Norway (2002) | Panama (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | 19 provinces (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold | 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: 20% (male 464,789; female 439,117)
15-64 years: 65% (male 1,491,720; female 1,451,450) 65 years and over: 15% (male 281,551; female 396,489) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 29.8% (male 460,840/female 443,359)
15-64 years: 63.9% (male 984,558/female 956,748) 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 91,383/female 102,262) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish | bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp |
Airports | 102 (2001) | 105 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 66
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 26 (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: 36
914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 29 (2002) |
total: 61
914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 49 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 324,220 sq km
land: 307,860 sq km water: 16,360 sq km |
total: 78,200 sq km
land: 75,990 sq km water: 2,210 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than New Mexico | slightly smaller than South Carolina |
Background | Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in 994. Conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that was to last for more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Norway remained neutral in World War I and proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II. Nevertheless, it was not able to avoid a five-year occupation by Nazi Germany (1940-1945). In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The current focus is on containing spending on the extensive welfare system and planning for the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. | 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 | 12.39 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 19.96 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $71.7 billion
expenditures: $57.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
revenues: $3.095 billion
expenditures: $3.737 billion, including capital expenditures of $471 million (2004 est.) |
Capital | Oslo | Panama |
Climate | temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast | tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May) |
Coastline | 21,925 km (includes mainland 3,419 km, large islands 2,413 km, long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 16,093 km) | 2,490 km |
Constitution | 17 May 1814, modified in 1884 | 11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983, 1994, and 2004 |
Country name | conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
conventional short form: Norway local long form: Kongeriket Norge local short form: Norge |
conventional long form: Republic of Panama
conventional short form: Panama local long form: Republica de Panama local short form: Panama |
Currency | Norwegian krone (NOK) | - |
Death rate | 9.78 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 6.54 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 (Norway is a net external creditor) | $8.78 billion (2004 est.) |
Dependent areas | Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ONG
embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707 telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50 FAX: [47] (22) 43 07 77 |
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 | chief of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK
chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870 consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, and San Francisco |
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 | Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf); despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone | organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within the border region with Panama |
Economic aid - donor | ODA, $1.4 billion (1998) (1998) | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $197.1 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises). The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on its oil production and international oil prices; in 1999, oil and gas accounted for 35% of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia export more oil than Norway. Oslo opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994. Growth picked up in 2000 to 2.7%, compared with the meager 0.8% of 1999, but fell back to 1.3% in 2001. High oil prices helped the economy in 2002 in face of the sluggish world economy. The government has moved ahead with privatization. With arguably the highest quality of life worldwide, Norwegians still worry about that time in the next two decades when the oil and gas begin to run out. Accordingly, Norway has been saving its oil-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more than $43 billion. | Panama's dollarised economy rests primarily on a well-developed services sector that accounts for four-fifths 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; growth picked up in 2004 led by export-oriented services and a construction boom stimulated by tax incentives. The government has been backing tax reforms, reform of the social security program, new regional trade agreements, and development of tourism. Unemployment remains high. |
Electricity - consumption | 112.5 billion kWh (2000) | 4.473 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | 20.259 billion kWh (2000) | 120 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 1.474 billion kWh (2000) | 61 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | 141.16 billion kWh (2000) | 4.873 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 0%
hydro: 99% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m |
Environment - current issues | water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions | 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: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
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 | Norwegian, Sami 20,000 | mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6% |
Exchange rates | Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 8.9684 (January 2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (1999), 7.5451 (1998), 7.0734 (1997) | balboas per US dollar - 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000) |
Executive branch | chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20 July 1973)
head of government: Prime Minister Kjell Magne BONDEVIK (since 19 October 2001) cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the Parliament |
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 | $68.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) | NA |
Exports - commodities | petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish | bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing (1999) |
Exports - partners | EU 76.8% (UK 19.8%, France 11.8%, Germany 11.6%, Netherlands 10.2%, Sweden 7.9%), US 7.9% (2001) | US 50.5%, Sweden 6.6%, Spain 5.1%, Netherlands 4.4%, Costa Rica 4.2% (2004) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) | 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 - $143 billion (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2%
industry: 31% services: 67% (2000) |
agriculture: 7.2%
industry: 13% services: 79.8% (2004 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $31,800 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $6,900 (2004 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.6% (2002 est.) | 6% (2004 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 62 00 N, 10 00 E | 9 00 N, 80 00 W |
Geography - note | about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in world | 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 |
Highways | total: 91,180 km
paved: 67,838 km (including 109 km of expressways) unpaved: 23,342 km (1999) |
total: 11,643 km
paved: 4,028 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 7,615 km (2000 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 22% (1995) |
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 | $37.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) | NA |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs | capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals |
Imports - partners | EU 66.5% (Sweden 15.5%, Germany 12.8%, UK 7.8%, Denmark 7.2%, France 5.2%), US 7.0% (2001) | US 33.3%, Netherlands Antilles 8.1%, Japan 6%, Costa Rica 5.7%, Mexico 4.6%, Colombia 4.2% (2004) |
Independence | 7 June 1905 Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved; 26 October 1905 Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union | 3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821) |
Industrial production growth rate | 1.2% (2002 est.) | 5.4% (2004 est.) |
Industries | petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing | construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling |
Infant mortality rate | 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 20.47 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 22.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.3% (2001 est.) | 2% (2004 est.) |
International organization participation | AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC | 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) | 13 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 1,270 sq km (1998 est.) | 320 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch) | 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 | 2.4 million (2000 est.) | 1.32 million
note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2004 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | services 74%, industry 22%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4% (1995) | agriculture 20.8%, industry 18%, services 61.2% (1995 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 2,544 km
border countries: Finland 729 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km |
total: 555 km
border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.94%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.06% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 7.36%
permanent crops: 1.98% other: 90.66% (2001) |
Languages | Norwegian (official)
note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities |
Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual |
Legal system | mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
Legislative branch | modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (165 seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 24.3%, Conservative Party 21.2%, Progress Party 14.6%, Socialist Left Party 12.5%, Christian People's Party 12.4%, Center Party 5.6%, Liberal Party 3.9%, Coastal Party 1.7%, other 3.8%; seats by party - Labor Party 43, Conservative Party 38, Progress Party 26, Socialist Left Party 23, Christian People's Party 22, Center Party 10, Liberal Party 2, Coastal Party 1 note: for certain purposes, the Parliament divides itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house or Lagting |
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: 78.94 years
male: 76.01 years female: 82.07 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 75.25 years
male: 72.68 years female: 77.93 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6% male: 93.2% female: 91.9% (2003 est.) |
Location | Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden | Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica |
Map references | Europe | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 10 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 4 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 746 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,691,266 GRT/32,126,513 DWT
ships by type: bulk 84, cargo 130, chemical tanker 119, combination bulk 9, combination ore/oil 38, container 18, liquefied gas 91, passenger 6, petroleum tanker 143, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 41, short-sea passenger 21, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 35 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Denmark 14, Germany 11, Greece 10, Hong Kong 7, Iceland 2, Japan 11, Lithuania 1, Monaco 42, Poland 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 10, Sweden 42, Switzerland 2, United Kingdom 4, United States 5 (2002 est.) |
total: 5,005 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 122,960,929 GRT/183,615,337 DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 1,548, cargo 886, chemical tanker 465, combination ore/oil 13, container 605, liquefied gas 183, livestock carrier 8, passenger 42, passenger/cargo 77, petroleum tanker 521, refrigerated cargo 298, roll on/roll off 97, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 256 foreign-owned: 4,388 (Andorra 1, Argentina 9, Australia 3, Bahamas 1, Belgium 14, Brazil 1, Canada 1, Chile 14, China 310, Colombia 5, Croatia 1, Cuba 9, Cyprus 7, Denmark 13, Egypt 15, France 7, Germany 23, Greece 546, Hong Kong 159, India 8, Indonesia 46, Ireland 1, Isle of Man 2, Israel 3, Italy 8, Japan 1814, Jordan 9, Latvia 2, Lithuania 5, Malaysia 11, Maldives 1, Malta 1, Mexico 4, Monaco 8, Netherlands 22, New Zealand 1, Nigeria 6, Norway 66, Pakistan 1, Peru 13, Philippines 15, Poland 19, Portugal 8, Romania 13, Russia 4, Saudi Arabia 4, Singapore 54, South Africa 3, South Korea 292, Spain 41, Sri Lanka 1, Sudan 1, Sweden 4, Switzerland 188, Syria 7, Taiwan 301, Thailand 10, Trinidad & Tobago 1, Tunisia 1, Turkey 18, Ukraine 9, UAE 83, United Kingdom 29, United States 88, Venezuela 20, Vietnam 2, Yemen 1) (2005) |
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 | Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (including Coast Artillery and Coast Guard), Royal Norwegian Air Force, Home Guard | 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 | $3.113 billion (FY98/99) | $147 million (2004) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.13% (2002) | 1.1% (2004) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 1,099,966 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 911,632 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 27,341 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Constitution Day, 17 May (1814); note - on 14 January 1814 Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden; resisting Swedish domination, Norwegians adopted a new constitution four months later; on 14 August 1814 Norway was proclaimed independent but in union with Sweden; on 7 June 1905 Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved | Independence Day, 3 November (1903) |
Nationality | noun: Norwegian(s)
adjective: Norwegian |
noun: Panamanian(s)
adjective: Panamanian |
Natural hazards | rockslides, avalanches | occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area |
Natural resources | petroleum, copper, natural gas, pyrites, nickel, iron ore, zinc, lead, fish, timber, hydropower | copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower |
Net migration rate | 2.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Pipelines | refined petroleum products 53 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | Center Party [Odd Roger ENOKSEN]; Christian People's Party [Valgerd Svarstad HAUGLAND]; Coastal Party [Steinar BASTESEN]; Conservative Party [Jan PETERSEN]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Carl I. HAGEN]; Socialist Left Party [Kristin HALVORSEN] | 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 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 | 4,525,116 (July 2002 est.) | 3,039,150 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 37% (1999 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.47% (2002 est.) | 1.26% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Bergen, Drammen, Floro, Hammerfest, Harstad, Haugesund, Kristiansand, Larvik, Narvik, Oslo, Porsgrunn, Stavanger, Tromso, Trondheim | Balboa, Colon, Cristobal |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 4.03 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total: 4,006 km
standard gauge: 4,006 km 1.435-m gauge (2,471 km electrified) (2001) |
total: 355 km
standard gauge: 76 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge (2004) |
Religions | Evangelical Lutheran 86% (state church), other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%, other 1%, none and unknown 10% (1997) | Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
Telephone system | general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile systems instead of fixed wire systems international: 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999) |
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 | 2.735 million (1998) | 386,900 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 2,080,408 (1998) | 834,000 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995) | 38 (including repeaters) (1998) |
Terrain | glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north | interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills |
Total fertility rate | 1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.45 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 3.9% (2002 est.) | 12.6% (2004 est.) |
Waterways | 1,577 km (along west coast)
note: navigable by 2.4 m maximum draft vessels |
800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2004) |