Chapter 132
name: Melekeok geographic coordinates: 7 29 N, 134 38 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol
Independence:
1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)
Constitution:
1 January 1981
Legal system:
based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001); Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001); Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005) cabinet: NA elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012) election results: Johnson TORIBIONG (51%) defeats Elias Camsek CHIN (49%) for president; Kerai MARIUR elected vice president
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of the Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote on a population basis to serve four-year terms) and the House of Delegates (16 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008); House of Delegates - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008) election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9; House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 16
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Common Pleas; Land Court
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA chancery: 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814 FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281 consulate(s) general: Honolulu consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Mark BEZNER embassy: Koror (no street address) mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940 telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990 FAX: [680] 488-2911
Flag description:
light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side
Economy Palau
Economy - overview:
The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence agriculture, and fishing. The government is the major employer of the work force relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. The Compact of Free Association with the US, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994, provided Palau with up to $700 million in US aid for the following 15 years in return for furnishing military facilities. Business and tourist arrivals numbered 63,000 in 2003. The population enjoys a per capita income roughly 50% higher than that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the key tourist sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific, the rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries, and the willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure development.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$124.5 million note: GDP estimates includes US subsidy (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$145 million (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.5% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$7,600 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.2% industry: 12% services: 81.8% (2003)
Labor force:
9,777 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 20% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
4.2% (2005 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $72.07 million expenditures: $72.43 million (FY04/05 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.7% (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:
coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish
Industries:
tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production by source:
NA
Current account balance:
$15.09 million (FY03/04)
Exports:
$5.882 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
shellfish, tuna, copra, garments
Exports - partners:
US, Japan, Singapore (2006)
Imports:
$107.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
US, Singapore, Japan, South Korea (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$23.46 million (2005)
Debt - external:
$0 (FY99/00)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
USD
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Communications Palau
Telephones - main lines in use:
6,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1,000 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios:
12,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (cable) (2005)
Televisions:
11,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.pw
Internet hosts:
0 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2002)
Transportation Palau
Airports:
3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)
Roadways:
note: estimated to have 60 km of roads as of 1996
Ports and terminals:
Koror
Military Palau
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Palau National Police (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,973 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,397 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 179 female: 165 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
NA
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of Free Association between Palau and the US, the US military is granted access to the islands for 50 years, but it has not stationed any military forces there (2008)
Transnational Issues Palau
Disputes - international:
maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Panama
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: 78,200 sq km land: 75,990 sq km water: 2,210 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, 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:
3,309,679 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.6% (male 499,254/female 479,242) 15-64 years: 63.8% (male 1,066,915/female 1,043,499) 65 years and over: 6.7% (male 102,937/female 117,832) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 26.7 years male: 26.3 years female: 27.1 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.544% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
20.68 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.71 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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 (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 13.4 deaths/1,000 live births male: 14.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.88 years male: 74.08 years female: 79.81 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.57 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.9% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
16,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
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)
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 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; major reforms adopted 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 Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1 September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1 September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since 1 September 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1 September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1 September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since 1 September 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms (not eligible for immediate reelection; president and vice presidents must sit out two additional terms (10 years) before becoming eligible for reelection); election last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held on 3 May 2009); note - beginning in 2009, Panama will have only one vice president election results: Martin TORRIJOS Espino elected president; percent of vote - Martin TORRIJOS Espino 47.5%, Guillermo ENDARA Galimany 30.6%, Jose Miguel ALEMAN 17%, Ricardo MARTINELLI 4.9% note: government coalition - PRD (Democratic Revolutionary Party), PP (Popular Party)
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (78 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in 2009, the number of seats will change to 71 elections: last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held 3 May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 41, PA 17, PS 9, MOLIRENA 4, CD 3, PLN 3, 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 [Hugo GUIRAUD]; Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Gisela CHUNG]; Panamenista Party or PA [Juan Carlos VARELA] (formerly the Arnulfista Party); Patriotic Union Party or PU (combination of the Liberal National Party or PLN and the Solidarity Party or PS)[Jose Raul MULINO 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, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Federico HUMBERT Arias chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407 FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Honolulu, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William A. EATON 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 two-thirds 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 should be completed by 2014 at a cost of $5.3 billion (about 30% 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. 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):
$34.81 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$19.74 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
11.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$10,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.6% industry: 16.4% services: 77% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
1.362 million note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 15% industry: 18% services: 67% (2006)
Unemployment rate:
6.4% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
37% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 43% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
56.1 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $5.505 billion expenditures: $4.822 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
53% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.2% (2007 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.25% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$3.054 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$14.26 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$17.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp
Industries:
construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling
Industrial production growth rate:
10.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
5.805 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
4.768 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
124.9 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
8.74 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 37% hydro: 61.3% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
92,790 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
4,447 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
88,790 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
-$1.577 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$9.312 billion f.o.b.; note - includes the Colon Free Zone (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing
Exports - partners:
US 35.6%, Netherlands 10.2%, China 6%, Sweden 5.5%, UK 5.4%, Costa Rica 5.1%, Spain 5% (2007)
Imports:
$12.62 billion f.o.b. note: includes the Colon Free Zone (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals
Imports - partners:
US 32.8%, Netherlands Antilles 7.6%, China 5.6%, Japan 5.1%, Costa Rica 5.1%, South Korea 4.1% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$19.54 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.935 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$10.45 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$5.074 billion (2005)
Currency (code):
balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
PAB; USD
Exchange rates:
balboas (PAB) per US dollar - 1 (2007), 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004), 1 (2003)
Communications Panama
Telephones - main lines in use:
491,900 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.392 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic and international facilities well developed domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is approaching 90 per 100 persons 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 (2007)
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 hosts:
7,858 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)
Internet users:
525,200 (2007)
Transportation Panama
Airports:
116 (2007)
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: 18 under 914 m: 29 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 62 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 50 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Railways:
total: 355 km standard gauge: 77 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 278 km 0.914-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 11,978 km paved: 4,300 km unpaved: 7,343 km (2002)
Waterways:
800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2007)
Merchant marine: