Part 578

Environment: current issues: water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Tropical Timber 94

Geographic note: 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 ------

Population: 2,655,094 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 33% (male 445,382; female 426,111) 15-64 years: 62% (male 828,384; female 806,205) 65 years and over: 5% (male 71,823; female 77,189) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.64% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 23.2 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 5.42 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: 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: 0.93 male(s)/female all ages: 1.03 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 29.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.92 years male: 71.19 years female: 76.75 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.71 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Panamanian(s) adjective: Panamanian

Ethnic divisions: mestizo (mixed Indian and European ancestry) 70%, West Indian 14%, white 10%, Indian 6%

Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Languages: Spanish (official), English 14% note: many Panamanians bilingual

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 90.8% male: 91.4% female: 90.2%

Government ----------

Name of country: conventional long form: Republic of Panama conventional short form: Panama local long form: Republica de Panama local short form: Panama

Data code: PM

Type of government: constitutional republic

Capital: Panama

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 territory* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*, Veraguas

Independence: 3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821)

National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

Constitution: 11 October 1972; major reforms adopted April 1983

Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations