Republic of Panama

National name: República de Panamá

President: Martín Torrijos Herrera (2004)

Land area: 29,340 sq mi (75,991 sq km); total area: 30,193 sq mi (78,200 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 3,191,319 (growth rate: 1.6%); birth rate: 21.7/1000; infant mortality rate: 16.4/1000; life expectancy: 75.2; density per sq mi: 109

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Panama City, 1,053,500 (metro. area), 437,200 (city proper)

Other large cities: San Miguelito, 309,500; Colón, 44,400

Monetary units: balboa; U.S. dollar

Languages: Spanish (official), English 14%, many bilingual

Ethnicity/race: mestizo 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Indian 6%

Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Literacy rate: 93% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $22.33 billion; per capita $7,100. Real growth rate: 4.9%. Inflation: 2.5%. Unemployment: 8.7%. Arable land: 7%. Agriculture: bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp. Labor force: 1.39 million; note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2005 est.); agriculture 20.8%, industry 18%, services 61.2% (1995 est.). Industries: construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling. Natural resources: copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower. Exports: $7.481 billion f.o.b.; note: includes the Colon Free Zone (2005 est.): bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing. Imports: $8.734 billion f.o.b. (includes the Colon Free Zone) (2005 est.): capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals. Major trading partners: U.S., Sweden, Spain, Netherlands, Costa Rica, Netherlands Antilles, Japan, Mexico, Colombia (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 396,000 (1997); mobile cellular: 17,000 (1997). Radio broadcast stations: AM 80, FM 44, shortwave 0 (1998). Radios: 815,000 (1997). Television broadcast stations: 38 (including repeaters) (1998). Televisions: 510,000 (1997). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000). Internet users: 45,000 (2000).

Transportation: Railways: total: 355 km (2002). Highways: total: 11,400 km; paved: 3,944 km (including 30 km of expressways); unpaved: 7,456 km (1999). Waterways: 882 km navigable by shallow draft vessels; 82 km Panama Canal. Ports and harbors: Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part of Colon area), Vacamonte. Airports: 103 (2002).

International disputes: none.

 

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