conventional long form: Republic of Panama
conventional short form: Panama
local long form: Republica de Panama
local short form: Panama

PM

constitutional democracy

Panama

9 provinces (provincias, singular -
provincia) and 2 territories* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui,
Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Ngobe-Bugle*, Panama, San
Blas*, and Veraguas

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

Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

11 October 1972; major reforms adopted April 1983 and in
1994

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

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

chief of state: President Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (since 1
September 1999); First Vice President Arturo Ulises VALLARINO (since 1
September 1999); Second Vice President (Dominador) Kaiser Baldonero
BAZAN (since 1 September 1999); note - the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
head of government: President Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (since 1
September 1999); First Vice President Arturo Ulises VALLARINO (since 1
September 1999); Second Vice President (Dominador) Kaiser Baldonero
BAZAN (since 1 September 1999); note - the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 2 May 1999 (next
to be held NA May 2004)
election results: Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez elected president;
percent of vote - Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez (PA) 44%, Martin
TORRIJOS (PRD) 37%
note: government coalition - PRD, PLN, and Popular Nationalist Party

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea
Legislativa (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 2 May 1999 (next to be held May 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRD
35, PA 18, PS 4, PDC 4, MOLIRENA 3, PRC 2, PLN 2, Democratic Change 2,
MORENA 1; note - one seat had yet to be decided
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

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de
Justicia, nine judges appointed for 10-year terms; five superior
courts; three courts of appeal

Arnulfista Party or PA [Mireya Elisa
MOSCOSO Rodriguez]; Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Ruben
AROSEMENA]; Civic Renewal Party or PRC ;
Democratic Change ; Democratic Revolutionary Party
or PRD ; National Liberal Party or PLN [Dr. Roberto
ALEMAN Zubieta, Oscar UCROS, Raul ARANGO]; National Renovation
Movement or MORENA ; Nationalist Republican
Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA ; Solidarity Party or
PS

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

CAN (associate), CCC, ECLAC,
FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES,
LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

chief of mission: Ambassador Guillermo FORD
chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:  (202) 483-1407
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York,
Philadelphia, San Francisco, Tampa

chief of mission: Ambassador Simon FERRO
embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 38, Apartado 6959, Panama City 5
mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002
telephone:  227-1777
FAX:  227-1964

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