Panama

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{{Infobox_Country |native_name = República de Panamá |conventional_long_name = Republic of Panama |common_name = Panama |image_flag =Flag of Panama.svg |image_coat =Escudo_armas_Panama.PNG |image_map =LocationPanama.png |national_motto =Latin: Pro Mundi Beneficio
(English: "For the Benefit of the World") |national_anthem =Himno Istmeño |official_languages =Spanish (Official), (English and indigenous languages on the Caribbean coast) |capital =Panama City |latd=8 |latm=58 |latNS= |longd=79 |longm=32 |longEW=W |largest_city = Panama City |government_type =constitutional democracy |leader_titles =President |leader_names =Martín Torrijos |area_rank =115th |area_magnitude =1 E8 |area=78,200 |areami²=30,193 |percent_water =2.9 |population_estimate = 3,039,150 |population_estimate_rank =133rd |population_estimate_year =July 2005 |population_census = |population_census_year = |population_density =38 |population_densitymi² =98 |population_density_rank =132nd |GDP_PPP =$22.16 billion |GDP_PPP_rank =110th |GDP_PPP_year=2005 |GDP_PPP_per_capita =$7,300 |GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank =109th |sovereignty_type = Independence |established_events =From Spain
From Colombia |established_dates = November 28, 1821
November 3, 1903 |HDI = 0.804 |HDI_rank =56th |HDI_year = 2003 |HDI_category =high |currency = Balboa |currency_code =PAB |country_code = |time_zone = |utc_offset = -5 |time_zone_DST = |utc_offset_DST = -5 |cctld =.pa |calling_code =507 }} Template:For Panama (Spanish: Panamá, IPA Template:IPA) is the southernmost country of Central America. A transcontinental country, its isthmus constitutes the southernmost part of a natural land bridge between the continents of North America and South America. It borders Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south.

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Origin of the name "Panama"

The name "Panama" is of Indian origin, from a word meaning "the abundance of fish" or "the abundance of butterflies." Some historians from the colonial period attribute the name to the shady "Panama" tree under which indigenous families would meet.

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History

Template:Main Much of Panama's domestic politics and international diplomacy in the 20th century was tied to the Panama Canal and the foreign policy of the United States. At the turn of the 20th century, Theodore Roosevelt pursued United States diplomatic efforts to facilitate a deal with Colombia that would allow it to take over French canal operations started by Ferdinand de Lesseps. In November 1903, a small number of wealthy Panamanian landowners led by a covert Separatist Junta presided by Dr. Manuel Amador Guerrero, were encouraged to commit what amounted to treason and secede from Colombia with support from the United States.

On November 3 1903, Panama declared its independence from Colombia. The President of the Municipal Council, Demetrio H. Brid, highest authority at the time, became its de facto President, appointing on November 4 a Provisional Government to run the affairs of the new republic. The United States was the first country to recognize the new Republic of Panama and sent troops to protect the nation. The 1904 Constituent Assembly elected Dr. Manuel Amador Guerrero, a prominent member of the Conservative political party, as the first constitutional President of the Republic of Panama.

In December 1903 representatives of the republic signed the Hay-Bunau Varilla Treaty which granted rights to the United States to build and administer indefinitely the Panama Canal, which was opened in 1914. This treaty became a contentious diplomatic issue between the two countries, reaching a boiling point on January 9, 1964: Martyr's Day. These issues were resolved with the signing of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties in 1977.

The original intent of the founding fathers was to bring harmony between the two major political parties (Conservatives and Liberals). The Panamanian government went through periods of political instability and corruption, however, and at various times in its history, the mandate of an elected president terminated prematurely. In 1968, a Coup toppled the government of the recently elected Arnulfo Arias Madrid. Gen. Omar Torrijos eventually became the leading power in the governing military Junta, and later became an autocratic strong man until his death in an airplane accident in 1981. After Torrijos's death, power was eventually concentrated in the hands of Gen. Manuel Noriega, a former head of Panama's secret police and a former CIA operative. Noriega was implicated in drug trafficking by the United States, resulting in difficult relations by the end of the 1980’s.

In December 1989, the United States invaded Panama in a large military operation codenamed Operation Just Cause involving 25,000 United States troops. Ostensibly, the death of an unarmed U.S. soldier in plain clothes in Panama at a Panamanian Defence Forces roadblock was one of the precipitating causes for the invasion along with drug trafficking charges and Noriega's refusal to hand over power after being defeated in elections. However, according to the Panamanian government at the time, the officer's vehicle attempted to drive through the roadblock, which was located near a sensitive military location. A few hours after the invasion, in a ceremony that took place inside a U.S. military base in the former Panama Canal Zone, Guillermo Endara, the winning candidate in the May 1989 elections, was sworn in as the new president of Panama. The invasion occurred just days before the Panama Canal administration was to be turned over to Panamanian control, according to the timetable set up by the Torrijos-Carter Treaties. After the invasion, Noriega sought asylum in the Vatican diplomatic mission represented by Monsignor Jose S. Laboa. To induce Noriega's surrender, US forces played loud music outside the embassy. After a few days, Noriega surrendered to the American military, and was taken to Florida to be formally arrested and charged U.S. federal authorities. He will be eligible for parole in 2007.

Under the Torrijos-Carter Treaty, the United States returned all canal-related lands to Panama on December 31, 1999, but reserves the right to military intervention in the interest of its national security. Panama also gained control of canal-related buildings and infrastructure as well as full administration of the canal.

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Government

Template:Main The civil power of the Republic of Panama is exercised through three governmental organs: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial branches; united in cooperation and limited through the classic system of checks and balances.

Three independent organisations with clearly defined responsibilities are found in the Political Constitution. Thus, the Comptroller General of the Republic has the responsibility to manage public funds. There also exists the Electoral Tribunal, which has the responsibility to guarantee liberty, transparency, and the efficacy of the popular vote; and, finally, the Ministry of the Public exists to oversee interests of State and of the municipalities.

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Political Institutions

Panama's Political Constitution of 1972, reformed by the Actos Reformatorios of 1978, and by the Acto Constitucional in 1983, presents a unitary, republican, democratic and representative government by three organs of state.

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Executive Organ

Comprised of the President of the Republic and of the Ministers of State.

The President is elected by direct popular vote, for a term of five years; in the same way the first and second vice-presidents are elected (Title VI, Chapter 1 of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Panama).

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Judicial Organ

The Judicial Organ administers justice in a permanent, free, and expeditious manner. It comprises the Supreme Court of Justice, the Tribunals, and the judges established by law, according to the Political Constitution of the Republic of Panama (title VII, Chapter 1).

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Legislative Organ

Comprised of a body called the National Assembly, (previously called the Legislative Assembly) it has as its principal mission the formulation of laws.

The National Assembly is formed of the Deputies (formerly called legislators), chosen through party nomination and direct popular election (Title V, Chapter 1, Political Constitution of the Republic of Panama).

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Administrative subdivisions

Template:Main articles Image:Countries-Panama-provinces-2005-10-18-en.png Panama's political divisions are 9 provinces, 75 districts or municipalities, 5 indigenous comarcas, and 620 "corregimientos." Panama is divided into 9 provinces (provincias) and 3 provincial-level indigenous territories (comarcas indígenas). There are also 2 sub-provincial comarcas, Kuna de Madugandí and Kuna de Wargandí, which are part of Panamá and Darién provinces, respectively.

Provinces
Provincial-level comarcas
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Geography

Template:Main Panama is located in both North and Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica. Its location on the eastern end of the isthmus forming a landbridge connecting Central and South America is strategic. By 1999, Panama controlled the Panama Canal that links the North Atlantic Ocean via the Caribbean Sea with the North Pacific Ocean.

A nearly impenetrable jungle forms the Darien Gap between Panama and Columbia. It creates a break in the Pan-American Highway, which otherwise forms a complete road from Alaska to Chile.

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Economy

Template:Main Panama's economy is service-based, heavily weighted toward banking, commerce, and tourism, because of its key geographic location. The handover of the canal and military installations by the US has given rise to new construction projects. The Martin Torrijos administration is committed with huge but necessary reforms that are not easy. It has already passed a fiscal reform, a very difficult Social Security Reform, and soon it will call upon a Referendum for the updating of the Panama Canal.

The most influential union in the country is SUNTRACS, the militant construction workers union, although Panama has several major unions and labor federations, including the large National Council of Organized Workers (CONATO) which itself is broken up into several large factions.

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Demographics

Template:Main Image:Colon Panama.jpg Image:Skyline of Panama City 01.jpg Image:Traditional Panamanian Building.jpg Image:Ancon Hill in Panama 01.jpg Image:Nation03.jpg 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 African descent. 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.

The majority of Panamanians are Roman Catholic, accounting for almost 80% of the population. Although the Constitution recognises Catholicism as the religion of the majority, Panama has no official religion. Evangelical Christians are now estimated to be around 10% of the population. Other Protestant churches make up about 4% of the population. Other major religions in Panama are Islam (4.4%), the Bahá'í Faith (1.2%), Buddhism (at least 1%), Judaism (0.4%), and Hinduism (0.3%). The Jewish community, with over 10,000 members, is by far the biggest community in the region (including Central America, Colombia and the Caribbean). Jewish immigration began in the late 19th Century, and at present there are three synagogues in Panama City, as well as two Jewish schools. Within Latin America, Panama has one of the largest Jewish communities in proportion to its population, surpassed by Uruguay and Argentina, as well as among the largest Muslim, East Asian, and South Asian.

Panama City hosts one of only seven Bahá'í Houses of Worship in the world. Completed in 1972, it is perched on a high cliff overlooking the canal, and is constructed of local stone laid in a pattern reminiscent of Native American fabric designs.

Panama, because of its historical reliance on commerce, is above all a melting pot. This is shown, for instance, by its considerable population of Chinese origin, who number around 150,000, or about 5% of the population. (See main article at Chinatowns in Latin America—Panama). Many Chinese immigrated to Panama to help build the Panama Railroad. A term for "corner store" in Panamanian Spanish is el chino, reflecting the fact that many corner stores are owned and run by Chinese immigrants. (Other countries have similar social patterns, for instance, the "Arab" corner store of France.)

The country is also the smallest in Spanish-speaking Latin America in terms of population, with Uruguay as the second smallest (by almost 400,000). However, since Panama has a faster birth rate, it is likely that in the coming years its population will surpass Uruguay's.

The "Puente de las Américas" was founded in October 12, 1962

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Culture

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See also

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External links

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Telecommunications companies

Template:Central America

Countries and North America as a continent
Antigua and Barbuda | Bahamas | Barbados | Belize | Canada | Costa Rica | Cuba | Dominica | Dominican Republic | El Salvador | Grenada | Guatemala | Haiti | Honduras | Jamaica | Mexico | Nicaragua | Panama | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Saint Lucia | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Trinidad and Tobago | United States
Dependencies: Denmark: Greenland | France: Guadeloupe · Martinique · Saint-Pierre and Miquelon | Netherlands: Aruba · Netherlands Antilles | UK: Anguilla · Bermuda · British Virgin Islands · Cayman Islands · Montserrat · Turks and Caicos Islands | U.S.: Navassa Island · Puerto Rico · U.S. Virgin Islands
Countries and territories of South America
Image:South America.png Argentina · Bolivia · Brazil · Chile · Colombia · Ecuador · Guyana · Panama · Paraguay · Peru · Suriname · Trinidad and Tobago · Uruguay · Venezuela

Dependencies: Aruba (Netherlands) · Falkland Islands (UK) · French Guiana · Netherlands Antilles · South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (UK)

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