Data at glance of Panama - average on period

History

Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela that was named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the union dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. 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 known as the Panama Canal Zone on either side of the structure. The US Army Corps of Engineers built the Panama Canal between 1904 and 1914. In 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the subsequent decades. With US help, Panamanian dictator Manuel NORIEGA was deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the Canal, and remaining US military bases were transferred to Panama by the end of 1999. An ambitious expansion project to more than double the Canal's capacity by allowing for more Canal transits and larger ships was carried out between 2007 and 2016.

Environment

Area: 75,420 km2

Climate: tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)

Natural resources: copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Ethnic characteristics

Groups: Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and White) 65%, Indigenous 12.3% (Ngabe 7.6%, Kuna 2.4%, Embera 0.9%, Bugle 0.8%, other 0.4%, unspecified 0.2%), Black or African descent 9.2%, Mulatto 6.8%, White 6.7% (2010 est.)

Languages: Spanish (official), Indigenous languages (including Ngabere (Guaymi), Buglere, Kuna, Embera, Wounaan, Naso (Teribe), and Bri Bri), Panamanian English Creole (a mixture of English and Spanish with elements of Ngabere, also known as Guari Guari and Colon Creole), English, Chinese (Yue and Hakka), Arabic, French Creole, other (Yiddish, Hebrew, Korean, Japanese)major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Evangelical 55%, Roman Catholic 33.4%, none 10.1%, unspecified 1.5% (2023 est.)

Government

Capital: Panama City

Government type: presidential republic

Executive branch

Chief of state: President José Raúl MULINO Quintero (since 1 July 2024)

Head of government: President José Raúl MULINO Quintero (since 1 July 2024)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelection/appointment process: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple-majority popular vote for a 5-year term; president eligible for a single non-consecutive term)most recent election date: 5 May 2024election results: 2024: José Raúl MULINO Quintero elected president; percent of vote - José Raúl MULINO Quintero (RM) 34.2%, Ricardo Alberto LOMBANA González (MOCA) 24.6%, Martín Erasto TORRIJOS Espino (PP) 16%, Alberto ROUX Moses (CD) 11.4%, Zulay RODRÍGUEZ Lu (independent) 6.6%, José Gabriel CARRIZO Jaén (PRD) 5.9%, other 1.3%2019: Laurentino "Nito" CORTIZO Cohen elected president; percent of vote - Laurentino CORTIZO Cohen (PRD) 33.3%, Romulo ROUX (CD) 31%, Ricardo LOMBANA (independent) 18.8%, Jose BLANDON (Panameñista Party) 10.8%, Ana Matilde GOMEZ Ruiloba (independent) 4.8%, other 1.3%expected date of next election: May 2029note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch

Description: legislature name: National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional)legislative structure: unicameralnumber of seats: 71 (all directly elected)electoral system: mixed systemscope of elections: full renewalterm in office: 5 yearsmost recent election date: 5/5/2024parties elected and seats per party: Realizing Goals (RM) (14); Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) (13); Democratic Change (CD) (8); Panamenista Party (8); Independents (20); Other (8)percentage of women in chamber: 21.7%expected date of next election: May 2029