Compare Dominican Republic (2007) - Panama (2006)

Compare Dominican Republic (2007) z Panama (2006)

	Dominican Republic (2007)	Panama (2006)

Administrative divisions	31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Bahoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, El Seibo, Elias Pina, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Sanchez Ramirez, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde	9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 territory (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Blas(Kuna Yala), and Veraguas
Age structure	0-14 years: 32.1% (male 1,532,813/female 1,477,033) 15-64 years: 62.2% (male 2,971,620/female 2,851,207) 65 years and over: 5.7% (male 247,738/female 285,407) (2007 est.)	0-14 years: 30.3% (male 492,403/female 472,996) 15-64 years: 63.4% (male 1,025,898/female 998,926) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 94,122/female 106,974) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products	sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs	bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp
Airports	34 (2007)	117 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 15 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2007)	total: 53 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: 28 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 11 (2007)	total: 64 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 53 (2006)
Area	total: 48,730 sq km land: 48,380 sq km water: 350 sq km	total: 78,200 sq km land: 75,990 sq km water: 2,210 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire	slightly smaller than South Carolina
Background	Explored and claimed by Christopher COLUMBUS on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two years later they launched a war that restored independence in 1865. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative rule followed, capped by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from 1930-61. Juan BOSCH was elected president in 1962, but was deposed in a military coup in 1963. In 1965, the United States led an intervention in the midst of a civil war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in an election to become president. BALAGUER maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition candidates have won the presidency. Former President (1996-2000) Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna won election to a second term in 2004 following a constitutional amendment allowing presidents to serve more than one term.	Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador - 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 transfered to Panama by the end of 1999. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious plan to expand the Canal. The project, which is to begin in 2007 and could double the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in 2014-15.
Birth rate	22.91 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	21.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget	revenues: $5.658 billion expenditures: $6.119 billion (2006 est.)	revenues: $3.426 billion expenditures: $3.959 billion; including capital expenditures of $471 million (2005 est.)
Capital	name: Santo Domingo geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 69 54 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	name: Panama geographic coordinates: 8 58 N, 79 32 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall	tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)
Coastline	1,288 km	2,490 km
Constitution	28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002	11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983, 1994, and 2004
Country name	conventional long form: Dominican Republic conventional short form: The Dominican local long form: Republica Dominicana local short form: La Dominicana	conventional long form: Republic of Panama conventional short form: Panama local long form: Republica de Panama local short form: Panama
Death rate	5.32 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external	$7.909 billion (2006 est.)	$9.758 billion (2005 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Roland W. BULLEN embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500 telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171 FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437	chief of mission: Ambassador William A. EATON 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
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Flavio Dario ESPINAL Jacobo chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280 FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057 consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)	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, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa
Disputes - international	Haitian migrants cross the porous border into the Dominican Republic to find work; illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find better work	organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within the border region with Panama
Economic aid - recipient	$76.99 million (2005)	$197.1 million (1995)
Economy - overview	The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean representative democracy that enjoyed strong GDP growth until 2003. Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. Growth turned negative in 2003 with reduced tourism, a major bank fraud, and limited growth in the US economy (the source of about 80% of export revenues), but recovered in 2004-06. With the help of strict fiscal targets agreed in the 2004 renegotiation of an IMF standby loan, President FERNANDEZ has stabilized the country's financial situation. Although the economy continues to grow at a respectable rate, high unemployment and inflation remain important challenges. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. The Dominican Republic's development prospects improved with the ratification of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) in September 2005.	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 the Colon Free Zone and agricultural exports, the global slowdown, and the withdrawal of US military forces held back economic growth in 2000-03; growth picked up in 2004 and 2005 led by export-oriented services and a construction boom stimulated by tax incentives. The government has implemented tax reforms, as well as social security reforms, and backs regional trade agreements and development of tourism. Unemployment remains high.
Electricity - consumption	8.791 billion kWh (2005)	4.87 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2005)	175 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2005)	25 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production	12.22 billion kWh (2005)	5.398 billion kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m
Environment - current issues	water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation	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, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea	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
Ethnic groups	mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11%	mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%
Exchange rates	Dominican pesos per US dollar - 33.406 (2006), 30.409 (2005), 42.12 (2004), 30.831 (2003), 18.61 (2002)	balboas per US dollar - 1 (2005), 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held 16 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2008) election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ elected president; percent of vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ 57.1%, Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez 33.7%, Eduardo ESTRELLA 8.7%	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); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms (eligible for two more terms); election last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held 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)
Exports	NA bbl/day	NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities	ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods	bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing
Exports - partners	US 72.6%, UK 3.2%, Belgium 2.4% (2006)	US 44.9%, Spain 8.9%, Sweden 5.6%, Netherlands 4.9%, Costa Rica 4% (2005)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon	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
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 11.6% industry: 28.6% services: 59.8% (2006 est.)	agriculture: 6.8% industry: 15.6% services: 77.6% (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	10.7% (2006 est.)	6.4% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates	19 00 N, 70 40 W	9 00 N, 80 00 W
Geography - note	shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti	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
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 41.1% (2004)	lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 35.7% (1997)
Illicit drugs	transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial money laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor the Dominican Republic for illicit financial transactions; significant amphetamine consumption	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
Imports	116,700 bbl/day (2004)	NA bbl/day; note - imports oil
Imports - commodities	foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals	capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals
Imports - partners	US 46.9%, Venezuela 8.4%, Colombia 6.3%, Mexico 5.7% (2006)	US 27.5%, Netherlands Antilles 11.4%, Costa Rica 4.7%, Japan 4.5% (2005)
Independence	27 February 1844 (from Haiti)	3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821)
Industrial production growth rate	2% (2001 est.)	1.7% (2005 est.)
Industries	tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco	construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling
Infant mortality rate	total: 27.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 30.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 25.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)	total: 16.37 deaths/1,000 live births male: 17.75 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	7.6% (2006 est.)	2.9% (2005 est.)
International organization participation	ACP, Caricom (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO	CAN (observer), CSN (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, 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
Irrigated land	2,750 sq km (2003)	430 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the National Judicial Council comprised of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and an additional non-governing party congressional representative)	Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine judges appointed for 10-year terms); five superior courts; three courts of appeal
Labor force	3.896 million (2006 est.)	1.39 million note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 17% industry: 24.3% services: 58.7% (1998 est.)	agriculture: 20.8% industry: 18% services: 61.2% (1995 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 360 km border countries: Haiti 360 km	total: 555 km border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km
Land use	arable land: 22.49% permanent crops: 10.26% other: 67.25% (2005)	arable land: 7.26% permanent crops: 1.95% other: 90.79% (2005)
Languages	Spanish	Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual
Legal system	based on French civil codes; Criminal Procedures Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch	bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Diputados (178 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2008); House of Representatives - last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2008) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 22, PRD 6, PRSC 4; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 96, PRD 60, PRSC 22	unicameral National Assembly (formerly called Legislative 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 40, PA 17, PS 8, MOLIRENA 3, CD 2, PP 2, PLN 1, other 5 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
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 73.07 years male: 71.34 years female: 74.87 years (2007 est.)	total population: 75.22 years male: 72.68 years female: 77.87 years (2006 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87% male: 86.8% female: 87.2% (2002 census)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.6% male: 93.2% female: 91.9% (2003 est.)
Location	Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti	Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean	Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 6 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT by type: cargo 1 registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2007)	total: 5,473 ships (1000 GRT or over) 146,511,342 GRT/219,940,567 DWT by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 1,776, cargo 992, chemical tanker 476, combination ore/oil 2, container 663, liquefied gas 193, livestock carrier 7, passenger 49, passenger/cargo 77, petroleum tanker 518, refrigerated cargo 299, roll on/roll off 123, specialized tanker 23, vehicle carrier 274 foreign-owned: 4,922 (Anguilla 1, Argentina 9, Australia 3, Bahamas, The 2, Belgium 11, Bermuda 1, Bulgaria 1, Canada 4, Chile 9, China 420, Colombia 5, Croatia 5, Cuba 11, Cyprus 14, Denmark 34, Egypt 16, Estonia 3, France 15, Gabon 1, Germany 35, Greece 524, Hong Kong 169, India 19, Indonesia 50, Iran 4, Ireland 2, Israel 6, Italy 15, Japan 2007, Jordan 13, South Korea ( ( (291, Kuwait 2, Latvia 3, Lebanon 2, Lithuania 5, Malaysia 13, Maldives 1, Malta 3, Mexico 5, Monaco 9, Morocco 1, Netherlands 21, Nigeria 7, Norway 66, Pakistan 3, Peru 15, Philippines 13, Poland 15, Portugal 10, Qatar 1, Romania 9, Russia 7, Saudi Arabia 8, Singapore 67, South Africa 3, Spain 53, Sri Lanka 5, Sudan 1, Sweden 5, Switzerland 226, Syria 18, Taiwan 308, Thailand 9, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 42, UAE 105, UK 37, Ukraine 8, US 94, Venezuela 14, Vietnam 4, Yemen 3) registered in other countries: 1 (Venezuela 1) (2006)
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"
Military branches	Army, Navy, Air Force	an amendment to the Constitution abolished the armed forces, but there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes the Panamanian National Police, National Maritime Service, and National Air Service)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$150 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	0.8% (2006)	1% (2005 est.)
National holiday	Independence Day, 27 February (1844)	Independence Day, 3 November (1903)
Nationality	noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican	noun: Panamanian(s) adjective: Panamanian
Natural hazards	lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts	occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area
Natural resources	nickel, bauxite, gold, silver	copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower
Net migration rate	-2.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Political parties and leaders	Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Ramon ALBURQUERQUE]; National Progressive Front [Vincent CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ANTUN]	Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hugo GUIRAUD]; National Liberal Party or PLN [Anibal GALINDO]; Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Jesus ROSAS]; Panamenista Party or PA (formerly the Arnulfista Party) [Marco AMEGLIO]; Popular Party or PP (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC) [Ricardo ARIAS Calderon]; Solidarity Party or PS [Jose Raul MULINO]
Political pressure groups and leaders	Citizen Participation Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Foundation for Institution-Building and Justice (FINJUS)	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
Population	9,365,818 (July 2007 est.)	3,191,319 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line	42.2% (2004)	37% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate	1.5% (2007 est.)	1.6% (2006 est.)
Radio broadcast stations	AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)	AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways	total: 517 km standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076 m, 0.889 m, and 0.762-m gauges (2006)	total: 355 km standard gauge: 77 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 278 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)
Religions	Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%	Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.038 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.042 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.868 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2007 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age; note - members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote	18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system	general assessment: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave radio relay network domestic: fixed telephone line density is about 10 per 100 persons; multiple providers of mobile cellular service with a subscribership of roughly 50 per 100 persons international: country code - 1-809; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)	general assessment: domestic and international facilities well developed domestic: NA international: country code - 507; 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System
Telephones - main lines in use	897,000 (2006)	440,100 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular	4.606 million (2006)	1.352 million (2005)
Television broadcast stations	25 (2003)	38 (including repeaters) (1998)
Terrain	rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed	interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills
Total fertility rate	2.81 children born/woman (2007 est.)	2.68 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate	16% (2006 est.)	9.8% (2005 est.)
Waterways	-	800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2005)

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