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Communications

Airports [time series]

113 total, 101 usable; 41 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 15 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

16 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

8,530 km total; 2,745 km paved, 3,270 km gravel or crushed stone, 2,515 km improved and unimproved earth

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

2,932 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 41,314,623 GRT/66,226,104 DWT; includes 22 passenger, 22 short-sea passenger, 5 passenger-cargo, 1,060 cargo, 188 refrigerated cargo, 165 container, 62 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 105 vehicle carrier, 8 livestock carrier, 5 multifunction large-load carrier, 301 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 175 chemical tanker, 27 combination ore/oil, 91 liquefied gas, 8 specialized tanker, 651 bulk, 37 combination bulk; note--all but 5 are foreign owned and operated; the top 4 foreign owners are Japan 36%, Greece 9%, Hong Kong 9%, and the US 8%; (China owns at least 127 ships, Vietnam 10, Yugoslavia 10, Cuba 5, Cyprus 3, and USSR 2)

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil, 130 km

Ports [time series]

Cristobal, Balboa, Puerto de La Bahia de Las Minas

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

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

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

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

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

note--the Panamanian Defense Forces (PDF) ceased to exist as a military institution shortly after the United States invaded Panama on 20 December 1989; President Endara is attempting to restructure the forces into a civilian police service under the new name of Panamanian Public Forces (PPF); a Council of Public Security and National Defense under Menalco Solis in the office of the president coordinates the activities of the security forces; the Institutional Protection Service under Carlos Bares is attached to the presidency

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$75.5 million, 1.5% of GDP (1990)

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 644,895; 444,522 fit for military service; no conscription

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 12% of GDP (1990 est.), 25% of labor force (1989); crops--bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane; livestock; fishing; importer of food grain, vegetables, milk products

Budget [time series]

revenues $1.7 billion; expenditures $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $70 million (1990 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

balboa (plural--balboas); 1 balboa (B) = 100 centesimos

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $516 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $575 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $4 million

Electricity [time series]

1,113,000 kW capacity; 3,264 million kWh produced, 1,350 kWh per capita (1990)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$355 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.); commodities--bananas 27%, shrimp 21%, clothing 6%, coffee 4%, sugar 4%; partners--US 90%, Central America and Caribbean, EC (1989 est.)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$5 billion (December 1990 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$4.8 billion, per capita $1,980; real growth rate 5% (1990 est.)

Imports [time series]

$1,250 million (f.o.b., 1990); commodities--foodstuffs 13%, capital goods 12%, crude oil 12%, consumer goods, chemicals; partners--US 35%, Central America and Caribbean, EC, Mexico, Venezuela (1989 est.)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 4.8% (1990 est.)

Industries [time series]

manufacturing and construction activities, petroleum refining, brewing, cement and other construction material, sugar mills, paper products

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1.3% (1990 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

GDP expanded by an estimated 5% in 1990, after contracting 1% in 1988 and 14% in 1989. Political stability prompted greater business confidence and consumer demand, leading to increased production by the agricultural, commercial, manufacturing, construction, and utilities sectors. The transportation sector and government services declined slightly due to slack early-1990 transits through the Panama Canal, lower oil pipeline flowthrough, and Panama City's budget cuts. Imports and exports posted gains during the year, and government revenues were up sharply over 1989's levels.

Unemployment rate [time series]

20% (1990)

Geography

Climate [time series]

tropical; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)

Coastline [time series]

2,490 km Territorial sea: 200 nm

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

dense tropical forest in east and northwest

Land boundaries [time series]

555 km total; Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km

Land use [time series]

arable land 6%; permanent crops 2%; meadows and pastures 15%; forest and woodland 54%; other 23%; includes irrigated NEGL%

Natural resources [time series]

copper, mahogany forests, shrimp

Note [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills

Area (Total area) [time series]

78,200 km2; land area: 75,990 km2

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

9 provinces (provincias, singular--provincia) and 1 territory* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*, Veraguas

Capital [time series]

Panama

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

People's Party (PdP), pro-Soviet mainline Communist party, did not obtain the necessary 3% of the total vote in the 1984 election to retain its legal status; about 3,000 members

Constitution [time series]

11 October 1972; major reforms adopted April 1983

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Jaime FORD; Chancery at 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 483-1407; the status of the Consulates General and Consulates has not yet been determined; US--Ambassador Deane R. HINTON; Embassy at Avenida Balboa and Calle 38, Apartado 6959, Panama City 5 (mailing address is Box E, APO Miami 34002); telephone [507] 27-1777

Executive branch [time series]

president, two vice presidents, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white with a blue five-pointed star in the center (hoist side) and plain red, the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star in the center

Independence [time series]

3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia) currently being reorganized Chief of State and Head of Government--President Guillermo ENDARA (since 20 December 1989, elected 7 May 1989); First Vice President Ricardo ARIAS Calderon (since 20 December 1989, elected 7 May 1989); Second Vice President Guillermo FORD (since 20 December 1989, elected 7 May 1989) government alliance--Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (MOLIRENA), Alfredo RAMIREZ; Authentic Liberal Party (PLA); Arnulfista Party (PA), Francisco ARTOLA; opposition parties--Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Ricardo ARIAS Calderon; Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD, ex-official government party), Gerardo GONZALEZ; Agrarian Labor Party (PALA), Carlos ELETA Almaran; Liberal Party (PL); People's Party (PdP, Soviet-oriented Communist party), Ruben DARIO Sousa Batista; Democratic Workers Party (PDT, leftist), Eduardo RIOS; National Action Party (PAN, rightist); Popular Action Party (PAPO), Carlos Ivan ZUNIGA; Socialist Workers Party (PST, leftist), Jose CAMBRA; Revolutionary Workers Party (PRT, leftist), Graciela DIXON

Legal system [time series]

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Republic of Panama

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

National Council of Organized Workers (CONATO); National Council of Private Enterprise (CONEP); Panamanian Association of Business Executives (APEDE); National Civic Crusade; National Committee for the Right to Life

Suffrage [time series]

universal and compulsory at age 18 President--last held on 7 May 1989, annulled but later upheld (next to be held May 1994); results--anti-NORIEGA coalition believed to have won about 75% of the total votes cast; Legislative Assembly--last held on 27 January 1991 (next to be held May 1994); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(67 total) progovernment parties--PDC 28, MOLIRENA 16, PA 6, PLA 5; 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

Government type (Type) [time series]

centralized republic

People

Birth rate [time series]

26 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate [time series]

5 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

mestizo (mixed Indian and European ancestry) 70%, West Indian 14%, white 10%, Indian 6%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

21 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Labor force [time series]

770,472 (1987); government and community services 27.9%; agriculture, hunting, and fishing 26.2%; commerce, restaurants, and hotels 16%; manufacturing and mining 10.5%; construction 5.3%; transportation and communications 5.3%; finance, insurance, and real estate 4.2%; Canal Zone 2.4%; shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor

Languages (Language) [time series]

Spanish (official); English as native tongue 14%; many Panamanians bilingual

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

72 years male, 76 years female (1991)

Literacy [time series]

88% (male 88%, female 88%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun--Panamanian(s); adjective--Panamanian

Net migration rate [time series]

NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor [time series]

17% of labor force (1986)

Population [time series]

2,476,281 (July 1991), growth rate 2.1% (1991)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

Roman Catholic over 93%, Protestant 6%

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.0 children born/woman (1991)