[syn: boater, leghorn, Panama, Panama hat, sailor, skimmer, straw hat]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Panama
n 1: a republic on the Isthmus of Panama; achieved independence
from Colombia in 1903 [syn: Panama, Republic of Panama]
2: a stiff hat made of straw with a flat crown [syn: boater,
leghorn, Panama, Panama hat, sailor, skimmer,
straw hat]
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Panama
Introduction Panama
-------------------
Background: 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.
Geography Panama
----------------
Location: Middle America, bordering both the
Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific
Ocean, between Colombia and Costa
Rica
Geographic coordinates: 9 00 N, 80 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 78,200 sq km
water: 2,210 sq km
land: 75,990 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries: total: 555 km
border countries: Colombia 225 km,
Costa Rica 330 km
Coastline: 2,490 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical maritime; hot, humid,
cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May
to January), short dry season
(January to May)
Terrain: interior mostly steep, rugged
mountains and dissected, upland
plains; coastal areas largely plains
and rolling hills
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui
3,475 m
Natural resources: copper, mahogany forests, shrimp,
hydropower
Land use: arable land: 6.72%
permanent crops: 2.08%
other: 91.2% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 320 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional severe storms and forest
fires in the Darien area
Environment - current issues: 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
Environment - international party to: Biodiversity, Climate
agreements: Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine
Life Conservation
Geography - note: 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
People Panama
-------------
Population: 2,882,329 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.6% (male 433,494;
female 418,120)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 939,550;
female 914,646)
65 years and over: 6.1% (male
84,130; female 92,389) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.26% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 18.6 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 4.96 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: -1.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/
female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 19.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.89 years
female: 78.74 years (2002 est.)
male: 73.14 years
Total fertility rate: 2.22 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.54% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 24,000 (1999 est.)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,200 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Panamanian(s)
adjective: Panamanian
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white)
70%, Amerindian and mixed (West
Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian
6%
Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%
Languages: Spanish (official), English 14%
note: many Panamanians bilingual
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 90.8%
male: 91.4%
female: 90.2% (1995 est.)
Government Panama
-----------------
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
Panama
conventional short form: Panama
local short form: Panama
local long form: Republica de Panama
Government type: constitutional democracy
Capital: Panama
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (provincias, singular -
provincia) and 1 territory*
(comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui,
Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los
Santos, Panama, San Blas*, and
Veraguas
Independence: 3 November 1903 (from Colombia;
became independent from Spain 28
November 1821)
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1903)
Constitution: 11 October 1972; major reforms
adopted 1978, 1983 and 1994
Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial
review of legislative acts in the
Supreme Court of Justice; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and
compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: President Mireya
Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (since 1
September 1999); First Vice
President Arturo Ulises VALLARINO
(since 1 September 1999); Second
Vice President Dominador "Kaiser"
Baldonero BAZAN Jimenez (since 1
September 1999); note - the
president is both the chief of state
and head of government
head of government: President Mireya
Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (since 1
September 1999); First Vice
President Arturo Ulises VALLARINO
(since 1 September 1999); Second
Vice President Dominador "Kaiser"
Baldonero BAZAN Jimenez (since 1
September 1999); note - the
president is both the chief of state
and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the
president
elections: president and vice
presidents elected on the same
ticket by popular vote for five-year
terms; election last held 2 May 1999
(next to be held NA May 2004)
note: government coalition - PA,
MOLIRENA, Democratic Change, MORENA,
PLN, PS
election results: Mireya Elisa
MOSCOSO Rodriguez elected president;
percent of vote - Mireya Elisa
MOSCOSO Rodriguez (PA) 44%, Martin
TORRIJOS (PRD) 37%
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or
Asamblea Legislativa (71 seats;
members are elected by popular vote
to serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - PRD
34, PA 18, PDC 5, PS 4, MOLIRENA 3,
PLN 3, Democratic Change 2, PRC 1,
MORENA 1
note: legislators from outlying
rural districts are chosen on a
plurality basis while districts
located in more populous towns and
cities elect multiple legislators by
means of a proportion-based formula
elections: last held 2 May 1999
(next to be held NA May 2004)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte
Suprema de Justicia (nine judges
appointed for 10-year terms); five
superior courts; three courts of
appeal
Political parties and leaders: Arnulfista Party or PA [Mireya Elisa
MOSCOSO Rodriguez]; Civic Renewal
Party or PRC [Serguei DE LA ROSA];
Democratic Change [Ricardo
MARTINELLI]; Democratic
Revolutionary Party or PRD [Martin
TORRIJOS]; National Liberal Party or
PLN [Raul ARANGO Gasteazopo];
National Renovation Movement or
MORENA [Pedro VALLARINO Cox];
Nationalist Republican Liberal
Movement or MOLIRENA [Ramon
MORALES]; Popular Party or PP
(formerly Christian Democratic Party
or PDC) [Ruben AROSEMENA];
Solidarity Party or PS [Samuel LEWIS
Galindo]
Political pressure groups and Chamber of Commerce; National Civic
leaders: Crusade; National Council of
Organized Workers or CONATO;
National Union of Construction and
Similar Workers (SUNTRACS); National
Council of Private Enterprise or
CONEP; Panamanian Association of
Business Executives or APEDE;
Panamanian Industrialists Society or
SIP; Workers Confederation of the
Republic of Panama or CTRP
International organization CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA,
participation: IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS,
OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Guillermo "Billy" FORD
FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416
consulate(s) general: Atlanta,
Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New
York, Philadelphia, San Francisco,
Tampa
telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407
chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW,
Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador
US: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
Frederick A. BECKER
embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle
37, Apartado Postal 6959, Panama
City 5
mailing address: American Embassy
Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002
telephone: [507] 207-7000
FAX: [507] 227-1964
Flag description: 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
Economy Panama
--------------
Economy - overview: Panama's economy is based primarily
on a well-developed services sector
that accounts for three-fourths of
GDP. Services include the Panama
Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone,
insurance, container ports, flagship
registry, and tourism. A slump in
Colon Free Zone and agricultural
exports, the global slowdown, and
the withdrawal of US military forces
held back economic growth in 2000-
01. The government plans public
works programs, tax reforms, and new
regional trade agreements in order
to stimulate growth.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $16.9
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,900
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7%
industry: 17%
services: 76% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 37% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 1.2%
percentage share: highest 10%: 35.7% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini 48.5 (1997)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 1.1 million (2000 est.)
note: shortage of skilled labor, but
an oversupply of unskilled labor
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 20.8%, industry 18%,
services 61.2% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: 13% (2000 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.9 billion
expenditures: $2 billion, including
capital expenditures of $471 million
(2000 est.)
Industries: construction, petroleum refining,
brewing, cement and other
construction materials, sugar
milling
Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production: 4.894 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29.49%
hydro: 69.11%
other: 1.4% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 4.651 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 20 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 120 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: bananas, rice, corn, coffee,
sugarcane, vegetables; livestock;
shrimp
Exports: $5.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee,
clothing
Exports - partners: US 45.9%, Sweden 8.1%, Benelux 5.3%,
Costa Rica 5.1% (2000 est.)
Imports: $6.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: capital goods, crude oil,
foodstuffs, consumer goods,
chemicals
Imports - partners: US 33.1%, Ecuador 7.2%, Venezuela
6.6%, Japan 5.5% (2000 est.)
Debt - external: $7.6 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $197.1 million (1995)
Currency: balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)
Currency code: PAB; USD
Exchange rates: balboas per US dollar - 1.000 (fixed
rate)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Panama
---------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 396,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 17,000 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: domestic and
international facilities well
developed
domestic: NA
international: 1 coaxial submarine
cable; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected
to the Central American Microwave
System
Radio broadcast stations: AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 815,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 38 (including repeaters) (1998)
Televisions: 510,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .pa
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000)
Internet users: 45,000 (2000)
Transportation Panama
---------------------
Railways: total: 355 km
broad gauge: 76 km 1.524-m gauge
narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge
(2001)
Highways: total: 11,592 km
paved: 4,079 km (including 30 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 7,513 km (2000)
Waterways: 882 km
note: 800 km navigable by shallow
draft vessels; 82 km Panama Canal
Pipelines: crude oil 130 km (2001)
Ports and harbors: Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo,
Manzanillo (part of Colon area),
Vacamonte
Merchant marine: total: 4,838 ships (1,000 GRT or
over) totaling 118,878,358 GRT/
180,588,102 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1,445, cargo
907, chemical tanker 337,
combination bulk 73, combination
ore/oil 18, container 560, liquefied
gas 207, livestock carrier 5, multi-
functional large-load carrier 12,
passenger 38, passenger/cargo 3,
petroleum tanker 542, railcar
carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 283,
roll on/roll off 104, short-sea
passenger 38, specialized tanker 34,
vehicle carrier 230
note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Albania 2, Angola 1,
Antigua and Barbuda 1, Argentina 11,
Australia 13, Austria 2, Bahamas,
The 5, Belgium 2, Belize 6, Brazil
6, British Virgin Islands 8,
Cambodia 1, Canada 9, Chile 12,
China 259, Colombia 14, Croatia 2,
Cuba 20, Cyprus 3, Denmark 3,
Dominican Republic 1, Ecuador 3,
Egypt 16, Equatorial Guinea 1,
France 9, Germany 72, Greece 523,
Haiti 1, Honduras 3, Hong Kong 299,
Iceland 1, India 18, Indonesia 48,
Ireland 1, Israel 5, Italy 9, Japan
1642, Kenya 1, Kuwait 2, Latvia 8,
Liberia 5, Lithuania 1, Malaysia 18,
Malta 2, Marshall Islands 1, Mexico
8, Monaco 112, Netherlands 19,
Netherlands Antilles 1, Nigeria 3,
Norway 98, Paraguay 1, Peru 15,
Philippines 49, Poland 5, Portugal
7, Puerto Rico 2, Romania 7, Russia
12, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Saudi
Arabia 4, Seychelles 1, Singapore
112, South Africa 3, South Korea
342, Spain 52, Sri Lanka 3, Sudan 1,
Sweden 2, Switzerland 81, Taiwan
334, Thailand 14, Trinidad and
Tobago 1, Tunisia 1, Turkey 4,
Ukraine 1, United Arab Emirates 54,
United Kingdom 73, United States
115, Venezuela 6, Virgin Islands
(UK) 8 (2002 est.)
Airports: 107 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 42
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 21 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 65
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 53 (2001)
Military Panama
---------------
Military branches: an amendment to the Constitution
abolished the armed forces, but
there are security forces
(Panamanian Public Forces or PPF
includes the Panamanian National
Police, National Maritime Service,
and National Air Service)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 789,973 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 540,052 (2002 est.)
service:
Military expenditures - dollar $128 million (FY99)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 1.3% (FY99)
GDP:
Military - note: 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"
Transnational Issues Panama
---------------------------
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: major cocaine transshipment point
and major drug money-laundering
center; no recent signs of coca
cultivation; monitoring of financial
transactions is improving; official
corruption remains a major problem
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Panama, NE -- U.S. village in Nebraska
Population (2000): 253
Housing Units (2000): 101
Land area (2000): 0.268239 sq. miles (0.694736 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 0.268239 sq. miles (0.694736 sq. km)
FIPS code: 38225
Located within: Nebraska (NE), FIPS 31
Location: 40.597640 N, 96.510599 W
ZIP Codes (1990):
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Panama, NE
Panama
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Panama, NY -- U.S. village in New York
Population (2000): 491
Housing Units (2000): 208
Land area (2000): 2.168354 sq. miles (5.616012 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.024152 sq. miles (0.062553 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 2.192506 sq. miles (5.678565 sq. km)
FIPS code: 56231
Located within: New York (NY), FIPS 36
Location: 42.075487 N, 79.486511 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 14767
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Panama, NY
Panama
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Panama, OK -- U.S. town in Oklahoma
Population (2000): 1362
Housing Units (2000): 626
Land area (2000): 1.508248 sq. miles (3.906343 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.011023 sq. miles (0.028549 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 1.519271 sq. miles (3.934892 sq. km)
FIPS code: 56900
Located within: Oklahoma (OK), FIPS 40
Location: 35.170591 N, 94.670099 W
ZIP Codes (1990):
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Panama, OK
Panama
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Panama, IL -- U.S. village in Illinois
Population (2000): 323
Housing Units (2000): 174
Land area (2000): 0.337071 sq. miles (0.873010 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000953 sq. miles (0.002469 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 0.338024 sq. miles (0.875479 sq. km)
FIPS code: 57498
Located within: Illinois (IL), FIPS 17
Location: 39.030451 N, 89.523548 W
ZIP Codes (1990):
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Panama, IL
Panama
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Panama, IA -- U.S. city in Iowa
Population (2000): 212
Housing Units (2000): 105
Land area (2000): 0.284575 sq. miles (0.737047 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 0.284575 sq. miles (0.737047 sq. km)
FIPS code: 61275
Located within: Iowa (IA), FIPS 19
Location: 41.726691 N, 95.474235 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 51562
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Panama, IA
Panama