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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 112 usable: 104 with permanent-surface runways: 39 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 15

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]

3,244 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 51,353,963 GRT/82,138,537 DWT; includes 22 passenger, 26 short-sea passenger, 3 passenger-cargo, 1,091 cargo, 246 refrigerated cargo, 196 container, 63 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 121 vehicle carrier, 9 livestock carrier, 5 multifunction large-load carrier, 403 oil tanker, 180 chemical tanker, 26 combination ore/oil, 121 liquefied gas, 9 specialized tanker, 688 bulk, 34 combination bulk, 1 barge carrier; note - all but 5 are foreign owned and operated; the top 4 foreign owners are Japan 36%, Greece 8%, Hong Kong 8%, and Taiwan 5%; (China owns at least 131 ships, Vietnam 3, Croatia 3, Cuba 4, Cyprus 6, and Russia 16)

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 130 km

Ports [time series]

Cristobal, Balboa, Bahia 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; 220,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 91 AM, no FM, 23 TV; 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite ground stations - 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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 has restructured the forces, under the new name of Panamanian Public Forces (PPF) and worked to assert civilian control over them; the PPF is divided into the National Police, Maritime Service, and National Air Service; the Judicial Technical Police serve under the Attorney General; the Council of Public Security and National Defense under Menalco SOLIS in the Office of the President is analogous to the US National Security Council; the Institutional Protection Service under Carlos BARES is attached to the presidency

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

expenditures for the Panamanian Public Forces for internal security amounted to $104.7 million, 1.7% of GDP (1993 est.)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 671,059; fit for military service 461,471 (1993 est.); no conscription

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 10.5% of GDP (1992 est.), 27% of labor force (1992); crops - bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane; livestock; fishing; importer of food grain, vegetables

Budget [time series]

revenues $1.8 billion; expenditures $1.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $200 million (1992 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

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 (1970-89), $582 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $4 million

Electricity [time series]

1,584,000 kW capacity; 4,360 billion kWh produced, 1,720 kWh per capita (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$486 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: bananas 43%, shrimp 11%, sugar 4%, clothing 5%, coffee 2% partners: US 38%, Central America and Caribbean, EC (1992 est.)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$5.2 billion (year-end 1992 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Illicit drugs [time series]

major cocaine transshipment point and drug money laundering center

Imports [time series]

$2.0 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: capital goods 21%, crude oil 11%, foodstuffs 9%, consumer goods, chemicals partners: US 36%, Japan, EC, Central America and Caribbean, Mexico, Venezuela (1992 est.)

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

growth rate 7.6% (1992 est.); accounts for about 9% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1.8% (1992 est.)

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

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $6 billion (1992 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$2,400 (1992 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

8% (1992 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

GDP expanded by roughly 8% in 1992, following growth of 9.3% in 1991. 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 3% of GDP. Unemployment and economic reform are the two major issues the government must face in 1993-94.

Unemployment rate [time series]

15% (1992 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 78,200 km2 land area: 75,990 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than South Carolina

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

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

dense tropical forest in east and northwest

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

320 km2 (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 555 km, 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%

Location [time series]

extreme southern Central America, between Colombia and Costa Rica

Map references [time series]

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

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 200 nm

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 territory* (comarca);, Bocas del Toro, San Blas*, Veraguas, Independence: 3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821)

Capital [time series]

Panama

Constitution [time series]

11 October 1972; major reforms adopted April 1983

Digraph [time series]

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime FORD chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 483-1407; note: the status of the consulates general and consulates has not yet been determined

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

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 NA May 1994); 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

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

Judicial branch [time series]

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

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

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)

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)

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

Country name (Names) [time series]

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

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; Chamber of Commerce; Panamanian Industrialists Society (SIP); Workers Confederation of the Republic of Panama (CTRP)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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), Ricardo ARIAS Calderon; 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; Renovacion Civilista, Manuel BURGOS; Civic Renewal Party (PRC), Tomas HERRERA; National Integration Movement (MINA), Arrigo GUARDIA; National Unity Mission Party (MUN), Jose Manuel PAREDES; Independent Democratic Union Party (UDI), leader NA; Popular Nationalist Party (PNP), leader NA

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Government type (Type) [time series]

centralized republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Deane R. HINTON embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 38, Apartado 6959, Panama City 5 mailing address: Box E, APO AA 34002 telephone: (507) 27-1777 FAX: (507) 27-1713

People

Birth rate [time series]

25.08 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

4.94 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

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]

17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

921,000 (1992 est.) 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

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 74.56 years male: 71.99 years female: 77.27 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 88% male: 88% female: 88%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Panamanian(s) adjective: Panamanian

Net migration rate [time series]

-0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

2,579,047 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.98% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.9 children born/woman (1993 est.)