New Caledonia (2003) | Panama (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud | 9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 territory* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*, and Veraguas |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 29.7% (male 31,990; female 30,695)
15-64 years: 64.2% (male 68,093; female 67,205) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 6,016; female 6,799) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years: 30.2% (male 461,427; female 443,932)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 967,490; female 940,344) 65 years and over: 6.2% (male 88,611; female 98,659) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products | bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp |
Airports | 30 (2002) | 103 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
total: 44
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 9 (2002) |
total: 61
914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 49 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 19,060 sq km
land: 18,575 sq km water: 485 sq km |
total: 78,200 sq km
land: 75,990 sq km water: 2,210 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than New Jersey | slightly smaller than South Carolina |
Background | Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s seems to have dissipated. | 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. On 7 September 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of 1999. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the intervening years. 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 turned over to Panama by or on 31 December 1999. |
Birth rate | 19.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 20.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $861.3 million
expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1996 est.) |
revenues: $2.995 billion
expenditures: $3.421 billion, including capital expenditures of $471 million (2003 est.) |
Capital | Noumea | Panama |
Climate | tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid | tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May) |
Coastline | 2,254 km | 2,490 km |
Constitution | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) | 11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983, 1994, and 2004 |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies
conventional short form: New Caledonia local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie |
conventional long form: Republic of Panama
conventional short form: Panama local long form: Republica de Panama local short form: Panama |
Currency | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003 | balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | 5.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 6.39 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $79 million (1998 est.) | $8.834 billion (2003 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of France since 1956 | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of France) | 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 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of France) | 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 | Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $880 million annual subsidy from France | $197.1 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more than one-fourth of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for the next several years. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.5 billion kWh (2001) | 3.681 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 118 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 43 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 1.613 billion kWh (2001) | 4.039 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 76.3%
hydro: 23.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m |
Environment - current issues | erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires | 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 |
Ethnic groups | Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3% | mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6% |
Exchange rates | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 135.04 (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998) | balboas per US dollar - 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000), 1 (1999) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Daniel CONSTANTIN (since 3 July 2002)
head of government: President of the Government Pierre FROGIER (since 5 April 2001) cabinet: Consultative Committee elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress; note - last election held 28 November 2002 when Pierre FROGIER was reelected |
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; 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 (2001) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | ferronickels, nickel ore, fish | bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing (1999) |
Exports - partners | Japan 20.6%, France 20.4%, Taiwan 16.3%, South Africa 11.3%, Spain 7.7%, South Korea 5.4%, Australia 5.4%, Italy 5.3% (2002) | US 13.9%, Nigeria 9.8%, Germany 8.1%, South Korea 7.8%, Peru 5.1%, Costa Rica 4.9%, Belgium 4.8%, Japan 4.5% (2003) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of France is used | 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 | purchasing power parity - $3 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $18.78 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 5%
industry: 30% services: 65% (1997 est.) |
agriculture: 8.3%
industry: 14.7% services: 77.1% (2003 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $14,000 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA | 4.1% (2003 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 21 30 S, 165 30 E | 9 00 N, 80 00 W |
Geography - note | consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls | 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 |
Heliports | 5 (2002) | - |
Highways | total: 4,825 km
paved: 2,287 km unpaved: 2,538 km (1999) |
total: 11,400 km
paved: 3,944 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 7,456 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 35.7% (1997) |
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 |
Imports | NA (2001) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs | capital goods, crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals (1999) |
Imports - partners | France 52.8%, Australia 12.7%, Singapore 9.8% (2002) | Japan 33.2%, US 11.4%, China 9.1%, South Korea 7.7%, Singapore 7.1% (2003) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014 | 3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821) |
Industrial production growth rate | -0.6% (1996) | 7% (2003 est.) |
Industries | nickel mining and smelting | construction, petroleum refining, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling |
Infant mortality rate | total: 8.06 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
total: 20.95 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | -0.6% (2000 est.) | 1.4% (2003 est.) |
International organization participation | ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO | 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 |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 160 sq km (1991) | 320 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court | 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 | 79,395 (including 15,018 unemployed, 1996) | 1.19 million
note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2003 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.) | agriculture 20.8%, industry 18%, services 61.2% (1995 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 555 km
border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km |
Land use | arable land: 0.38%
permanent crops: 0.33% other: 99.29% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 7.36%
permanent crops: 1.98% other: 90.66% (2001) |
Languages | French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects | Spanish (official), English 14%
note: many Panamanians bilingual |
Legal system | the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law | based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
Legislative branch | unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 9 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPCR 24, FLNKS 12, UNI 6, FCCI 4, FN 4, Alliance pour la Caledonie 3, LKS 1 note: New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to be held by June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 2 |
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, Democratic Change 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: 73.52 years
male: 70.57 years female: 76.62 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 72.14 years
male: 69.82 years female: 74.56 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91% male: 92% female: 90% (1976 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6% male: 93.2% female: 91.9% (2003 est.) |
Location | Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia | Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica |
Map references | Oceania | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Malaysia 1 (2002 est.) |
total: 4,833 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 122,960,929 GRT/183,615,337 DWT
by type: barge carrier 3, bulk 1,434, cargo 819, chemical tanker 388, combination bulk 73, combination ore/oil 18, container 613, liquefied gas 190, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large load carrier 15, passenger 36, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 514, rail car carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 281, roll on/roll off 125, short-sea/passenger 37, specialized tanker 36, vehicle carrier 242 foreign-owned: Albania 2, Angola 1, Antigua and Barbuda 2, Argentina 7, Australia 11, Austria 1, Bahamas 3, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 5, Belize 4, Brazil 4, British Virgin Islands 8, Cambodia 2, Canada 6, Cayman Islands 1, Chile 13, China 286, Colombia 14, Croatia 3, Cuba 17, Cyprus 6, Denmark 4, Dominican Republic 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 16, Equatorial Guinea 1, France 7, Germany 89, Greece 549, Haiti 1, Honduras 2, Hong Kong 288, India 22, Indonesia 44, Iran 1, Ireland 2, Israel 4, Italy 7, Japan 1630, Jordan 8, Kenya 1, South Korea 349, Kuwait 1, Latvia 11, Liberia 3, Lithuania 2, Luxembourg 1, Malaysia 12, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 7, Monaco 29, Netherlands 14, Netherlands Antilles 1, New Zealand 1, Nigeria 6, Norway 86, Oman 1, Pakistan 1, Peru 17, Philippines 41, Poland 12, Portugal 6, Puerto Rico 3, Romania 9, Russia 8, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Saudi Arabia 6, Singapore 105, South Africa 3, Spain 52, Sri Lanka 3, Sudan 1, Sweden 4, Switzerland 93, Syria 1, Taiwan 348, Thailand 14, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 12, Ukraine 2, United Kingdom 51, United States 99, Venezuela 4 registered in other countries: 85 (2004 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | 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 | no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police 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 | $192.3 million (FY96) | $145 million (2003) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 5.3% (FY96) | 1.2% (2003) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 810,341 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 553,422 (2004 est.) |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Independence Day, 3 November (1903) |
Nationality | noun: New Caledonian(s)
adjective: New Caledonian |
noun: Panamanian(s)
adjective: Panamanian |
Natural hazards | cyclones, most frequent from November to March | occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area |
Natural resources | nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper | copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | -0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [leader NA] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (anti independent) or RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO] | Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Martin TORRIJOS]; National Liberal Party or PLN [Anibal GALINDO]; Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Jesus ROSAS]; Panamenista Party or PA (formerly the Arnulfista Party) [Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez]; Popular Party or PP (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC) [Ruben AROSEMENA]; Solidarity Party or PS [Jose Raul MULINO] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | 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 |
Population | 210,798 (July 2003 est.) | 3,000,463 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 37% (1999 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.38% (2003 est.) | 1.31% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Mueo, Noumea, Thio | Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part of Colon area), Vacamonte |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | 0 km | total: 355 km
standard gauge: 76 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge (2003) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10% | Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 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: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific 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 | 47,000 (1997) | 386,900 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 13,040 (1998) | 834,000 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997) | 38 (including repeaters) (1998) |
Terrain | coastal plains with interior mountains | interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills |
Total fertility rate | 2.39 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 2.49 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 19% (1996) | 13.8% (2003 est.) |
Waterways | none | 800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2004) |