Panama - Country information


		Panama	Population Government Economy Geography Communication Transportation

Population		Top of page

Inhabitants		Life expectancy
3,242,173 (July 2007 est.)		total population: 75.19 years male: 72.69 years female: 77.8 years (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups		Religions
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%		Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Languages		Literacy
Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual		definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.6% male: 93.2% female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Government		Top of page

Government type		Capital
constitutional democracy		Panama

Independance		National day
3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821)		Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

Constitution		Legal system
11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983, 1994, and 2004		based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Economy		Top of page

GDP (purchasing power parity)		Growth rate
$16.2 billion (2006 est.)		6.3% (2006 est.)

GDP per inhabitant		Unemployment rate
$7,900 (2006 est.)		8.8% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line		Inflation rate
37% (1999 est.)		2.6% (2006 est.)

Exports		Imports
$8.087 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)		$9.365 billion f.o.b. (includes the Colon Free Zone) (2006 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold		Currency
$1.236 billion (2006 est.)		balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)

Military expenditures
1% (2006)

Geography		Top of page

Location		Area
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica		78,200 sq km

Climate		Natural resources
tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)		copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

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