Properties

Panama – Fast Facts

Official Country Name: Republic of Panama

GEOGRAPHY

Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica.

Area: Total: 78,200 sq km
Land: 75,990 sq km
Water: 2,210 sq km

Area - Comparative: Slightly smaller than South Carolina

Climate: Tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy.

Natural resources: Copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower.

Environment - Current Issues: 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

PEOPLE

Population: 3,309,679 (July 2008 est.)

Nationality: Panamanian

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 are bilingual.

GOVERNMENT

Government Type: Constitutional democracy

Capital: Panama

Independence: November 3 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain November 28 1821) National holiday: November 3rd (Independence Day.)

MILITARY

No regular military forces; Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes the Panamanian National Police (PNP), National Maritime Service (NMS), and National Air Service (NAS) (2008) on February 10 1990, the government of then President ENDARA abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by creating the Panamanian Public Forces.

Panama	Living in Panama	Weather in Panama	Safety in Panama	Retire in Panama