Saint Pierre and Miquelon (2007) | Panama (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France); note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at the second order | 9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and one territory* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*, and Veraguas |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 23% (male 827/female 790)
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 2,352/female 2,288) 65 years and over: 11.1% (male 359/female 420) (2007 est.) |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish | bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp |
Airports | 2 (2007) | 107 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
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.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
65 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 52 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 242 sq km
land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups |
total:
78,200 sq km land: 75,990 sq km water: 2,210 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than South Carolina |
Background | First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North American possessions. | 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 | 13.08 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 19.06 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $70 million
expenditures: $60 million (1996 est.) |
revenues:
$2.8 billion expenditures: $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $471 million (2000 est.) |
Capital | name: Saint-Pierre
geographic coordinates: 46 46 N, 56 11 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November |
Panama |
Climate | cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy | tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May) |
Coastline | 120 km | 2,490 km |
Constitution | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) | 11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983 and 1994 |
Country name | conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon
conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon |
conventional long form:
Republic of Panama conventional short form: Panama local long form: Republica de Panama local short form: Panama |
Currency | - | balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | 6.82 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 4.95 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $7.56 billion (2000 est.) |
Dependency status | self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) | 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 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) | 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 |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | approximately $60 million in annual grants from France | $197.1 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of what France had sought. France heavily subsidizes the islands to the great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Fish farming, crab fishing, and agriculture are being developed to diversify the local economy. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 46.5 million kWh (2005) | 4.049 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 95 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 40 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 50 million kWh (2005) | 4.413 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
27.78% hydro: 71.65% nuclear: 0% other: 0.57% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m |
Environment - current issues | recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment | water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal |
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 | Basques and Bretons (French fishermen) | mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6% |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) | balboas per US dollar - 1.000 (fixed rate) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Yves FAUQUEUR (since 28 August 2006)
head of government: President of the General Council Marc PLANTAGENEST (since NA) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 21 April 2002 (first round) and 5 May 2002 (second round) (next to be held in 2007); prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the General Council is elected by the members of the council |
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 |
Exports | NA bbl/day | $5.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts | bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing |
Exports - partners | Spain 33.6%, Belgium 21.8%, India 18.3%, France 9.4%, US 7.5% (2006) | US 42%, Germany 11%, Costa Rica 5%, Benelux 4%, Italy 4% (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue background with yellow wavy lines under the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part (called ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the rectangle into four sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one above the other; these three heraldic arms represent settlement by colonists from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy; the flag of France is used for official occasions | 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 - $16.6 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture:
7% industry: 16.5% services: 76.5% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $6,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 2.5% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 46 50 N, 56 20 W | 9 00 N, 80 00 W |
Geography - note | vegetation scanty | 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:
11,592 km paved: 4,079 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 7,513 km (2000) |
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 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 |
Imports | NA bbl/day | $6.9 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials | capital goods, crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals |
Imports - partners | France 51.3%, Canada 31.8%, Belgium 4.1% (2006) | US 39%, Colon Free Zone 14%, Japan 8%, Ecuador 6%, Mexico 5% (1999) |
Independence | none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763) | 3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 2% (2000 est.) |
Industries | fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism | construction, petroleum refining, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling |
Infant mortality rate | total: 7.21 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
20.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 8.1% (2005) | 1.8% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | UPU, WFTU | 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 |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 6 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | 320 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel | 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 | 3,450 (2005) | 1.1 million (2000 est.)
note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 18%
industry: 41% services: 41% (1996 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: 12.5%
permanent crops: 0% other: 87.5% (2005) |
arable land:
7% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 44% other: 27% (1993 est.) |
Languages | French (official) | Spanish (official), English 14%
note: many Panamanians bilingual |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | 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 General Council or Conseil General (19 seats, 15 from Saint Pierre and four from Miquelon; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: elections last held 19 and 26 in March 2006 (next to be held in March 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AD 16, Cap sur l'Avenir 2, SPM Ensemble 1 note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect one seat to the French Senate; elections last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held in September 2013); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects one seat to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDF 1 |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.76 years
male: 76.41 years female: 81.23 years (2007 est.) |
total population:
75.68 years male: 72.94 years female: 78.53 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.8% male: 91.4% female: 90.2% (1995 est.) |
Location | Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada) | Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica |
Map references | North America | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
contiguous zone:
24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 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.) |
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 | - | 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 | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Independence Day, 3 November (1903) |
Nationality | noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
noun:
Panamanian(s) adjective: Panamanian |
Natural hazards | persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard | NA |
Natural resources | fish, deepwater ports | copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower |
Net migration rate | -4.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | -1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 130 km (2001) |
Political parties and leaders | Archipelago Tomorrow or AD affiliated with UDF/RPR list; Cap sur l'Avenir affiliated with PRG; Left Radical Party or PRG; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP); Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2000/Avenir Miquelon or SPM 2000/AM; Socialist Party or PS; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF | 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] |
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 | 7,036 (July 2007 est.) | 2,845,647 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 37% (1999 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.128% (2007 est.) | 1.3% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part of Colon area), Vacamonte |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 815,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | total:
355 km broad gauge: 76 km 1.524-m gauge narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge |
Religions | Roman Catholic 99%, other 1% | Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.047 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.028 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.855 male(s)/female total population: 1.011 male(s)/female (2007 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: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; satellite earth station - 1 in French domestic satellite 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 |
Telephones - main lines in use | 4,800 (2002) | 396,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 17,000 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (2 repeaters rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997) | 38 (including repeaters) (1998) |
Terrain | mostly barren rock | interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills |
Total fertility rate | 2 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 2.27 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 10.3% (1999) | 13% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | - | 882 km
note: 800 km navigable by shallow draft vessels; 82 km Panama Canal |