 Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Panama conventional short form:Panama local long form:Republica de Panama local short form:Panama
Government type:
constitutional democracy
Capital:
name:Panama Citygeographic coordinates:8 58 N, 79 32 W time difference:UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 3 indigenous territories* (comarcas); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Embera-Wounaan*, Herrera, Kuna Yala*, Los Santos, Ngobe-Bugle*, Panama, Panama Oeste, Veraguas
Independence:
3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain on 28 November 1821)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 3 November (1903)
Constitution:
several previous; latest effective 11 October 1972; amended several times, last in 2004 (2010)
Legal system:
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice
International law organization participation:
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state:President Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal (since 1 July 2009); Vice President Juan Carlos VARELA Rodriguez (since 1 July 2009); note - the president is both chief of state and head of governmenthead of government:President Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal (since 1 July 2009); Vice President Juan Carlos VARELA Rodriguez (since 1 July 2009) cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the president elections:president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms (president not eligible for immediate reelection and must sit out two additional terms (10 years) before becoming eligible for reelection); election last held on 3 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014) election results:Juan Carlos VARELA elected president; percent of vote - Juan Carlos VARELA 39.1%, Jose Domingo ARIAS 31.4%, Juan Carlos NAVARRO 28.2%, other 1.3%; note - Juan Carlos VARELA is expected to take office 1 July 2014 note:the ruling government coalition - formerly comprised of CD (Democratic Change), Panamenista Party, MOLIRENA (Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement), and UP (Patriotic Union Party) - split in August 2011 when President MARTINELLI relieved Vice President VARELA from his position as Foreign Minister, prompting the Panamenistas to pull out of the coalition; UP has now merged with CD, and CD and the Panamenista Party will run separate candidates for the presidency in 2014
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (71 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections:last held on 3 May 2009 (next to be held in May 2014) election results:percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD 26, Panamenista 22, CD 14, UP 4, MOLIRENA 2, PP 1, independents 2; note - changes in political affiliation now reflect the following seat distribution: as of 13 February 2013 - seats by party - CD 36, PRD 17, Panamenista 13, MOLIRENA 4, PP 1 note:legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen on a plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns and cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based formula
| | Judicial branch:
highest court(s):Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 9 magistrates and 9 alternates and divided into civil, criminal, administrative, and general business chambers)judge selection and term of office:magistrates appointed by the president for staggered 10-year terms subordinate courts:appellate courts or Tribunal Superior; Labor Supreme Courts; Court of Audit; circuit courts or Tribunal Circuital (2 each in 9 provinces); municipal courts; electoral, family, maritime, and adolescent courts
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal]Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Juan Carlos NAVARRO Quelquejeu] Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Sergio GONZALEZ-Ruiz] Panamenista Party [Juan Carlos VARELA Rodriguez] (formerly the Arnulfista Party) Popular Party or PP [Milton HENRIQUEZ] (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Chamber of Commerce
International organization participation:
BCIE, CAN (observer), CD, CELAC, CSN (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA, UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Mario Ernesto JARAMILLO Castillo (since 17 February 2011)chancery:2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone:[1] (202) 483-1407 FAX:[1] (202) 483-8413 consulate(s) general:Honolulu, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, Tampa, Washington DC
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Jonathan D. FARRAR (since 15 May 2012)embassy:Edificio 783, Avenida Demetrio Basilio Lakas Panama, Apartado Postal 0816-02561, Zona 5, Panama City mailing address:American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002; American Embassy Panama, 9100 Panama City PL, Washington, DC 20521-9100 telephone:[507] 317-5000 FAX:[507] 317-5568
Flag description:
divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and plain red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star in the center; the blue and red colors are those of the main political parties (Conservatives and Liberals respectively) and the white denotes peace between them; the blue star stands for the civic virtues of purity and honesty, the red star signifies authority and law
National symbol(s):
harpy eagle
National anthem:
name:'Himno Istmeno' (Isthmus Hymn)
lyrics/music:Jeronimo DE LA OSSA/Santos A. JORGE note:adopted 1925 |