Part 148
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
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@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
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m
Natural resources:
gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries
Land use:
arable land: 0.49%
permanent crops: 1.4%
other: 98.11% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Total renewable water resources:
801 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.1 cu km/yr (56%/43%/1%)
per capita: 17 cu m/yr (1987)
Natural hazards:
active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis
Environment - current issues:
rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects; severe drought
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic Treaty, 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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast
People ::Papua New Guinea
Population:
6,057,263 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 106
Age structure:
0-14 years: 36.9% (male 1,137,796/female 1,099,365)
15-64 years: 59% (male 1,836,272/female 1,735,298)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 114,789/female 133,743) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.7 years
male: 21.8 years
female: 21.6 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.069% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54
Birth rate:
27.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 58
Death rate:
6.86 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 12% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 45.23 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 57 male: 49.17 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 41.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 66.34 years country comparison to the world: 160 male: 64.08 years
female: 68.72 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.62 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 43
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
54,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 78
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
adjective: Papua New Guinean
Ethnic groups:
Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
Religions:
Roman Catholic 27%, Evangelical Lutheran 19.5%, United Church 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, Pentecostal 8.6%, Evangelical Alliance 5.2%, Anglican 3.2%, Baptist 2.5%, other Protestant 8.9%, Bahai 0.3%, indigenous beliefs and other 3.3% (2000 census)
Languages: