y Party (PRD), Gerardo
GONZALEZ; Liberal Republican Party (PLR), Rodolfo CHIARI; Labor
Party (PALA), Carlos Lopez GUEVARA
other parties: Solidarity Party (PS), Samuel LEWIS GALINDO;
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (MOLIRENA), Delia CARDENAS;
Authentic Liberal Party (PLA), Arnulfo ESCALONA; Arnulfista Party
(PA), Mireya MOSCOSO DE GRUBER; Christian Democratic Party (PDC),
Ruben AROSEMENA; Liberal Party (PL), Roberto ALEMAN Zubieta; Papa
Egoro Movement (MPE), Gloria YOUNG; Civic Renewal Party (PRC), Tomas
HERRERA; National Unity Mission Party (MUN), Jose Manuel PAREDES;
Independent Democratic Union (UDI), Jacinto CARDENAS; National
Renovation Movement (MORENA), Pedro VALLERINO

Other political or pressure groups: National Council of Organized
Workers (CONATO); National Council of Private Enterprise (CONEP);
Panamanian Association of Business Executives (APEDE); National
Civic Crusade; Chamber of Commerce; Panamanian Industrialists
Society (SIP); Workers Confederation of the Republic of Panama (CTRP)

International organization participation: AG (associate), ECLAC,
FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA
(observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ricardo Alberto ARIAS
chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New
York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador William John HUGHES
embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 38, Apartado 6959, Panama City 5
mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002
telephone: [507] 227-1377
FAX: [507] 227-1964

Flag: 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

Economy
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Economic overview: Because of its key geographic location,
Panama's economy is service-based, heavily weighted toward banking,
commerce, and tourism. The manufacturing and agriculture sectors
have become inefficient under protecti