: |
92,170 bbl/day (2004) |
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Oil - proved reserves: |
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
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Natural gas - production: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports: |
0 cu m (2005) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves: |
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
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Current account balance: |
-$861 million (2007 est.)
|
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Exports: |
$9.662 billion f.o.b.; note -
includes the Colon Free Zone (2007 est.) |
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Exports - commodities: |
bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee,
clothing |
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Exports - partners: |
US 39.8%, Spain 8.1%,
Netherlands 6.7%, Sweden 5.6%, Costa Rica 4.5% (2006) |
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Imports: |
$12.1 billion f.o.b.
note: includes the Colon Free Zone (2007 est.) |
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Imports - commodities: |
capital goods, foodstuffs,
consumer goods, chemicals |
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Imports - partners: |
US 27%, Netherlands Antilles
10.1%, Costa Rica 5.1%, Japan 4.7% (2006) |
|
Economic aid - recipient: |
$19.54 million (2005) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |
$1.26 billion (31 December 2007
est.) |
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Debt - external: |
$10.56 billion (31 December
2007 est.) |
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: |
|
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: |
|
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Market value of publicly traded shares: |
$5.074 billion (2005) |
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Currency (code): |
balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)
|
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Currency code: |
PAB; USD |
|
Exchange rates: |
balboas per US dollar - 1
(2007), 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004), 1 (2003) |
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
|
Telephones - main lines in use: |
432,900 (2006) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
1.694 million (2005) |
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Telephone system: |
general assessment:
domestic and international facilities well developed
domestic:
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is approaching 70 per
100 persons
international: country code - 507; landing point
for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1), the MAYA-1, and
PAN-AM submarine cable systems that together provide links to the US, and
parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central
American Microwave System |
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0
(1998) |
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Radios: |
815,000 (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
38 (including repeaters) (1998)
|
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Televisions: |
510,000 (1997) |
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Internet country code: |
.pa |
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Internet hosts: |
7,078 (2007) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
6 (2000) |
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Internet users: |
220,000 (2006) |
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Airports: |
116 (2007) |
|
Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 54
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: 29 (2007) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 62
1,524
to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 50
(2007) |
|
Heliports: |
2 (2007) |
|
Railways: |
total: 355 km
standard gauge: 77 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge:
278 km 0.914-m gauge (2006) |
|
Roadways: |
total: 11,643 km
paved: 4,028 km
unpaved: 7,615 km (2000) |
|
Waterways: |
800 km (includes 82 km Panama
Canal) (2007) |
|
Merchant marine: |
total: 5,764 ships (1000
GRT or over) 159,649,801 GRT/240,190,316 DWT
by type: barge
carrier 2, bulk carrier 1,940, cargo 1,034, carrier 3, chemical tanker
507, combination ore/oil 6, container 710, liquefied gas 191, livestock
carrier 7, passenger 46, passenger/cargo 72, petroleum tanker 522,
refrigerated cargo 288, roll on/roll off 129, specialized tanker 22,
vehicle carrier 285
foreign-owned: 4,949 (Albania 1, Argentina
8, Australia 4, Bahamas 2, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 11, Bulgaria 1, Panama
17, Chile 8, China 473, Colombia 4, Croatia 6, Cuba 11, Cyprus 15, Denmark
32, Dominican Republic 1, Ecuador 2, Egypt 13, Estonia 3, France 15, Gabon
1, Germany 38, Greece 505, Hong Kong 137, India 25, Indonesia 37, Iran 4,
Ireland 1, Israel 2, Italy 10, Jamaica 1, Japan 2,151, Jordan 11, South
Korea 316, Kuwait 1, Latvia 5, Lebanon 3, Lithuania 5, Malaysia 14,
Maldives 1, Malta 2, Mexico 4, Monaco 11, Netherlands 14, Nigeria 6,
Norway 60, Oman 1, Pakistan 5, Peru 15, Philippines 12, Poland 15,
Portugal 9, Qatar 1, Romania 8, Russia 9, Saudi Arabia 14, Singapore 83,
Spain 61, Sri Lanka 3, Sweden 9, Switzerland 26, Syria 24, Taiwan 306,
Thailand 10, Turkey 53, Turks and Caicos Islands 1, Ukraine 8, UAE 108, UK
35, US 115, Venezuela 10, Vietnam 10, Yemen 5)
registered in other
countries: 1 (Venezuela 1) (2007) |
|
Ports and terminals: |
Balboa, Colon, Cristobal
|
|
Military branches: |
no regular military forces;
Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes the Panamanian National Police
(PNP), National Maritime Service (NMS), and National Air Service (NAS)
(2008) |
|
Manpower available for military service: |
males age 16-49: 851,044
(2008 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 16-49: 673,103
(2008 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually: |
males age 16-49: 30,348
(2008 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1% (2006) |
|
Military - note: |
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' |
| Transnational Issues |
Panama |
|
Disputes - international: |
organized illegal narcotics
operations in Colombia operate within the remote border region with Panama
|
|
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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