Panama: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 03:29, 4 June 2005

Panama (Spanish: Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. It constitutes the last part of a natural land bridge between the North American and South American continents. It borders Costa Rica to the west and Colombia to the east.

República de Panamá

File:Panama flag large.png	File:Escudo armas Panama.PNG
(In Detail)	(Full size)

National motto: n/a

Official language

Spanish

Capital

Panama City

President

Martín Torrijos

Area
- Total
- % water

Ranked 115th
78,200 km²
2.9%

Population
- Total
- Density

Ranked 131st
3,000,463 (July 2004 est.)
37/km²

Independence
- Declared

From Colombia
November 3, 1903

Currency

Balboa

Time zone

UTC -5

National anthem

Himno Istmeño

Internet TLD

.pa

Calling Code

507

History

Main article: History of Panama

Indeed much of Panama's domestic politics and international diplomacy in the 20th century were tied to the Panama Canal. At the turn of the 20th century, Theodore Roosevelt's vision of an interoceanic seaway encouraged United States diplomatic efforts to facilitate a deal that would allow it to take over French canal operations started by Ferdinand de Lesseps. In November 1903, United States carried out political and naval maneuverings to cut the communication between Panama and Colombia while installed Manuel Amador Guerrero as President in Panama City, on November 3, and declared Panama as an independent Republic, which was immediately recognized as such by the United States. Just over two weeks later, a representative of the fledgling republic signed the Hay-Bunau Varilla Treaty by which Panama granted rights to the United States to build and administer the Panama Canal. This treaty became a contentious diplomatic issue between the United States and Panama until the signing of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties in 1977.

The Panamanian government went through periods of political instability and corruption and at various times in its history, the mandate of an elected president terminated prematurely. In 1968, Gen. Omar Torrijos took over the reigns of government and was the virtual strongman of Panama until his death in an airplane accident in 1981. After Torrijos's death, power eventually became concentrated in the hands of Gen. Manuel Noriega. Relations with the United States government soured by the end of the 1980s. In December 1989, the United States invaded Panama. The death of a U.S. soldier in Panama at a Panamanian Defense Forces roadblock was one of the reasons given by George Bush for the invasion, dubbed Operation Just Cause. 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. For further discussion of the reasons for the invasion given by the United States and countervailing interpretations, see the article Operation Just Cause. 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, but after a few days turned himself in to the American military. Noriega was immediately taken to Florida where he was formally charged and arrested by United States federal authorities. Charges of corruption and cronyism are still levelled against the government by opposition parties and press.

Under the Torrijos-Carter Treaty, on December 31, 1999, the United States returned all canal-related lands to Panama. Panama also gained control of canal-related buildings and infrastructure as well as full administration of the canal.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Panama

Panama is a republic 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.

General elections were held on May 2, 2004; the presidential contest was won by Martín Torrijos, son of the former strongman Omar Torrijos. Torrijos assumed the presidency on September 1, 2004. The former president had been Mireya Moscoso.

Provinces

Main article: Provinces of Panama

Panama is divided into 9 provinces (provincias) and 5 indigenous territories (comarcas indígenas), marked by a *:

Geography

File:Panamamap.png

Map of Panama - Click to enlarge - province names are in red, comarca names in green

Main article: Geography of Panama

Panama is located in 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.

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 handover 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.

The majority of Panamanians are Roman Catholic, accounting for over 80% of the population. Catholicism is also the official religion of Panama. Evangelical Christians are now estimated to be around 10% of the population. Other major religions in Panama are Islam (5%), the Bahá'í Faith (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.

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 (mostly Taiwanese) origin, which number around 150,000, or about 5% of the population.

The country is also the smallest in 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.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Panama

Music of Panama

External links

Real Panama - Non-profit organisation promoting defense of Human Rights in the Panamanian Penal System
Panama Guide Free, not-for-profit community service information webpage for the English speaking expatirate community
Presidencia de la República-(In Spanish)
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores-(In Spanish)
Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas-(In Spanish)
Panama Banknotes - 1941 Issues
Panama Pictures
Universidad de Panamá
Investigación y Desarrollo, S.A. (INDESA)- economic consulting firm
Fundación Libertad- Non-profit organisation promoting classical liberalism

Template:South America

@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 ''Main article: [[History of Panama]]''
-Indeed much of Panama's domestic politics and international diplomacy in the 20th century were tied to the [[Panama Canal]].  At the turn of the 20th century, [[Theodore Roosevelt]]'s vision of an interoceanic seaway encouraged United States diplomatic efforts to facilitate a deal that would allow it to take over French canal operations started by [[Ferdinand de Lesseps]].  In [[November]] [[1903]], [[United States]] carried out political and naval maneuverings to cut the communication between Panama and [[Colombia]] while installed [[Manual Amador Guerrero]] as President in Panama City, on [[November 3]], and declared Panama as an independent Republic, which was immediately recognized as such by the United States. Just over two weeks later, a representative of the fledgling republic signed the [[Hay-Bunau Varilla Treaty]] by which Panama granted rights to the United States to build and administer the Panama Canal. This treaty became a contentious diplomatic issue between the United States and Panama until the signing of the [[Torrijos-Carter Treaties]] in [[1977]].
+Indeed much of Panama's domestic politics and international diplomacy in the 20th century were tied to the [[Panama Canal]].  At the turn of the 20th century, [[Theodore Roosevelt]]'s vision of an interoceanic seaway encouraged United States diplomatic efforts to facilitate a deal that would allow it to take over French canal operations started by [[Ferdinand de Lesseps]].  In [[November]] [[1903]], [[United States]] carried out political and naval maneuverings to cut the communication between Panama and [[Colombia]] while installed [[Manuel Amador Guerrero]] as President in Panama City, on [[November 3]], and declared Panama as an independent Republic, which was immediately recognized as such by the United States. Just over two weeks later, a representative of the fledgling republic signed the [[Hay-Bunau Varilla Treaty]] by which Panama granted rights to the United States to build and administer the Panama Canal. This treaty became a contentious diplomatic issue between the United States and Panama until the signing of the [[Torrijos-Carter Treaties]] in [[1977]].
 The Panamanian government went through periods of political instability and corruption and at various times in its history, the mandate of an elected president terminated prematurely.  In [[1968]], Gen. [[Omar Torrijos]] took over the reigns of government and was the virtual strongman of Panama until his death in an airplane accident in [[1981]].  After Torrijos's death, power eventually became concentrated in the hands of Gen. [[Manuel Noriega]].  Relations with the United States government soured by the end of the [[1980s]]. In December [[1989]], the United States invaded Panama. The death of a U.S. soldier in Panama at a Panamanian Defense Forces roadblock was one of the reasons given by George Bush for the invasion, dubbed [[Operation Just Cause]]. 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. For further discussion of the reasons for the invasion given by the United States and countervailing interpretations, see the article [[Operation Just Cause]]. 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, but after a few days turned himself in to the American military.  Noriega was immediately taken to Florida where he was formally charged and arrested by United States federal authorities. Charges of corruption and cronyism are still levelled against the government by opposition parties and press.