Part 649

Irrigated land: 320 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, 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 signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - 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

@Panama:People

Population: 2,693,417 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 32% (male 444,673; female 426,823) 15-64 years: 62% (male 846,707; female 824,690) 65 years and over : 6% (male 72,472; female 78,052) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.58% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 22.27 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 5.15 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 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 total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 24.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.28 years male: 71.55 years female : 77.1 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.6 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Panamanian(s) adjective: 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 bilingual

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

@Panama:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Panama conventional short form: Panama local long form: Republica de Panama local short form: Panama

Data code: PM

Government type: constitutional republic

National 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)