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Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

multiple privately owned TV networks and a government-owned educational TV station; multi-channel cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; more than 100 commercial radio stations (2007)

Internet country code [time series]

.pa

Internet users [time series]

total: 2,000,833 | percent of population: 54.0% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 105

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: domestic and international facilities well-developed | domestic: mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has increased rapidly | 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 (2015)

Telephones - fixed lines [time series]

total subscriptions: 641,688 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 92

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total: 6,977,701 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 188 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp

Budget [time series]

revenues: $11.61 billion | expenditures: $12.67 billion (2016 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

-1.9% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 86

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

7.53% (31 December 2016 est.) | 7.46% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110

Current account balance [time series]

$-3.151 billion (2016 est.) | $-3.809 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 162

Debt - external [time series]

$83.81 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $87.72 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 55

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

50.7 (2014 est.) | 56.1 (2003) | country comparison to the world: 14

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Panama's dollar-based economy rests primarily on a well-developed services sector that accounts for more than three-quarters of GDP. Services include operating the Panama Canal, logistics, banking, the Colon Free Trade Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism and Panama is a center for offshore banking. Panama's transportation and logistics services sectors, along with infrastructure development projects, have boosted economic growth; however, public debt surpassed $37 billion in 2016 because of excessive government spending and public works projects. The US-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement was approved by Congress and signed into law in October 2011, and entered into force in October 2012. | Future growth will be bolstered by the Panama Canal expansion project that began in 2007 and was completed in 2016 at a cost of $5.3 billion - about 10-15% of current GDP. The expansion project will more than double the Canal's capacity, enabling it to accommodate high-capacity vessels such as tankers and neopanamax vessels that are too large to traverse the existing canal. The US and China are the top users of the Canal. | Strong economic performance has not translated into broadly shared prosperity, as Panama has the second worst income distribution in Latin America. About one-fourth of the population lives in poverty; however, from 2006 to 2012 poverty was reduced by 10 percentage points.

Exchange rates [time series]

balboas (PAB) per US dollar - | 1 (2016 est.) | 1 (2015 est.) | 1 (2014 est.) | 1 (2013 est.) | 1 (2012 est.)

Exports [time series]

$14.7 billion (2016 est.) | $15.93 billion (2015 est.) | note: includes the Colon Free Zone | country comparison to the world: 73

Exports - commodities [time series]

fruit and nuts, fish, iron and steel waste, wood

Exports - partners [time series]

US 21.4%, Netherlands 15.2%, Costa Rica 6%, China 5.6% (2016)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$55.19 billion (2016 est.)

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

$92.81 billion (2016 est.) | $87.38 billion (2015 est.) | $81.73 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 86

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]

agriculture: 2.5% | industry: 15.5% | services: 76.7% (2016 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$23,000 (2016 est.) | $22,300 (2015 est.) | $21,400 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 81

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

4.9% (2016 est.) | 5.8% (2015 est.) | 6.1% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 38

Gross national saving [time series]

40.6% of GDP (2016 est.) | 39.3% of GDP (2015 est.) | 33.4% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 8

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 1.1% | highest 10%: 38.9% (2014 est.)

Imports [time series]

$22.08 billion (2016 est.) | $22.48 billion (2015 est.) | note: includes the Colon Free Zone | country comparison to the world: 67

Imports - commodities [time series]

fuels, machinery, vehicles, iron and steel rods, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners [time series]

US 25.7%, China 9.2%, Mexico 5.3% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

6.3% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 32

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

0.7% (2016 est.) | 0.1% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 77

Labor force [time series]

1.61 million | note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 130

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 17% | industry: 18.6% | services: 64.4% (2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$12.54 billion (31 December 2012 est.) | $10.68 billion (31 December 2011 est.) | $8.348 billion (31 December 2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 70

Population below poverty line [time series]

23% (2015 est.)

Public debt [time series]

38.6% of GDP (2016 est.) | 39% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 138

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$3.878 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $3.378 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 98

Stock of broad money [time series]

$38.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $36.19 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 73

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$10.71 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $9.792 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 60

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]

$50.62 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $44.64 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 57

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$46.41 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $42.98 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 67

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$8.249 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $8.215 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

21.1% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141

Unemployment rate [time series]

5.5% (2016 est.) | 4.5% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 63

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

17 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 86

Crude oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 176

Crude oil - imports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 177

Crude oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 182

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2017) | country comparison to the world: 180

Electricity - consumption [time series]

8.202 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 101

Electricity - exports [time series]

139 million kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 79

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

35.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 175

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

53.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 37

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 165

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

11.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 64

Electricity - imports [time series]

17 million kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 111

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

3.203 million kW (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96

Electricity - production [time series]

9.724 billion kWh (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 102

Electricity access [time series]

population without electricity: 300,000 | electrification - total population: 91% | electrification - urban areas: 94% | electrification - rural areas: 80% (2013)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 123

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 167

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 175

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 184

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2014 es) | country comparison to the world: 185

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

144,000 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 70

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

66.08 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 124

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

131,000 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 187

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 75,420 sq km | land: 74,340 sq km | water: 1,080 sq km | country comparison to the world: 119

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

2,490 km

Elevation [time series]

mean elevation: 360 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m | highest point: Volcan Baru 3,475 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, 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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

9 00 N, 80 00 W

Geography - 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

Irrigated land [time series]

321 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 687 km | border countries (2): Colombia 339 km, Costa Rica 348 km

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 30.5% | arable land 7.3%; permanent crops 2.5%; permanent pasture 20.7% | forest: 43.6% | other: 25.9% (2011 est.)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm | contiguous zone: 24 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin

Natural hazards [time series]

occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area

Natural resources [time series]

copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Population distribution (Population - distribution) [time series]

population is concentrated towards the center of the country, particularly around the Canal, but a sizeable segment of the populace also lives in the far west around David; the eastern third of the country is sparsely inhabited

Terrain [time series]

interior mostly steep, rugged mountains with dissected, upland plains; coastal plains with rolling hills

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 3 indigenous regions* (comarcas); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Embera-Wounaan*, Herrera, Guna Yala*, Los Santos, Ngobe-Bugle*, Panama, Panama Oeste, Veraguas

Capital [time series]

name: Panama City | geographic coordinates: 8 58 N, 79 32 W | time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship [time series]

citizenship by birth: yes | citizenship by descent: yes | dual citizenship recognized: no | residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution [time series]

several previous; latest effective 11 October 1972; amended several times, last in 2004 (2016)

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Panama | conventional short form: Panama | local long form: Republica de Panama | local short form: Panama | etymology: according to tradition, the name derives from a former indigenous fishing village and its nearby beach that were called "Panama" meaning "an abundance of fish"

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador John D. FEELEY (since 16 February 2015) | embassy: Edificio 783, Avenida Demetrio Basilio Lakas Panama, Apartado Postal 0816-02561, Zona 5, Panama City | mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002; American Embassy Panama, 9100 Panama City PL, Washington, DC 20521-9100 | telephone: [507] 317-5000 | FAX: [507] 317-5568

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Emanuel Arturo GONZALEZ-REVILLA Lince (since 18 September 2014) | chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20007 | telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407 | FAX: [1] (202) 483-8413 | consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa, Washington DC

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Juan Carlos VARELA (since 1 July 2014); Vice President Isabel de SAINT MALO de Alvarado (since 1 July 2014); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government | head of government: President Juan Carlos VARELA (since 1 July 2014); Vice President Isabel de SAINT MALO de Alvarado (since 1 July 2014) | cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president | elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term; president eligible for a single non-consecutive term); election last held on 4 May 2014 (next to be held in 2019) | election results: Juan Carlos VARELA elected president; percent of vote - Juan Carlos VARELA (PP) 39.1%, Jose Domingo ARIAS (CD) 31.4%, Juan Carlos NAVARRO (PRD) 28.2%, other 1.3%

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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; the blue and red colors are those of the main political parties (Conservatives and Liberals respectively) and the white denotes peace between them; the blue star stands for the civic virtues of purity and honesty, the red star signifies authority and law

Government type [time series]

presidential republic

Independence [time series]

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

International law organization participation [time series]

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation [time series]

BCIE, CAN (observer), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA, UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 9 magistrates and 9 alternates and divided into civil, criminal, administrative, and general business chambers) | judge selection and term of office: magistrates appointed by the president for staggered 10-year terms | subordinate courts: appellate courts or Tribunal Superior; Labor Supreme Courts; Court of Audit; circuit courts or Tribunal Circuital (2 each in 9 of the 10 provinces); municipal courts; electoral, family, maritime, and adolescent courts

Legal system [time series]

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice

Legislative branch [time series]

description: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (71 seats; 45 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - populous towns and cities - by proportional representation vote and 26 directly elected in single-seat constituencies - outlying rural districts - by plurality vote; members serve 5-year terms) | elections: last held on 4 May 2014 (next to be held in May 2019) | election results: percent of vote by party - CD 33.7%, PRD 31.5%, Panamenista Party 20%, MOLIRENA 7.2%, PP 3.3%, other 1%, Independent 3%; seats by party - PRD 30, CD 25, Panamenista 12, MOLIRENA 2, PP 1, independent 1 | note: an alliance between the Panamenista Party and Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) fractured after the 2014 election, but a loose coalition composed of Panamenista and moderate PRD and CD legislators generally work together to support the president’s agenda

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "Himno Istmeno" (Isthmus Hymn) | lyrics/music: Jeronimo DE LA OSSA/Santos A. JORGE | note: adopted 1925

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day (Separation Day), 3 November (1903)

National symbol(s) [time series]

harpy eagle; national colors: blue, white, red

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

Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal] | Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Benicio ROBINSON] | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Francisco "Pancho" ALEMAN] | Panamenista Party [Jose Luis “Popi” VARELA Rodriguez] (formerly the Arnulfista Party) | Popular Party or PP [Milton C. HENRIQUEZ] (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC)

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

Chamber of Commerce | Concertacion Nacional (mechanism for Government of Panama to formally communicate with representatives of civil society) | National Council of Organized Workers or CONATO | National Council of Private Enterprise or CONEP | National Union of Construction and Similar Workers or SUNTRACS | Panamanian Association of Business Executives or APEDE | Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP | Workers Confederation of the Republic of Panama or CTRP

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela - 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. An ambitious expansion project to more than double the Canal's capacity - by allowing for more Canal transits and larger ships - was carried out between 2007 and 2016.

Military and Security

Military - note [time series]

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"

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

no regular military forces; Panamanian Public Security Forces (subordinate to the Ministry of Public Security), comprising the National Police (PNP), National Air-Naval Service (SENAN), National Border Service (SENAFRONT) (2013)

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 26.4% (male 505,711/female 484,980) | 15-24 years: 16.99% (male 324,897/female 312,729) | 25-54 years: 40.35% (male 766,747/female 747,472) | 55-64 years: 7.91% (male 147,069/female 149,706) | 65 years and over: 8.36% (male 144,086/female 169,745) (2017 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

17.9 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 100

Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]

3.9% (2008) | country comparison to the world: 99

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

62.8% (2013)

Death rate [time series]

4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 197

Demographic profile [time series]

Panama is a country of demographic and economic contrasts. It is in the midst of a demographic transition, characterized by steadily declining rates of fertility, mortality, and population growth, but disparities persist based on wealth, geography, and ethnicity. Panama has one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America and dedicates substantial funding to social programs, yet poverty and inequality remain prevalent. The indigenous population accounts for a growing share of Panama's poor and extreme poor, while the non-indigenous rural poor have been more successful at rising out of poverty through rural-to-urban labor migration. The government's large expenditures on untargeted, indirect subsidies for water, electricity, and fuel have been ineffective, but its conditional cash transfer program has shown some promise in helping to decrease extreme poverty among the indigenous population. | Panama has expanded access to education and clean water, but the availability of sanitation and, to a lesser extent, electricity remains poor. The increase in secondary schooling - led by female enrollment - is spreading to rural and indigenous areas, which probably will help to alleviate poverty if educational quality and the availability of skilled jobs improve. Inadequate access to sanitation contributes to a high incidence of diarrhea in Panama's children, which is one of the main causes of Panama's elevated chronic malnutrition rate, especially among indigenous communities.

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 54.8 | youth dependency ratio: 43.1 | elderly dependency ratio: 11.7 | potential support ratio: 8.5 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source [time series]

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

3.3% of GDP (2011) | country comparison to the world: 122

Ethnic groups [time series]

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Native American 12.3% (Ngabe 7.6%, Kuna 2.4%, Embera 0.9%, Bugle 0.8%, other 0.4%, unspecified 0.2%), black or African descent 9.2%, mulatto 6.8%, white 6.7% (2010 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.8% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 49

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

<1000 (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

21,000 (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 76

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

8% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 56

Hospital bed density [time series]

2.2 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 10.6 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 9.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 138

Languages [time series]

Spanish (official), indigenous languages (including Ngabere (or Guaymi), Buglere, Kuna, Embera, Wounaan, Naso (or Teribe), and Bri Bri), Panamanian English Creole (similar to Jamaican English Creole; a mixture of English and Spanish with elements of Ngabere; also known as Guari Guari and Colon Creole), English, Chinese (Yue and Hakka), Arabic, French Creole, other (Yiddish, Hebrew, Korean, Japanese) | note: many Panamanians are bilingual

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 78.8 years | male: 76 years | female: 81.7 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 55

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 95% | male: 95.7% | female: 94.4% (2015 est.)

Major infectious diseases [time series]

degree of risk: intermediate | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea | vectorborne disease: dengue fever | note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)

Major urban areas - population [time series]

PANAMA CITY (capital) 1.673 million (2015)

Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]

94 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 74

Median age [time series]

total: 29.2 years | male: 28.8 years | female: 29.6 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 125

Nationality [time series]

noun: Panamanian(s) | adjective: Panamanian

Net migration rate [time series]

-0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

22.7% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 72

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

1.59 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

Population [time series]

3,753,142 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 130

Population distribution [time series]

Population growth rate [time series]

1.27% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 90

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Sanitation facility access [time series]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 13 years | male: 12 years | female: 13 years (2013)

Sex ratio [time series]

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.3 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 90

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]

total: 11.5% | male: 9% | female: 16% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 99

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 67.2% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 1.94% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within the remote border region with Panama

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

refugees (country of origin): 15,614 (Colombia) (2016)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

117 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 49

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 57 | over 3,047 m: 1 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 | 914 to 1,523 m: 20 | under 914 m: 30 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 60 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 8 | under 914 m: 51 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]

HP (2016)

Heliports [time series]

3 (2013)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 6,413 | by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 2,525, cargo 1,115, carrier 27, chemical tanker 588, combination ore/oil 1, container 742, liquefied gas 205, passenger 42, passenger/cargo 51, petroleum tanker 545, refrigerated cargo 191, roll on/roll off 87, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 290 | foreign-owned: 5,157 (Albania 4, Argentina 5, Australia 4, Bahamas 6, Bangladesh 5, Belgium 1, Bermuda 27, Brazil 3, Bulgaria 6, Burma 3, Canada 6, Chile 14, China 534, Colombia 2, Croatia 2, Cuba 2, Cyprus 5, Denmark 41, Ecuador 3, Egypt 11, Finland 2, France 7, Gabon 1, Germany 24, Gibraltar 1, Greece 379, Hong Kong 144, India 24, Indonesia 10, Iran 5, Ireland 1, Israel 1, Italy 25, Japan 2372, Jordan 11, Kuwait 12, Lebanon 2, Lithuania 3, Luxembourg 1, Malaysia 12, Maldives 2, Malta 2, Mexico 5, Monaco 11, Netherlands 6, Nigeria 6, Norway 81, Oman 10, Pakistan 3, Peru 9, Philippines 5, Portugal 10, Qatar 1, Romania 3, Russia 49, Saudi Arabia 11, Singapore 92, South Korea 373, Spain 30, Sweden 2, Switzerland 15, Syria 34, Taiwan 328, Tanzania 2, Thailand 6, Turkey 62, UAE 83, UK 37, Ukraine 8, US 90, Venezuela 13, Vietnam 43, Yemen 4) | registered in other countries: 1 (Honduras 1) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 1

National air transport system [time series]

number of registered air carriers: 4 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 103 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 12,018,103 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 121,567,075 mt-km (2015)

Pipelines [time series]

oil 128 km (2013)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

major seaport(s): Balboa, Colon, Cristobal | container port(s) (TEUs): Balboa (3,078,000), Colon (2,765,000), Manzanillo (1,821,000) (2015)

Railways [time series]

total: 77 km | standard gauge: 77 km 1.435-m gauge (2014) | country comparison to the world: 129

Roadways [time series]

total: 15,137 km | paved: 6,351 km | unpaved: 8,786 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 123

Waterways [time series]

800 km (includes the 82-km Panama Canal that is being widened) (2011) | country comparison to the world: 72