PANAMAMore about Panama Information about travelling to PanamaPanama is located in Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica |
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Facts about Panama
General info about Panama
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 - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the latter 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 on either side of the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers 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, 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. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious plan to expand the Canal. The project, which began in 2007 and could double the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in 2014-15.
Disease threats degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
Languages spoken Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual What about drugs? major cocaine transshipment point and primary money-laundering center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering activity is especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore financial center; negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial transactions is improving; official corruption remains a major problem Ethnic division mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6% HIV/AIDS prevalence rate 0.9% (2003 est.) Climate tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May) Resources copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower Economy Panama's dollarized economy rests primarily on a well-developed services sector that accounts for 80% of GDP. Services include operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. Economic growth will be bolstered by the Panama Canal expansion project that began in 2007 and should be completed by 2014 at a cost of $5.3 billion - about 30% of current GDP. The expansion project will more than double the Canal's capacity, enabling it to accommodate ships that are now too large to transverse the transoceanic crossway and should help to reduce the high unemployment rate. Strong economic performance has not translated into broadly shared prosperity. Panama has the second most unequal income distribution in Latin America. About 30% of the population lives in poverty. The government has implemented tax reforms, as well as social security reforms, and backs regional trade agreements and development of tourism. Not a CAFTA signatory, Panama in December 2006 independently negotiated a free trade agreement with the US, which, when implemented, will help promote the country's economic growth. Environment 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 Cities in Panamaachutupo agua buena aguadulce ailigandi alanje almirante alto de la estancia alto del espino ancon anton arraijan aserrio de gariche atalaya bagala balboa barranco bejuco bella vista bisira boca de parita bocas del toro boqueron boquete buena vista bugaba burica cabra caimitillo caimito calobre calzada larga canaveral canazas canita canoa capellania capira cativa celmira cermeno cerro azul cerro cama cerro punta chame changuinola chepo chichica chigore chiguiri arriba chilibre chiman chiriqui chiriqui grande chitre churuquita chiquita churuquita grande cocle coetupo colon coloncito david divala dolega el cano el coco el cope el cortezo el cristo el ejido el espino el espino de santa rosa el giral el porvenir el progreso el real de santa maria el rincon el roble el silencio el uvito el valle de la union escobal finca blanco finca cincuenta y uno finca corredor garachine gariche gatun gomez guabito guadalupe gualaca guarare guarumal horconcitos icanti ipeti jaque juan diaz la cabima la candelaria la chorrera la colorada la concepcion la esperanza la espigadilla la estrella la herradura la loma la mata la mesa la mitra la palma la pena la pintada la raya de santa maria la tiza la victoria las colinas las cumbres las lomas las palmas las tablas lidice llano de piedra llano largo llano marin los algarrobos los anastacios los boquerones los lotes los pozos los santos macaracas margarita maria chiquita mata del nance meteti monte lirio montijo morti mulatupo nargana nata nueva gorgona nuevo arraijan nuevo emperador nuevo guarare nuevo san juan nuevo vigia ocu ola pacora palmas bellas palmira panama paraiso parita paso blanco pedasi pedregal penonome pese plaza de caisan pocri portobelo potrerillos abajo potrerillos arriba potrero grande progreso pueblo nuevo pueblo viejo puerto armuelles puerto caimito puerto escondido puerto pilon quebrada bonita adentro quiteno remedios rio alejandro rio de jesus rio duque rio grande rio hato rio rita rio sereno sabanitas sajalices salamanca san andres san antonio san carlos san felix san francisco san miguel san miguelito san vicente de bique santa ana arriba santa clara santa fe santa maria santa marta santa rita santa rita arriba santiago santo domingo siogui abajo siogui arriba sona sortova taboga tigre tijeras tocumen tole tubuala ustupo veracruz villa carmen villa rosario vista alegre vista hermosa volcan wala yaviza |
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The Cheers Travel World / Panama travel