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North & Central America and Caribbean
Panama |
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Last reviewed: 4 August 2009 |
Country information
PANAMA TODAY
Country Facts
Area: 77,381 sq km; 29,762 sq miles.
Population: 3.4 million (2008 est.)
Capital City: Panama City (1 million, 2008 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%; Protestant groups, Judaism and Islam are also represented in the country.
Currency: US Dollar (referred to locally as the Balboa).
Political Parties: Panameñista Party (formally Arnulfista Party)
Partido Popular or Popular Party (PP)
Democratic Change (Cambio Democratico)
Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD)
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (MOLIRENA)
Patriotic Union
Liberal Party
The Moral Vanguard Party
Government: Panama has three branches to its representative democracy: the executive (comprising the President and one Vice-President), the legislative - a 71 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 Ricardo Martinelli
Prime Minister/Premier: Not applicable
First Vice President and Foreign Minister: Juan Carlos Varela
Membership of International Groups/Organisations: Panama is a member of the UN (and has served four terms on the Security Council); World Bank; Inter-American Development Bank; International monetary Fund; International bank for Reconstruction and Development; Rio Group (founder member); Union of Banana Export Countries (founder member); PARLACEN (Central American Parliament); SICA (Central American Grouping); CONCAUSA (Central American United States of America Joint Accord); International Atomic Energy Agency; G-77; Non-Aligned Movement; OAS; OPANAL; OPCW; WTO, IMO and WIPO.
HEALTH
It was estimated in 2008 that Panama had an HIV/AIDS population of 30,000. It is estimated that this figure will increase by 2,000 per year. 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 (20083 est)
Country information
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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: