Panama
|
| Basic Facts |
| Country name |
conventional long form: Republic of Panama
conventional short form: Panama local long form: Republica de Panama local short form: Panama |
| Gevernment type | constitutional democracy |
| Capital |
name: Panama
geographic coordinates: 8 58 N, 79 32 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| 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 |
| Currency | balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD) |
| Internet country code | .pa |
| Ports and terminals | Balboa, Colon, Cristobal |
| Agriculture products | bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp |
| Industries | construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling |
| Geography |
| Location | Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica |
| Coordinates | 9 00 N, 80 00 W |
| Continent | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Area |
total: 78,200 sq km
land: 75,990 sq km water: 2,210 sq km |
| Boundaries |
total: 555 km
border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km |
| Coastline | 2,490 km |
| Climate | tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May) |
| Terrain | interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills |
| Natural resources | copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower |
| Natural hazards | occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area |
| People |
| Population | 3,191,319 (July 2006 est.) |
| Ethnic groups | mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6% |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15% |
| Languages | Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual |
