Panama

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Panama

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name República de Panamá/Republic of Panama Area 77,100 sq km/29,768 sq mi Capital Panamá Language Spanish (official), English Religion Roman Catholic 93% Time difference GMT -5 Major holidays 1, 9 January, 1 May, 11–12 October, 3–4, 28 November, 8, 25 December; variable: Carnival (2 days), Good Friday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities San Miguelito, Colón, David, La Chorrera, Santiago, Chitré, Changuinola Major ports Colón, Cristóbal, Balboa Physical features coastal plains and mountainous interior; tropical rainforest in east and northwest; Archipelago de las Perlas in Gulf of Panama; Panama Canal Airports three international airports and 11 smaller airports; total passengers carried: 1.3 million (2003 est) Railways total length: 485 km/301 mi Roads total road network: 11,643 km/7,235 mi, of which 34.6% paved (2000); passenger cars: 107.2 per 1,000 people (2002 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state and government Martín Torrijos from 2004 Political system liberal democracy Political executive limited presidency Administrative divisions nine provinces and three Autonomous Indian Reservations Political parties Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), right wing; Arnulfista Party (PA), left of centre; Authentic Liberal Party (PLA), left of centre; Nationalist Liberal Republican Movement (MOLIRENA), right of centre; Papa Ego Movement (MPE), moderate, left of centre Death penalty laws do not provide for the death penalty for any crime Armed forces no active army; paramilitary forces of 11,800 (2006 est) Conscription military service is voluntary Defence spend (% GDP) 5 (2004) Education spend (% GDP) 4.5 (2003 est) Health spend (% GDP) 4.8 (2002)


ECONOMY

Currency balboa GDP (US$) 15.5 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 6.5 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 15 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 7,310 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 2.8% (2006 est) Unemployment 13.6% (2005 est) Labour force 15.7% agriculture, 17.2% industry, 67.1% services (2005) Foreign debt (US$) 9.7 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners USA, Spain, Sweden, Costa Rica, the Netherlands, Japan Resources limestone, clay, salt; deposits of coal, copper, and molybdenum have been discovered Industries food processing, petroleum refining and petroleum products, chemicals, paper and paper products, beverages, textiles and clothing, plastic products, light assembly, tourism Exports melon and watermelon, bananas, shrimps and lobsters, sugar, clothing, coffee. Principal market: USA 44.5% (2005) Imports machinery and transport equipment, petroleum and mineral products, chemicals and chemical products, electrical and electronic equipment, foodstuffs. Principal source: USA 27.4% (2005) Arable land 24.4% (2006 est) Agricultural products rice, maize, dry beans, bananas, sugar cane, coffee, oranges, mangoes, cocoa; cattle rearing; tropical timber; fishing (particularly shrimps for export)


POPULATION

Population 3,287,500 (2006 est) Population growth rate 1.6% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 43 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 58 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 30%, 15–59 61%, 60+ 9% (2005 est) Ethnic groups about 70% mestizos (of Spanish–American and American–Indian descent), 14% West Indian, 10% white American or European, and 6% Indian Life expectancy 73 (men); 78 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 24 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 6 Literacy rate 93% (men); 92% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 16.8 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 2.5 (2003 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 0.9 (2005 est) AIDS deaths <1,000 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 99 (urban); 79 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 13.6 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 41.9 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 300 (1998) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 195 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 4.6 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 16.4 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

1502 Visited by Spanish explorer Rodrigo de Bastidas, at which time it was inhabited by Cuna, Choco, Guaymi, and other Indian groups. 1513 Spanish conquistador Vasco Núñez de Balboa explored Pacific Ocean from Darien isthmus; he was made governor of Panama (meaning ‘abundance of fish’). 1519 Spanish city established at Panama, which became part of the Spanish viceroyalty of New Andalucia (later New Granada). 1572–95 and 1668–71 Spanish settlements sacked by British buccaneers Francis Drake and Henry Morgan. 1821 Achieved independence from Spain; joined confederacy of Gran Colombia, which included Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 1830 Gran Colombia split up and Panama became part of Colombia. 1846 Treaty signed with USA, allowing it to construct a railway across the isthmus. 1880s French attempt to build a Panama canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans failed as a result of financial difficulties and the death of 22,000 workers from yellow fever and malaria. 1903 Full independence achieved with US help on separation from Colombia; USA bought rights to build Panama Canal, and were given control of a 10-mile strip, the Canal Zone, in perpetuity. 1914 Panama Canal opened. 1939 Panama's status as US protectorate terminated by mutual agreement. 1968–81 Military rule of Gen Omar Torrijos Herrera, leader of National Guard, who deposed elected president and launched costly programme of economic modernization. 1977 USA–Panama treaties transferred canal to Panama (effective from 2000), with USA guaranteeing protection and annual payment. 1987 Gen Manuel Noriega (head of National Guard and effective ruler since 1983) resisted calls for his removal, despite suspension of US military and economic aid. 1988 Noriega, charged with drug smuggling by USA, declared state of emergency after coup against him failed. 1989 ‘State of war’ with USA; US invasion (‘Operation Just Cause’) deposed Noriega; 4,000 Panamanians died in fighting; Guillermo Endara became president. 1991 Constitutional reforms approved by assembly, including abolition of standing army; privatization programme introduced. 1992 Noriega found guilty of drug offences and sentenced to 40 years in US prison. Referendum rejected proposed constitutional reforms. 1994 Constitution amended by assembly; army abolished. 1998 Voters rejected proposed constitutional change to allow president to run for second term. 1999 Mireya Moscoso, widow of former president Arnulfo Arias, became Panama's first female head of state. Panama formally took control of canal. 2000 Commission formed to determine fate of 150 people who disappeared under military regimes 1968–89. 2002 Street protests led to commission to investigate alleged corruption in government circles. 2003 More than 40 people injured in clashes during national strike over government management of social security fund. 2004 Presidential elections won by Martin Torrijos, son of former dictator Omar Torrijos. 2005 Weeks of protests and strikes against plans to increase pension contributions and retirement age. 2006 Referendum approved $5.2 billion plan to upgrade Panama Canal. 2007 US judge approved extradition of Noriega to France; Panama wanted him for trial on murder charges.


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