ing North and South America; controls Panama Canal that
links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean

- People
Population: 2,425,400 (July 1990), growth rate 2.1% (1990)

Birth rate: 26 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate: 22 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 76 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 3.1 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun--Panamanian(s); adjective--Panamanian

Ethnic divisions: 70% mestizo (mixed Indian and European ancestry),
14% West Indian, 10% white, 6% Indian

Religion: over 93% Roman Catholic, 6% Protestant

Language: Spanish (official); 14% speak English as native tongue; many
Panamanians bilingual

Literacy: 90%

Labor force: 770,472 (1987); 27.9% government and community services;
26.2% agriculture, hunting, and fishing; 16% commerce, restaurants, and hotels;
10.5% manufacturing and mining; 5.3% construction; 5.3% transportation and
communications; 4.2% finance, insurance, and real estate; 2.4% Canal Zone;
shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor

Organized labor: 17% of labor force (1986)

- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Panama

Type: centralized republic

Capital: Panama

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (provincias, singular--provincia)
and 1 territory* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon,
Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*, Veraguas

Independence: 3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent
from Spain 28 November 1821)

Constitution: 11 October 1972; major reforms adopted April 1983

Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

Executive branch: president, two vice presidents, Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema
de Justica) currently being reorganized

Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Guillermo ENDARA
(since 20 December 1989, elected 7 May 1989);
First Vice President Ricardo Arias CALDERON (since 20 December 1989,
elected 7 May 1989);
Second Vice President Guillermo FORD (since 20 Decemb