North & Central America and Caribbean
Panama
Last reviewed: 7 July 2008
Country information
PANAMA TODAY
Country Facts
Area: 77,381 sq km; 29,762 sq miles.
Population: 3.23 million (2006)
Capital City: Panama City (1 million, 2006 est)
People: Mostly of mixed descent, with sizeable communities of indigenous Indians, Afro-Caribbeans, Italians, Spanish, Arabs, Jews and Asians.
Languages: The official language is Spanish. English is widely understood by the middle-classes.
Religion(s): Roman Catholic 90%, with Protestant groups, Judaism and Islam represented in the country.
Currency: US Dollar (referred to locally as the Balboa).
Political Parties: Arnulfista Party (PA)
Partido Popular or Popular Party (PP)
Democratic Change
Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD)
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (MOLIRENA)
Solidarity Party (PS)
Government: Panama has three branches to its representative democracy: the executive (comprising the President and two Vice-Presidents), the legislative - a 78 member single chamber assembly, and the judiciary. This comprises a nine-member Supreme Court of Justice (each appointed for a ten year period), five superior courts and a court of appeal. The President serves one term of 5 years. Elections for President and the single chamber legislative assembly are held at the same time.
Head of State: President Martin Torrijos Espino.
Prime Minister/Premier: Not applicable
First Vice President and Foreign Minister: Samuel Lewis Navarro.
Membership of International Groups/Organisations: Panama is a member of the UN (and most major agencies) and has served four terms on the Security Council; World Bank; IADB; IMF; IBRD; Rio Group (founder member); Union of Banana Export Countries (founder member); PARLACEN (Central American Parliament); SICA; CONCAUSA (Central American United States of America Joint Accord); IAEA; G-77; NAM; OAS; OPANAL; OPCW; WTO.
HEALTH
It was estimated in 2003 that Panama had an HIV/AIDS population of 30,000. There were nearly 1,200 deaths in the same year from this disease.
Life expectancy: Male: 69.97 years, Female: 74.79 years.
Infant mortality rate: 21.4 per 1,000 (2003 est)
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contacts
Address:
Embassy of Panama
40 Hertford Street
London W1J 7SH
Telephone:
(020) 7493 4646
Fax:
(020) 7493 4333
Email: panama1@btconnect.com
Office hours: