NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Republic of Panama
Republica de Panama
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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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. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica |
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Geographic coordinates:
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9 00 N, 80 00 W |
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Map references:
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Central America and the Caribbean |
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Area:
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total: 78,200 sq km
water: 2,210 sq km land: 75,990 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than South Carolina |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 555 km
border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km |
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Coastline:
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2,490 km |
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May) |
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Terrain:
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interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m |
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Natural resources:
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copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land: 6.72%
permanent crops: 2.08% other: 91.2% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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320 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
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Geography - note:
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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
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Population:
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2,882,329 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 29.6% (male 433,494; female 418,120)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 939,550; female 914,646) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 84,130; female 92,389) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.26% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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18.6 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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4.96 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-1.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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 (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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19.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 75.89 years
female: 78.74 years (2002 est.) male: 73.14 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.22 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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1.54% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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24,000 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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1,200 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Panamanian(s)
adjective: Panamanian |
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Ethnic groups:
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mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15% |
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Languages:
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Spanish (official), English 14%
note: many Panamanians bilingual |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.8% male: 91.4% female: 90.2% (1995 est.) |