{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the latter dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. 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. In 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the subsequent decades. 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 transferred to Panama by the end of 1999. An ambitious expansion project to more than double the Canal's capacity - by allowing for more Canal transits and larger ships - was carried out between 2007 and 2016." } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "9 00 N, 80 00 W" }, "Map references": { "text": "Central America and the Caribbean" }, "Area": { "total": { "text": "75,420 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "74,340 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "1,080 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "slightly smaller than South Carolina" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "687 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Colombia 339 km, Costa Rica 348 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "2,490 km" }, "Maritime claims": { "territorial sea": { "text": "12 nm" }, "contiguous zone": { "text": "24 nm" }, "exclusive economic zone": { "text": "200 nm or edge of continental margin" } }, "Climate": { "text": "tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)" }, "Terrain": { "text": "interior mostly steep, rugged mountains with dissected, upland plains; coastal plains with rolling hills" }, "Elevation": { "mean elevation": { "text": "360 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Pacific Ocean 0 m" }, "highest point": { "text": "Volcan Baru 3,475 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "30.5% (2011 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 7.3% (2011 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 2.5% (2011 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 20.7% (2011 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "43.6% (2011 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "25.9% (2011 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "321 sq km (2012)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "population is concentrated towards the center of the country, particularly around the Canal, but a sizeable segment of the populace also lives in the far west around David; the eastern third of the country is sparsely inhabited" }, "Natural hazards": { "text": "occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "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": { "text": "Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, 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": { "text": "Marine Life Conservation" } }, "Geography - note": { "text": "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" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "3,928,646 (July 2021 est.)" }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Panamanian(s)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Panamanian" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Native American 12.3% (Ngabe 7.6%, Kuna 2.4%, Embera 0.9%, Bugle 0.8%, other 0.4%, unspecified 0.2%), Black or African descent 9.2%, Mulatto 6.8%, White 6.7% (2010 est.)" }, "Languages": { "text": "Spanish (official), indigenous languages (including Ngabere (or Guaymi), Buglere, Kuna, Embera, Wounaan, Naso (or Teribe), and Bri Bri), Panamanian English Creole (similar to Jamaican English Creole; a mixture of English and Spanish with elements of Ngabere; also known as Guari Guari and Colon Creole), English, Chinese (Yue and Hakka), Arabic, French Creole, other (Yiddish, Hebrew, Korean, Japanese)", "note": "

note: many Panamanians are bilingual

" }, "Religions": { "text": "Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%" }, "Demographic profile": { "text": "

Panama is a country of demographic and economic contrasts. It is in the midst of a demographic transition, characterized by steadily declining rates of fertility, mortality, and population growth, but disparities persist based on wealth, geography, and ethnicity. Panama has one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America and dedicates substantial funding to social programs, yet poverty and inequality remain prevalent. The indigenous population accounts for a growing share of Panama's poor and extreme poor, while the non-indigenous rural poor have been more successful at rising out of poverty through rural-to-urban labor migration. The government's large expenditures on untargeted, indirect subsidies for water, electricity, and fuel have been ineffective, but its conditional cash transfer program has shown some promise in helping to decrease extreme poverty among the indigenous population.

Panama has expanded access to education and clean water, but the availability of sanitation and, to a lesser extent, electricity remains poor. The increase in secondary schooling - led by female enrollment - is spreading to rural and indigenous areas, which probably will help to alleviate poverty if educational quality and the availability of skilled jobs improve. Inadequate access to sanitation contributes to a high incidence of diarrhea in Panama's children, which is one of the main causes of Panama's elevated chronic malnutrition rate, especially among indigenous communities.

" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { "text": "25.56% (male 508,131/female 487,205)" }, "15-24 years": { "text": "16.59% (male 329,250/female 316,796)" }, "25-54 years": { "text": "40.31% (male 794,662/female 774,905)" }, "55-64 years": { "text": "8.54% (male 165,129/female 167,317)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "9.01% (male 160,516/female 190,171) (2020 est.)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "53.9" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "40.8" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "13.1" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "7.6 (2020 est.)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "30.1 years" }, "male": { "text": "29.6 years" }, "female": { "text": "30.5 years (2020 est.)" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "1.16% (2021 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "16.67 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "5.01 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "-0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "population is concentrated towards the center of the country, particularly around the Canal, but a sizeable segment of the populace also lives in the far west around David; the eastern third of the country is sparsely inhabited" }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "68.4% of total population (2020)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "2.06% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "1.860 million PANAMA CITY (capital) (2020)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.04 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1.04 male(s)/female" }, "15-24 years": { "text": "1.04 male(s)/female" }, "25-54 years": { "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" }, "55-64 years": { "text": "0.99 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.84 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "1.01 male(s)/female (2020 est.)" } }, "Maternal mortality rate": { "text": "52 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)" }, "Infant mortality rate": { "total": { "text": "11.25 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "male": { "text": "12.37 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "female": { "text": "10.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)" } }, "Life expectancy at birth": { "total population": { "text": "79.47 years" }, "male": { "text": "76.66 years" }, "female": { "text": "82.41 years (2021 est.)" } }, "Total fertility rate": { "text": "2.21 children born/woman (2021 est.)" }, "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { "text": "50.8% (2014/15)" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 100% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 94.8% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 98.3% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 0% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 5.2% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 1.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { "text": "7.3% (2017)" }, "Physicians density": { "text": "1.57 physicians/1,000 population (2016)" }, "Hospital bed density": { "text": "2.3 beds/1,000 population (2016)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 97.2% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 72.4% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 89.1% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 2.8% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 27.6% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 10.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "0.9% (2018 est.)" }, "HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS": { "text": "26,000 (2018 est.)" }, "HIV/AIDS - deaths": { "text": "<500 (2018 est.)" }, "Major infectious diseases": { "degree of risk": { "text": "intermediate (2020)" }, "food or waterborne diseases": { "text": "bacterial diarrhea" }, "vectorborne diseases": { "text": "dengue fever" } }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "22.7% (2016)" }, "Education expenditures": { "text": "3.2% of GDP (2011)" }, "Literacy": { "definition": { "text": "age 15 and over can read and write" }, "total population": { "text": "95.4%" }, "male": { "text": "96%" }, "female": { "text": "94.9% (2018)" } }, "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": { "total": { "text": "13 years" }, "male": { "text": "12 years" }, "female": { "text": "14 years (2016)" } }, "Unemployment, youth ages 15-24": { "total": { "text": "10.2%" }, "male": { "text": "7.4%" }, "female": { "text": "15.3% (2018 est.)" } } }, "Government": { "Country name": { "conventional long form": { "text": "Republic of Panama" }, "conventional short form": { "text": "Panama" }, "local long form": { "text": "Republica de Panama" }, "local short form": { "text": "Panama" }, "etymology": { "text": "named after the capital city which was itself named after a former indigenous fishing village" } }, "Government type": { "text": "presidential republic" }, "Capital": { "name": { "text": "Panama City" }, "geographic coordinates": { "text": "8 58 N, 79 32 W" }, "time difference": { "text": "UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "note": "

etymology: according to tradition, the name derives from a former fishing area near the present capital - an indigenous village and its adjacent beach - that were called \"Panama\" meaning \"an abundance of fish\"" }, "Administrative divisions": { "text": "10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 3 indigenous regions* (comarcas); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Embera-Wounaan*, Herrera, Guna Yala*, Los Santos, Ngobe-Bugle*, Panama, Panama Oeste, Veraguas" }, "Independence": { "text": "3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain on 28 November 1821)" }, "National holiday": { "text": "Independence Day (Separation Day), 3 November (1903)" }, "Constitution": { "history": { "text": "several previous; latest effective 11 October 1972" }, "amendments": { "text": "proposed by the National Assembly, by the Cabinet, or by the Supreme Court of Justice; passage requires approval by one of two procedures: 1) absolute majority vote of the Assembly membership in each of three readings and by absolute majority vote of the next elected Assembly in a single reading without textual modifications; 2) absolute majority vote of the Assembly membership in each of three readings, followed by absolute majority vote of the next elected Assembly in each of three readings with textual modifications, and approval in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2004" } }, "Legal system": { "text": "civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice" }, "International law organization participation": { "text": "accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction" }, "Citizenship": { "citizenship by birth": { "text": "yes" }, "citizenship by descent only": { "text": "yes" }, "dual citizenship recognized": { "text": "no" }, "residency requirement for naturalization": { "text": "5 years" } }, "Suffrage": { "text": "18 years of age; universal" }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { "text": "President Laurentino \"Nito\" CORTIZO Cohen (since 1 July 2019); Vice President Jose Gabriel CARRIZO Jaen (since 1 July 2019); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government" }, "head of government": { "text": "President Laurentino \"Nito\" CORTIZO Cohen (since 1 July 2019); Vice President Jose Gabriel CARRIZO Jaen (since 1 July 2019)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Cabinet appointed by the president" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term; president eligible for a single non-consecutive term); election last held on 5 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024)" }, "election results": { "text": "Laurentino \"Nito\" CORTIZO Cohen elected president; percent of vote - Laurentino CORTIZO Cohen (PRD) 33.3%, Romulo ROUX (CD) 31%, Ricardo LOMBANA (independent) 18.8%, Jose BLANDON (Panamenista Party) 10.8%, Ana Matilde GOMEZ Ruiloba (independent) 4.8%, other 1.3%" } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { "text": "unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (71 seats; 45 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - populous towns and cities - by proportional representation vote and 26 directly elected in single-seat constituencies - outlying rural districts - by plurality vote; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { "text": "last held on 5 May 2019 (next to be held in May 2024)" }, "election results": { "text": "percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 35, CD 18, Panamenista 8, MOLIRENA 5, independent 5; composition - men 55, women 16, percent of women 22.5%" } }, "Judicial branch": { "highest courts": { "text": "Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 9 magistrates and 9 alternates and divided into civil, criminal, administrative, and general business chambers)" }, "judge selection and term of office": { "text": "magistrates appointed by the president for staggered 10-year terms" }, "subordinate courts": { "text": "appellate courts or Tribunal Superior; Labor Supreme Courts; Court of Audit; circuit courts or Tribunal Circuital (2 each in 9 of the 10 provinces); municipal courts; electoral, family, maritime, and adolescent courts" } }, "Political parties and leaders": { "text": "Democratic Change or CD [Romulo ROUX]
Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Benicio ROBINSON]
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Francisco \"Pancho\" ALEMAN]
Panamenista Party [Jose Luis \"Popi\" VARELA Rodriguez] (formerly the Arnulfista Party)
Popular Party or PP [Juan Carlos ARANGO Reese] (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "BCIE, CAN (observer), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA, UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador Juan Ricardo DE DIANOUS HENRIQUEZ (since 16 September 2019)" }, "chancery": { "text": "2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20007" }, "telephone": { "text": "[1] (202) 483-1407" }, "FAX": { "text": "[1] (202) 483-8413" }, "consulate(s) general": { "text": "Houston, Miami, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa, Washington DC" } }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador (vacant), Charge d'Affairs Roxanne CABRAL (since 9 March 2018)" }, "telephone": { "text": "[507] 317-5000" }, "embassy": { "text": "Edificio 783, Avenida Demetrio Basilio Lakas Avenue, Clayton" }, "mailing address": { "text": "American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002; American Embassy Panama, 9100 Panama City PL, Washington, DC 20521-9100" }, "FAX": { "text": "[507] 317-5445 (2018)" } }, "Flag description": { "text": "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; the blue and red colors are those of the main political parties (Conservatives and Liberals respectively) and the white denotes peace between them; the blue star stands for the civic virtues of purity and honesty, the red star signifies authority and law" }, "National symbol(s)": { "text": "harpy eagle; national colors: blue, white, red" }, "National anthem": { "name": { "text": "\"Himno Istmeno\" (Isthmus Hymn)" }, "lyrics/music": { "text": "Jeronimo DE LA OSSA/Santos A. JORGE" }, "note": "

note: adopted 1925

" } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "

Panama's dollar-based economy rests primarily on a well-developed services sector that accounts for more than three-quarters of GDP. Services include operating the Panama Canal, logistics, banking, the Colon Free Trade Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism and Panama is a center for offshore banking. Panama's transportation and logistics services sectors, along with infrastructure development projects, have boosted economic growth; however, public debt surpassed $37 billion in 2016 because of excessive government spending and public works projects. The US-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement was approved by Congress and signed into law in October 2011, and entered into force in October 2012.

Future growth will be bolstered by the Panama Canal expansion project that began in 2007 and was completed in 2016 at a cost of $5.3 billion - about 10-15% of current GDP. The expansion project more than doubled the Canal's capacity, enabling it to accommodate high-capacity vessels such as tankers and neopanamax vessels that are too large to traverse the existing canal. The US and China are the top users of the Canal.

Strong economic performance has not translated into broadly shared prosperity, as Panama has the second worst income distribution in Latin America. About one-fourth of the population lives in poverty; however, from 2006 to 2012 poverty was reduced by 10 percentage points.

" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2017": { "text": "5.4% (2017 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2016": { "text": "5% (2016 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2015": { "text": "5.8% (2015 est.)" } }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017": { "text": "0.9% (2017 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016": { "text": "0.7% (2016 est.)" } }, "Credit ratings": { "Fitch rating": { "text": "BBB (2011)" }, "Moody's rating": { "text": "Baa1 (2019)" }, "Standard & Poors rating": { "text": "BBB (2020)" } }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019": { "text": "$133.587 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018": { "text": "$129.688 billion (2018 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017": { "text": "$125.07 billion (2017 est.)" }, "note": "

note: data are in 2010 dollars

" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$66.801 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2019": { "text": "$31,459 (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2018": { "text": "$31,049 (2018 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2017": { "text": "$30,455 (2017 est.)" }, "note": "

note: data are in 2010 dollars

" }, "Gross national saving": { "Gross national saving 2017": { "text": "38.9% of GDP (2017 est.)" }, "Gross national saving 2016": { "text": "39.2% of GDP (2016 est.)" }, "Gross national saving 2015": { "text": "36.8% of GDP (2015 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "2.4% (2017 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "15.7% (2017 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "82% (2017 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "45.6% (2017 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "10.7% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "42.9% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "3% (2017 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "41.9% (2017 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-44.2% (2017 est.)" } }, "Ease of Doing Business Index scores": { "Overall Ease of Doing Business score 2020": { "text": "92.0 (2020)" } }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "sugar cane, bananas, rice, poultry, milk, plantains, pineapples, maize, beef, pork" }, "Industries": { "text": "construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "6.3% (2017 est.)" }, "Labor force": { "text": "1.633 million (2017 est.)", "note": "

note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor

" }, "Labor force - by occupation": { "agriculture": { "text": "17%" }, "industry": { "text": "18.6%" }, "services": { "text": "64.4% (2009 est.)" } }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2018": { "text": "6.14% (2018 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2017": { "text": "6% (2017 est.)" } }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "23% (2015 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018": { "text": "49.2 (2018 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2003": { "text": "56.1 (2003)" } }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "1.1%" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "38.9% (2014 est.)" } }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "12.43 billion (2017 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "13.44 billion (2017 est.)" } }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "20.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": { "text": "-1.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2017": { "text": "37.8% of GDP (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt 2016": { "text": "37.4% of GDP (2016 est.)" } }, "Fiscal year": { "text": "calendar year" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2017": { "text": "-$3.036 billion (2017 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2016": { "text": "-$3.16 billion (2016 est.)" } }, "Exports": { "Exports 2018": { "text": "$25.94 billion (2018 est.)" }, "Exports 2017": { "text": "$24.7 billion (2017 est.)" }, "note": "

note: includes the Colon Free Zone

" }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "US 18.9%, Netherlands 16.6%, China 6.5%, Costa Rica 5.4%, India 5.1%, Vietnam 5% (2017)" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "fruit and nuts, fish, iron and steel waste, wood" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2018": { "text": "$28.978 billion (2018 est.)" }, "Imports 2017": { "text": "$28.175 billion (2017 est.)" }, "note": "

note: includes the Colon Free Zone

" }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "US 24.4%, China 9.8%, Mexico 4.9% (2017)" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "fuels, machinery, vehicles, iron and steel rods, pharmaceuticals" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017": { "text": "$2.703 billion (31 December 2017 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016": { "text": "$3.878 billion (31 December 2016 est.)" } }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 31 December 2017": { "text": "$91.53 billion (31 December 2017 est.)" }, "Debt - external 31 December 2016": { "text": "$83.81 billion (31 December 2016 est.)" } }, "Exchange rates": { "currency": { "text": "balboas (PAB) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2017": { "text": "1 (2017 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2016": { "text": "1 (2016 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2015": { "text": "1 (2015 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2014": { "text": "1 (2014 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2013": { "text": "1 (2013 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "92% (2019)" }, "electrification - urban areas": { "text": "99.4% (2019)" }, "electrification - rural areas": { "text": "77% (2019)" } }, "Electricity - production": { "text": "10.6 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - consumption": { "text": "8.708 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - exports": { "text": "139 million kWh (2015 est.)" }, "Electricity - imports": { "text": "30 million kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - installed generating capacity": { "text": "3.4 million kW (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - from fossil fuels": { "text": "36% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - from nuclear fuels": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Electricity - from hydroelectric plants": { "text": "51% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Electricity - from other renewable sources": { "text": "13% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Crude oil - production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "Crude oil - exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Crude oil - imports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Crude oil - proved reserves": { "text": "0 bbl (1 January 2018)" }, "Refined petroleum products - production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - consumption": { "text": "146,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - exports": { "text": "66 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - imports": { "text": "129,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Natural gas - production": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - consumption": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - exports": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - imports": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - proved reserves": { "text": "0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)" }, "Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy": { "text": "26.08 million Mt (2017 est.)" } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "671,799" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "17.46 (2019 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "5,073,123" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "131.85 (2019 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "domestic and international facilities well-developed; investment from international operators; competition among operators helps reduce price of services; launch of LTE services; govt. fixed-line projects and popularity of mobile broadband connectivity see growth; Chinese company Huawei helps with G-fast technologies (2020)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line 17 per 100 and rapid subscribership of mobile-cellular telephone 132 per 100 (2019)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 507; landing points for the PAN-AM, ARCOS, SAC, AURORA, PCCS, PAC, and the MAYA-1 submarine cable systems that together provide links to the US and parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System (2019)" }, "note": "

note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated" }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "multiple privately owned TV networks and a government-owned educational TV station; multi-channel cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; more than 100 commercial radio stations (2019)" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".pa" }, "Internet users": { "total": { "text": "2,199,433" }, "percent of population": { "text": "57.87% (July 2018 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "540,220" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "14 (2018 est.)" } } }, "Transportation": { "National air transport system": { "number of registered air carriers": { "text": "4 (2020)" }, "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": { "text": "122" }, "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "12,939,350 (2018)" }, "annual freight traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "47.63 million mt-km (2018)" } }, "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "HP (2016)" }, "Airports": { "total": { "text": "117 (2013)" } }, "Airports - with paved runways": { "total": { "text": "57 (2017)" }, "over 3,047 m": { "text": "1 (2017)" }, "2,438 to 3,047 m": { "text": "3 (2017)" }, "1,524 to 2,437 m": { "text": "3 (2017)" }, "914 to 1,523 m": { "text": "20 (2017)" }, "under 914 m": { "text": "30 (2017)" } }, "Airports - with unpaved runways": { "total": { "text": "60 (2013)" }, "1,524 to 2,437 m": { "text": "1 (2013)" }, "914 to 1,523 m": { "text": "8 (2013)" }, "under 914 m": { "text": "51 (2013)" } }, "Heliports": { "text": "3 (2013)" }, "Pipelines": { "text": "128 km oil (2013)" }, "Railways": { "total": { "text": "77 km (2014)" }, "standard gauge": { "text": "77 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)" } }, "Waterways": { "text": "800 km (includes the 82-km Panama Canal that is being widened) (2011)" }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { "text": "7,886" }, "by type": { "text": "bulk carrier 2,604, container ship 615, general cargo 1,347, oil tanker 789, other 2,531 (2020)" } }, "Ports and terminals": { "major seaport(s)": { "text": "Balboa, Colon, Cristobal" }, "container port(s) (TEUs)": { "text": "Balboa (2,905,049), Colon (3,891,209) (2017)" } } }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "no regular military forces; Panamanian Public Security Forces (subordinate to the Ministry of Public Security), comprising the National Police (PNP), National Air-Naval Service (SENAN), National Border Service (SENAFRONT) (2020)", "note": "

note: on 10 February 1990, the government of then President Guillermo ENDARA abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's National 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 and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "the Panamanian Public Security Forces are comprised of approximately 26,000 personnel (20,000 National Police Force; 4,000 National Border Service; 2,000 National Air-Naval Service) (2019 est.)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "Panama's security forces do not maintain heavy military equipment, instead focusing on light air transport, patrol, and surveillance capabilities; since 2010, Italy and the US have been the leading suppliers to the security forces (2019 est.)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { "text": "

organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within the remote border region with Panama

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { "text": "79,155 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum or have received alternative legal stay) (2020)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "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" } } }