Political pressure groups and leaders:
Chamber of Commerce; National Civic 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 participation:
FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES,
LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Federico HUMBERT Arias
FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New
York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa
telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407
chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Linda Ellen WATT
embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 37, Apartado Postal 0816-02561,
Zona 5, 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 dollarised economy rests primarily on a well-developed
services sector that accounts for three-fourths of GDP. Services
include operating 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 2000-03. The government has been backing public works programs,
tax reforms, new regional trade agreements, and development of
tourism in order to stimulate growth. Unemployment remains at an
unacceptably high level.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $18.78 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
4.1% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2003 est.)