Panama (2001) | Anguilla (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | 9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and one territory* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*, and Veraguas | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
30.13% (male 436,661; female 420,625) 15-64 years: 63.86% (male 920,787; female 896,520) 65 years and over: 6.01% (male 81,682; female 89,372) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 25% (male 1,575; female 1,529)
15-64 years: 68.1% (male 4,356; female 4,124) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 383; female 479) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp | small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising |
Airports | 107 (2000 est.) | 3 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
42 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 22 (2000 est.) |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
65 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 52 (2000 est.) |
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total:
78,200 sq km land: 75,990 sq km water: 2,210 sq km |
total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than South Carolina | about half the size of Washington, DC |
Background | 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. | Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650, Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th century, when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants - was incorporated into a single British dependency along with Saint Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this arrangement was formally recognized in 1980 with Anguilla becoming a separate British dependency. |
Birth rate | 19.06 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 14.94 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$2.8 billion expenditures: $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $471 million (2000 est.) |
revenues: $20.4 million
expenditures: $23.3 million, including capital expenditures of $3.8 million |
Capital | Panama | The Valley |
Climate | tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May) | tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds |
Coastline | 2,490 km | 61 km |
Constitution | 11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983 and 1994 | Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Panama conventional short form: Panama local long form: Republica de Panama local short form: Panama |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Anguilla |
Currency | balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD) | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
Death rate | 4.95 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $7.56 billion (2000 est.) | $8.8 million (1998) |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Simon FERRO embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 37, Apartado 6959, Panama City 5 mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002 telephone: [507] 207-7000 FAX: [507] 227-1964 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Alfredo BOYD chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Tampa |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $197.1 million (1995) | $3.5 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | Panama's economy is based primarily on a well-developed services sector that accounts for three-fourths of GDP. Services include the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. A slump in Colon Free Zone and agricultural exports, high oil prices, and the withdrawal of US military forces held back economic growth in 2000. The government plans public works programs, tax reforms, and new regional trade agreements in order to stimulate growth in 2001. | Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and remittances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism industry, which has spurred the growth of the construction sector, has contributed to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector, which is small, but growing. In the medium term, prospects for the economy will depend largely on the tourism sector and, therefore, on revived income growth in the industrialized nations as well as on favorable weather conditions. |
Electricity - consumption | 4.049 billion kWh (1999) | 42.6 million kWh |
Electricity - exports | 95 million kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - imports | 40 million kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production | 4.413 billion kWh (1999) | 45.85 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
27.78% hydro: 71.65% nuclear: 0% other: 0.57% (1999) |
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m |
Environment - current issues | water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal | supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
- |
Ethnic groups | mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6% | black (predominant), mulatto, white |
Exchange rates | balboas per US dollar - 1.000 (fixed rate) | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (since 1 September 1999); First Vice President Arturo Ulises VALLARINO (since 1 September 1999); Second Vice President Dominador "Kaiser" Baldonero BAZAN Jimenez (since 1 September 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (since 1 September 1999); First Vice President Arturo Ulises VALLARINO (since 1 September 1999); Second Vice President Dominador "Kaiser" Baldonero BAZAN Jimenez (since 1 September 1999); 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 1999 (next to be held NA May 2004) election results: Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez elected president; percent of vote - Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (PA) 44%, Martin TORRIJOS (PRD) 37% note: government coalition - PA, MOLIRENA, Democratic Change, MORENA, PLN, PS |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Peter JOHNSTONE (since NA February 2000)
head of government: Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March 2000) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the elected members of the House of Assembly elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor |
Exports | $5.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $2.6 million (1999) |
Exports - commodities | bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing | lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum |
Exports - partners | US 42%, Germany 11%, Costa Rica 5%, Benelux 4%, Italy 4% (1999) | UK, US, Puerto Rico |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
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 | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design on a white background with blue wavy water below |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $16.6 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $104 million (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
7% industry: 16.5% services: 76.5% (1999 est.) |
agriculture: 4%
industry: 18% services: 78% (1997 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $6,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $8,600 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.5% (2000 est.) | 0% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 9 00 N, 80 00 W | 18 15 N, 63 10 W |
Geography - note | 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 | the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles |
Highways | total:
11,592 km paved: 4,079 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 7,513 km (2000) |
total: 105 km
paved: 65 km unpaved: 40 km (1998 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
1.2% highest 10%: 35.7% (1997) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | major cocaine transshipment point and major drug money-laundering center; no recent signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial transactions is improving; official corruption remains a major problem; Panama was cited by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) an international organization that includes the US Government, for its lack of cooperation in the fight against international money laundering | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe |
Imports | $6.9 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $80.9 million (1999) |
Imports - commodities | capital goods, crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals | fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, textiles |
Imports - partners | US 39%, Colon Free Zone 14%, Japan 8%, Ecuador 6%, Mexico 5% (1999) | US, Puerto Rico, UK |
Independence | 3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 2% (2000 est.) | 3.1% |
Industries | construction, petroleum refining, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling | tourism, boat building, offshore financial services |
Infant mortality rate | 20.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 23.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.8% (2000 est.) | 2.3% |
International organization participation | CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate), ECLAC (associate) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 6 (2000) | 16 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 320 sq km (1993 est.) | NA sq km |
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 | High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court) |
Labor force | 1.1 million (2000 est.)
note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor |
6,735 (1999) (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 20.8%, industry 18%, services 61.2% (1995 est.) | commerce 36%, services 29%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, manufacturing 3%, agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4% |
Land boundaries | total:
555 km border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land:
7% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 44% other: 27% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds) (1998 est.) |
Languages | Spanish (official), English 14%
note: many Panamanians bilingual |
English (official) |
Legal system | based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on English common law |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (71 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 2 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 34, PA 18, PDC 5, PS 4, MOLIRENA 3, PLN 3, Democratic Change 2, PRC 1, MORENA 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 |
unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total, 7 elected by direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3 March 2000 (next to be held NA June 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANA 3, AUP 2, ADP 1, independent 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
75.68 years male: 72.94 years female: 78.53 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 76.5 years
male: 73.6 years female: 79.5 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.8% male: 91.4% female: 90.2% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 12 and over can read and write
total population: 95% male: 95% female: 95% (1984 est.) |
Location | Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | total:
4,711 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 111,515,984 GRT/169,655,363 DWT ships by type: bulk 1,381, cargo 925, chemical tanker 314, combination bulk 71, combination ore/oil 18, container 525, liquefied gas 193, livestock carrier 5, multi-functional large-load carrier 12, passenger 41, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 544, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 297, roll on/roll off 106, short-sea passenger 36, specialized tanker 29, vehicle carrier 208 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Argentina 11, Australia 1, Austria 1, Bermuda 21, Belgium 4, The Bahamas 7, Brazil 2, Canada 4, China 154, Chile 4, Cayman Islands 1, Colombia 6, Cuba 7, Cyprus 4, Denmark 12, Egypt 8, Ireland 2, Equatorial Guinea 1, Finland 1, France 4, Germany 17, Greece 248, Hong Kong 158, Honduras 2, Croatia 3, Indonesia 40, India 11, Iran 1, Israel 3, Italy 7, Japan 1,007, Jordan 2, South Korea 223, Latvia 4, Lithuania 1, Liberia 2, Monaco 43, Malta 1, Mexico 5, Malaysia 6, Netherlands 6, Norway 36, Netherlands Antilles 1, Peru 5, Pakistan 1, Portugal 5, Philippines 10, Russia 6, Saudi Arabia 6, Seychelles 2, South Africa 5, Singapore 73, Spain 35, Sweden 4, Syria 11, Switzerland 53, UAE 11, Thailand 15, Taiwan 170, UK 18, US 79, Venezuela 18, Samoa 1 (2000 est.) |
none (2002 est.) |
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" | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | 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 | $128 million (FY99) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.3% (FY99) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
775,966 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
530,916 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | Independence Day, 3 November (1903) | Anguilla Day, 30 May |
Nationality | noun:
Panamanian(s) adjective: Panamanian |
noun: Anguillan(s)
adjective: Anguillan |
Natural hazards | NA | frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) |
Natural resources | copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower | salt, fish, lobster |
Net migration rate | -1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 15.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 130 km (2001) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Arnulfista Party or PA [Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez]; Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Ruben AROSEMENA]; Civic Renewal Party or PRC [Serguei DE LA ROSA]; Democratic Change [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Martin TORRIJOS]; National Liberal Party or PLN [Raul ARANGO Gasteazopo]; National Renovation Movement or MORENA [Pedro VALLARINO Cox]; Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Ramon MORALES]; Solidarity Party or PS [Samuel LEWIS Galindo] | Anguilla United Party or AUP [Hubert HUGHES]; The United Front or UF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS], a coalition of the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National Alliance or ANA |
Political pressure groups and leaders | 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 | NA |
Population | 2,845,647 (July 2001 est.) | 12,446 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 37% (1999 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.3% (2001 est.) | 2.44% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part of Colon area), Vacamonte | Blowing Point, Road Bay |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | 815,000 (1997) | 3,000 (1997) |
Railways | total:
355 km broad gauge: 76 km 1.524-m gauge narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge |
0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15% | Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12% |
Sex ratio | 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: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
domestic and international facilities well developed domestic: NA international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System |
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern internal telephone system international: microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 396,000 (1997) | 4,974 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 17,000 (1997) | 1,629 (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 38 (including repeaters) (1998) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills | flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone |
Total fertility rate | 2.27 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.77 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 13% (2000 est.) | 8% (1999) (1999) |
Waterways | 882 km
note: 800 km navigable by shallow draft vessels; 82 km Panama Canal |
none |