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Panama General Info Panama is located in the center of the Western Hemisphere, limiting on the north with the Caribbean Sea, on the south, with the Pacific Ocean, on the east with Colombia and on the west with Costa Rica, forming a link between Central America and South America. The total area of the Republic has an extension of 75,517 square kilometers. Population: 2,735,943 (July 1998 est.) Languages: Spanish (official), English 14% note: many Panamanians are bilingual Climate: tropical; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to December), short dry season (January to May) Terrain: interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills Natural resources: copper, mahogany forests, shrimp Geography note: strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean.
 Panama is a constitutional republic. The President, assisted by two Vice Presidents and a Cabinet of Ministers of State, posses the Executive Power. The judicial branch is composed by the Supreme Court of Justice and nine Magistrates assigned for a 10-year period; four Superior Courts and Three Appeal Courts. The legislative branch is unicameral. Elections are carried out every 5 years by means of popular voting. On May 2, 1999 Mrs. Mireya Moscoso Rodriguez was chosen President, thus becoming the first woman to head the highest magistracy of the Panamanian state. On May 2, 2004, Mr. Martin Torrijos was elected to become the next President of Panama. |
