@Panama (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Panama
Background:
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. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious
plan to expand the Canal. The project, which began in 2007 and could
double the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in 2014-15.
Geography ::Panama
Location:
Central 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: 75,420 sq km
country comparison to the world: 117
land: 74,340 sq km
water: 1,080 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin
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 Baru 3,475 m
Natural resources:
copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 7.26%
permanent crops: 1.95%
other: 90.79% (2005)
Irrigated land:
430 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
148 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.82 cu km/yr (67%/5%/28%)
per capita: 254 cu m/yr (2000)
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 agreements:
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
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:
3,360,474 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.3% (male 501,950/female 481,750)
15-64 years: 63.9% (male 1,085,435/female 1,061,530)
65 years and over: 6.8% (male 106,934/female 122,875) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 27 years
male: 26.6 years
female: 27.3 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.503% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
Birth rate:
20.18 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
Death rate:
4.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
Net migration rate:
-0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
Urbanization:
urban population: 73% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.67 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 139
male: 13.53 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.25 years
country comparison to the world: 59
male: 74.47 years
female: 80.16 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.53 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
20,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria (2009)
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: 91.9%
male: 92.5%
female: 91.2% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2004)
country comparison to the world: 114
Government ::Panama
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Panama
conventional short form: Panama
local long form: Republica de Panama
local short form: Panama
Government type:
constitutional democracy
Capital:
name: Panama City
geographic coordinates: 8 58 N, 79 32 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
Administrative divisions:
11 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 territory*
(comarca); Bocas del Toro, Comarca Kuna Yala, Comarca Ngobe-Bugle,
Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San
Blas* (Kuna Yala), 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; revised in 1978, 1983, 1994, and 2004
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 Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal (since 1 July
2009); Vice President Juan Carlos VARELA (since 1 July 2009); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal (since 1
July 2009); Vice President Juan Carlos VARELA (since 1 July 2009)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms (not eligible for immediate
reelection; president and vice president must sit out two additional
terms (10 years) before becoming eligible for reelection); election
last held 3 May 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
election results: Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal elected president;
percent of vote - Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal 60%, Balbina HERRERA
38%, Guillermo ENDARA Galimany 2%
note: government coalition - PRD (Democratic Revolutionary Party),
PP (Popular Party)
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (71 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3 May 2009 (next to be held May 2014)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
PRD 26, Panamenista 22, CD 14, PU 4, Independent 2, MOLIRENA 2, PP 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
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:
Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic
Revolutionary Party or PRD [Martin TORRIJOS Espino]; Nationalist
Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Sergio GONZALEZ-Ruiz];
Panamenista Party [Juan Carlos VARELA] (formerly the Arnulfista
Party); Patriotic Union Party or UP (combination of the Liberal
National Party or PLN and the Solidarity Party or PS)[Guillermo
"Billy" FORD and Anibal GALINDO]; Popular Party or PP [Rene ORILLAC]
(formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Chamber of Commerce; National Civic Crusade; National Council of
Organized Workers or CONATO; National Council of Private Enterprise
or CONEP; National Union of Construction and Similar Workers
(SUNTRACS); Panamanian Association of Business Executives or APEDE;
Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers Confederation of
the Republic of Panama or CTRP
International organization participation:
BCIE, CAN (observer), CSN (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA
(observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, SICA, UN, UNASUR
(observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime Eduardo ALEMAN Healy
chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407
FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New
York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Tampa
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara J. STEPHENSON
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
telephone: [507] 207-7000
FAX: [507] 317-5568
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 dollarized economy rests primarily on a well-developed
services sector that accounts for 80% of GDP. Services include
operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone, insurance,
container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. Economic growth
will be bolstered by the Panama Canal expansion project that began
in 2007 and is scheduled to be completed by 2014 at a cost of $5.3
billion - about 25% of current GDP. The expansion project will more
than double the Canal's capacity, enabling it to accommodate ships
that are now too large to transverse the transoceanic crossway, and
should help to reduce the high unemployment rate. Strong economic
performance has reduced the national poverty level to 29% in 2008;
however, Panama has the second most unequal income distribution in
Latin America. The government has implemented tax reforms, as well
as social security reforms, and backs regional trade agreements and
development of tourism. Not a CAFTA signatory, Panama in December
2006 independently negotiated a free trade agreement with the US,
which, when implemented, will help promote the country's economic
growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$38.92 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
$35.64 billion (2007 est.)
$31.96 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$23.09 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
9.2% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
11.5% (2007 est.)
8.5% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,800 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
$10,900 (2007 est.)
$10,000 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.4%
industry: 17.2%
services: 76.4% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
1.392 million
country comparison to the world: 131
note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled
labor (2008 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 18%
services: 67% (2006)
Unemployment rate:
5.6% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
6.4% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
28.6% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.8%
highest 10%: 41.4% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
56.1 (2003)
country comparison to the world: 12
48.5 (1997)
Investment (gross fixed):
25.7% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
Budget:
revenues: $6.02 billion
expenditures: $5.923 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
45% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
69.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.8% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
4.2% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.16% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 103
8.25% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$3.764 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 61
$3.054 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$15.84 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 44
$14.26 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$19.8 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 59
$17.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$6.568 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 80
$6.219 billion (31 December 2007)
$5.716 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp
Industries:
construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials,
sugar milling
Industrial production growth rate:
14.2% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2
Electricity - production:
6.322 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
Electricity - consumption:
5.17 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
Electricity - exports:
124.9 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
8.74 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Oil - consumption:
94,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Oil - exports:
4,803 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
Oil - imports:
87,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 133
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
Current account balance:
-$2.792 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
-$1.422 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$10.29 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
$9.338 billion (2007 est.)
note: includes the Colon Free Zone
Exports - commodities:
bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing
Exports - partners:
US 39.2%, Netherlands 10.7%, Costa Rica 5.8%, Sweden 5.4%, UK 5.4%,
Spain 5%, China 4.1% (2008)
Imports:
$15 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
$12.52 billion (2007 est.)
note: includes the Colon Free Zone
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals
Imports - partners:
US 29.6%, Costa Rica 5%, China 5%, Japan 4.2% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.693 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
$1.935 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$11.26 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
$10.45 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
balboas (PAB) per US dollar - 1 (2008 est.), 1 (2007), 1 (2006), 1
(2005), 1 (2004)
note: the US dollar is the legal currency
Communications ::Panama
Telephones - main lines in use:
495,800 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 97
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.805 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 95
Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic and international facilities well
developed
domestic: mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has increased
rapidly with combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity reaching
130 per 100 persons in 2008
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 (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
38 (including repeaters) (1998)
Internet country code:
.pa
Internet hosts:
8,067 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 124
Internet users:
934,500 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 92
Transportation ::Panama
Airports:
117 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 52
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 54
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 30 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 63
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 51 (2009)
Heliports:
3 (2009)
Railways:
total: 76 km
country comparison to the world: 128
standard gauge: 76 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 11,978 km
country comparison to the world: 132
paved: 4,300 km
unpaved: 7,678 km (2002)
Waterways:
800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2008)
country comparison to the world: 72
Merchant marine:
total: 6,323
country comparison to the world: 1
by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 2,143, cargo 1,208, carrier
13, chemical tanker 565, combination ore/oil 6, container 790,
liquefied gas 189, passenger 44, passenger/cargo 71, petroleum
tanker 557, refrigerated cargo 265, roll on/roll off 128,
specialized tanker 29, vehicle carrier 313
foreign-owned: 5,394 (Albania 2, Argentina 8, Australia 4,
Azerbaijan 1, Bahamas 9, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 2, British Virgin
Islands 1, Bulgaria 3, Burma 1, Canada 18, Chile 12, China 532,
Colombia 4, Croatia 3, Cuba 10, Cyprus 19, Denmark 40, Dominican
Republic 1, Ecuador 4, Egypt 17, Estonia 5, Finland 2, France 5,
Gabon 1, Germany 44, Gibraltar 1, Greece 510, Hong Kong 130, India
27, Indonesia 31, Iran 7, Israel 3, Italy 28, Japan 2,335, Jordan
13, North Korea 1, South Korea 303, Kuwait 2, Latvia 8, Lebanon 5,
Lithuania 7, Malaysia 12, Maldives 1, Malta 3, Mexico 2, Monaco 16,
Netherlands 14, Nigeria 10, Norway 89, Oman 2, Pakistan 9, Peru 16,
Philippines 7, Poland 11, Portugal 9, Qatar 1, Romania 7, Russia 18,
Saudi Arabia 16, Singapore 100, Spain 50, Sri Lanka 1, Sweden 6,
Switzerland 25, Syria 32, Taiwan 320, Thailand 10, Tunisia 1, Turkey
94, Turks and Caicos Islands 1, Ukraine 10, UAE 109, UK 59, US 126,
Venezuela 10, Vietnam 30, Yemen 6)
registered in other countries: 3 (Marshall Islands 1, Sierra Leone
1, Venezuela 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Balboa, Colon, Cristobal
Military ::Panama
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Panamanian public forces include:
Panamanian National Police (PNP), National Air-Naval Service
(SENAN), National Border Service (SENAFRONT) (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 851,044 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 705,160
females age 16-49: 710,521 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 31,089
female: 29,939 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 138
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:
organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within
the remote border region with Panama
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Panama is a source, transit, and destination
country for women and children trafficked for the purpose of
commercial sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are
Panamanian women and children trafficked within the country into the
sex trade; rural children in Panama may be trafficked internally to
urban areas for labor exploitation
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Panama is on the Tier 2 Watch List
for failing to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat human
trafficking, particularly with respect to prosecuting, convicting,
and sentencing human traffickers for their crimes, and for failing
to provide adequate victim assistance (2008)
Illicit drugs:
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
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Papua New Guinea (East & Southeast Asia)
Introduction ::Papua New Guinea
Background:
The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in the
world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south) in
1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which
occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to
administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A
nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in
1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives.
Geography ::Papua New Guinea
Location:
Oceania, group of islands including the eastern half of the island
of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean,
east of Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:
6 00 S, 147 00 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 462,840 sq km
country comparison to the world: 54
land: 452,860 sq km
water: 9,980 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:
total: 820 km
border countries: Indonesia 820 km
Coastline:
5,152 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation