| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
Central America and the Caribbean |
| Geographical Location |
9° 00' North Latitude
80° 00' West Longitude |
| Surface Area |
78,200 sq km |
| Climate |
Tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May) |
| Natural Resources |
Copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower |
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| Political Information |
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| Country Name |
Republic of Panama |
| Capital City |
Panama |
| Government Type |
Constitutional democracy |
| 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 Day |
3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821) |
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| Demographical Information |
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| Population |
3,039,150 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
Panamanian |
| Ethnic Groups |
Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6% |
| Religion |
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15% |
| Languages |
Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual |
| Population Growth Rate |
1.26% (2005 est.) |
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| Economical Information |
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| Currency |
Balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD) |
| Industries |
Construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling |
| Labor Force |
1.32 million
Note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2004 est.) |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
Agriculture 20.8%, industry 18%, services 61.2% (1995 est.) |
| Agriculture Products |
Bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp |
| Export Commodities |
Bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing (1999) |
| Export Partners |
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) |
| Import Commodities |
Capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals |
| Import Partners |
Japan 32.9%, China 10.6%, US 9.8%, South Korea 7.2%, Singapore 7.1%, Italy 4.5% (2004) |
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| Transportation |
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| Railways |
355 km |
| Highways |
11,643 km |
| Pipelines |
- |
| Airports |
105 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part of Colon area), Vacamonte |
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| Communication |
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| Phone Code |
+507 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.pa |
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| Other |
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| Short History |
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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