1998)

Debt - external: $7 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient: $197.1 million (1995)

Currency: 1 balboa (B) = 100 centesimos

Exchange rates: balboas (B) per US$1 - 1.000 (fixed rate)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Panama:Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 325,300 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1995)

Telephone system: domestic and international facilities well developed
domestic: NA
international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave
System

Radio broadcast stations: AM 80, FM 44, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 815,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 9 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 510,000 (1997)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (1999)

@Panama:Transportation

Railways:
total: 355 km
broad gauge: 76 km 1.524-m gauge
narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge

Highways:
total: 11,258 km
paved: 3,783 km (including 30 km of expressways)
unpaved: 7,475 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 800 km navigable by shallow draft vessels; 82 km Panama
Canal

Pipelines: crude oil 130 km

Ports and harbors: Balboa, Cristobal, Coco Solo, Manzanillo (part of
Colon area), Vacamonte

Merchant marine:
total: 4,732 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 106,054,086
GRT/159,304,019 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1,377, cargo 976, chemical tanker 323, combination
bulk 68, combination ore/oil 15, container 525, liquified gas 184,
livestock carrier 8, multi-functional large load carrier 12, passenger
46, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 496, rail car carrier 2,
refrigerated cargo 313, roll-on/roll-off 106, short-sea passenger 42,
specialized tanker 33, vehicle carrier 202 (1999 est.)
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 71 countries
among which are Japan 1,262, Greece 378, Hong Kong 244, South Korea
259, Taiwan 229, China 193, Singapore 103, US 116, Switzerland 78, and
Indonesia 53 (1998 est.)

Airports: 105 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 41
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 21 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 64
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 49 (1999 est.)

@Panama:Military

Military branches: an amendment to the Constitution abolished the
armed forces, but there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces
or PPF includes the National Police, National Maritime Serv