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Panama is the southernmost country in the continent of North America.
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| National motto: Pro Mundi Beneficio | |||||
| Official language | Spanish | ||||
| Capital | Panama City | ||||
| President | Mireya Elisa Moscoso | ||||
| Area - Total - % water | Ranked 115th 78,200 km² 2.9% | ||||
| Population
- Density | Ranked 131st
37/km² | ||||
| Independence
| From Colombia | ||||
| Currency | Balboa | ||||
| Time zone | UTC -5 | ||||
| National anthem | Himno Istemño | ||||
| Internet TLD | .PA | ||||
| Calling Code | 507 | ||||
History
Main article: History of Panama
Panama was part of the Spanish Colonization in America until 1821 when it seceded and joined the Great Colombia of Simón Bolivar. On November 3 , 1903 it became an independent Republic. Theodore Roosevelt's gunboat diplomacy and the United States military helped the Panamanian rebels secede from Colombia and then signed the Hay-Bunau_Varilla_traty by which it was granted rights to build the Panama Canal.
By the Torrijos-Carter Treaty, on December 31 of 1999, the United States handed back the canal to Panama.
Politics
Main article: Politics of Panama
Panama is a representative democracy with three branches of government: executive and legislative branches elected by direct vote for 5-year terms, and an independently appointed judiciary. The executive branch includes a president and two vice presidents. The legislative branch consists of a 72-member unicameral Legislative Assembly. The judicial branch is organized under a nine-member Supreme Court and includes all tribunals and municipal courts. An autonomous Electoral Tribunal supervises voter registration, the election process, and the activities of political parties. Everyone over the age of 18 is required to vote, although those who fail to do so are not penalized.
Provinces
Main article: Provinces of Panama
Panama is divided into 9 provinces (provincias) and 5 territories (comarcas), marked by a *:
Geography
Main article: Geography of Panama
Panama in located in Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica. Its strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming a land bridge connecting North and South America. By 1999, Panama controls the Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean.
Economy
Main article: Economy of Panama
Because of its key geographic location, Panama's economy is service-based, heavily weighted toward banking, commerce, and tourism. The hand-over of the canal and military installations by the US has given rise to new construction projects. The Moscoso administration inherited an economy that is much more structurally sound and liberalized than the one inherited by its predecessor.
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Panama
The culture, customs, and language of the Panamanians are predominantly Caribbean Spanish. Ethnically, the majority of the population is mestizo or mixed Spanish, Indian, Chinese, and West Indian. Spanish is the official and dominant language; English is a common second language spoken by the West Indians and by many in business and the professions. More than half the population lives in the Panama City-Colón metropolitan corridor.
Culture
Main article: Culture of Panama
| Date | English Name | Local Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 3 | Independence Day |