Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Panama
conventional short form:
Panama
local long form:
Republica de Panama
local short form:
Panama
Digraph:
PM
Type:
centralized republic
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*, Veraguas, Independence:
3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November
1821)
Constitution:
11 October 1972; major reforms adopted April 1983
Legal system:
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the
Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations
National holiday:
Independence Day, 3 November (1903)
Political parties and leaders:
government alliance: Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (MOLIRENA), Alfredo RAMIREZ;
Authentic Liberal Party (PLA), Arnulfo ESCALONA; Arnulfista Party (PA),
Mireya MOSCOSO DE GRUBER
other parties:
Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Ricardo ARIAS Calderon; Democratic
Revolutionary Party (PRD), Gerardo GONZALEZ; Agrarian Labor Party (PALA),
Nestor Tomas GUERRA; Liberal Party (PL), Roberto ALEMAN Zubieta; Doctrinaire
Panamenista Party (PPD), Jose Salvador MUNOZ; Papa Egoro Movement, Ruben
BLADES; Renovacion Civilista, Manuel BURGOS; Civic Renewal Party (PRC),
Tomas HERRERA; National Integration Movement (MINA), Arrigo GUARDIA;
National Unity Mission Party (MUN), Jose Manuel PAREDES; Independent
Democratic Union Party (UDI), leader NA; Popular Nationalist Party (PNP),
leader NA
Other political or pressure groups:
National Council of Organized Workers (CONATO); National Council of Private
Enterprise (CONEP); Panamanian Association of Business Executives (APEDE);
National Civic Crusade; National Committee for the Right to Life; Chamber of
Commerce; Panamanian Industrialists Society (SIP); Workers Confederation of
the Republic of Panama (CTRP)
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Elections:
President:
last held on 7 May 1989, annulled but later upheld (next to be held May
1994); results - anti-NORIEGA coalition believed to have won about 75% of
the total votes cast
*Panama, Government
Legislative Assembly:
last held on 27 January 1991 (next to be held NA May 1994); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (67 total)
progovernment parties:
PDC 28, MOLIRENA 15, PA 8, PLA 4
opposition parties:
PRD 10, PALA 1, PL 1; note - the PDC went into opposition after President
Guillermo ENDARA ousted the PDC from the coalition government in April 1991
Executive branch:
president, two vice presidents, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia), 5 superior courts, 3
courts of appeal
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President Guillermo ENDARA (since 20 December 1989, elected 7 May 1989);
First Vice President Guillermo FORD Boyd (since 24 December 1992); Second
Vice President (vacant)
Member of:
AG (associate), CG, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES,
LAIA (observer), LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Jaime FORD
chancery:
2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 483-1407;
note:
the status of the consulates general and consulates has not yet been
determined
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Deane R. HINTON
embassy:
Avenida Balboa and Calle 38, Apartado 6959, Panama City 5
mailing address:
Box E, APO AA 34002
telephone:
(507) 27-1777
FAX:
(507) 27-1713
Flag:
divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white with a blue
five-pointed star in the center (hoist side) and plain red, the bottom
quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star
in the center
*Panama, Economy
Overview:
GDP expanded by roughly 8% in 1992, following growth of 9.3% in 1991. The
economy thus continues to recover from the crisis that preceded the ouster
of Manuel NORIEGA, even though the government's structural adjustment
program has been hampered by a lack of popular support and a passive
administration. Public investment has been limited as the administration has
kept the fiscal deficit below 3% of GDP. Unemployment and economic reform
are the two major issues the government must face in 1993-94.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $6 billion (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate:
8% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
$2,400 (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.8% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
15% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues $1.8 billion; expenditures $1.9 billion, including capital
expenditures of $200 million (1992 est.)
Exports:
$486 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
commodities:
bananas 43%, shrimp 11%, sugar 4%, clothing 5%, coffee 2%
partners:
US 38%, Central America and Caribbean, EC (1992 est.)
Imports:
$2.0 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
commodities:
capital goods 21%, crude oil 11%, foodstuffs 9%, consumer goods, chemicals
partners:
US 36%, Japan, EC, Central America and Caribbean, Mexico, Venezuela (1992
est.)
External debt:
$5.2 billion (year-end 1992 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 7.6% (1992 est.); accounts for about 9% of GDP
Electricity:
1,584,000 kW capacity; 4,360 billion kWh produced, 1,720 kWh per capita
(1992)
Industries:
manufacturing and construction activities, petroleum refining, brewing,
cement and other construction material, sugar milling
Agriculture:
accounts for 10.5% of GDP (1992 est.), 27% of labor force (1992); crops -
bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane; livestock; fishing; importer of food
grain, vegetables
Illicit drugs:
major cocaine transshipment point and drug money laundering center
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $516 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $582 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $4 million
Currency:
1 balboa (B) = 100 centesimos
Exchange rates:
balboas (B) per US$1 - 1.000 (fixed rate)
*Panama, Economy
Fiscal year: calendar year
*Panama, Communications
Railroads:
238 km total; 78 km 1.524-meter gauge, 160 km 0.914-meter gauge
Highways:
8,530 km total; 2,745 km paved, 3,270 km gravel or crushed stone, 2,515 km
improved and unimproved earth
Inland waterways:
800 km navigable by shallow draft vessels; 82 km Panama Canal
Pipelines:
crude oil 130 km
Ports:
Cristobal, Balboa, Bahia Las Minas
Merchant marine:
3,244 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 51,353,963 GRT/82,138,537 DWT;
includes 22 passenger, 26 short-sea passenger, 3 passenger-cargo, 1,091
cargo, 246 refrigerated cargo, 196 container, 63 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 121
vehicle carrier, 9 livestock carrier, 5 multifunction large-load carrier,
403 oil tanker, 180 chemical tanker, 26 combination ore/oil, 121 liquefied
gas, 9 specialized tanker, 688 bulk, 34 combination bulk, 1 barge carrier;
note - all but 5 are foreign owned and operated; the top 4 foreign owners
are Japan 36%, Greece 8%, Hong Kong 8%, and Taiwan 5%; (China owns at least
131 ships, Vietnam 3, Croatia 3, Cuba 4, Cyprus 6, and Russia 16)
Airports:
total:
112
usable:
104
with permanent-surface runways:
39
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
2
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
15
Telecommunications:
domestic and international facilities well developed; connection into
Central American Microwave System; 220,000 telephones; broadcast stations -
91 AM, no FM, 23 TV; 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite ground stations -
2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT
*Panama, Defense Forces