|
|
PANAMA
Panama (Spanish: Panamá) is the southernmost
country of Central America.
History
Panama was part of Spain's colonies in America until 1821 when it seceded
and joined the Gran Colombia of Simón Bolívar. It can be argued that to a
large extent, Panama's history has been a slave to its geography. This was
true in its early history as well as in its more recent history.
Indeed much of Panama's domestic politics and
international diplomacy in the 20th century was tied to the Panama Canal. At
the turn of the 20th century, Theodore Roosevelt's vision of an interoceanic
seaway encouraged United States diplomatic efforts to facilitate a deal that
would allow it to take over French canal operations started by Ferdinand de
Lesseps. In November 1903, United States naval maneuverings helped the
Panamanian rebels secede from Colombia in an almost bloodless revolution. In
Panama City, on November 3, the rebels, headed by Amador Guerrero, declared
Panama an independent Republic. Just over two weeks later, representatives
of the fledgling republic signed the Hay-Bunau Varilla Treaty by which
Panama granted rights to the United States to build and administer the
Panama Canal. This treaty had been a contentious diplomatic issue between
the United States and Panama until the signing of the Torrijos-Carter Treaty
in 1977.
The Panamanian government was long mired in political instability and
corruption and often the mandate of an elected president would terminate
prematurely. In 1968, Gen. Omar Torrijos took over the reigns of government
and was the virtual strongman of Panama until his death in an airplane
accident in 1981. After Torrijos' death, power eventually became
concentrated in the hands of Gen. Manuel Noriega. Relations with the United
States soured by the end of the 1980s, particularly as a result of Noriega's
role in international drug trade and money-laundering and the absence of
free elections in Panama. The death of a U.S. Marine in Panama, and
harassment of U.S. citizens in Panama, prompted a U.S. invasion in December
1989, dubbed Operation Just Cause. Noriega sought asylum in the Vatican
diplomatic mission, but after a few days turned himself in to the American
military. Noriega was immediately taken to Florida where he was formally
charged and arrested by United States federal authorities. After Noriega's
ouster, democratic rule with regular and open elections was reinstated in
Panama, leading to an uncensored press and generally peaceful transitions of
executive power. Nevertheless, charges of corruption and cronyism are still
levelled against the government by opposition parties and press.
Under the Torrijos-Carter Treaty, on December 31, 1999, the United States
returned all canal-related lands, buildings and infrastructure as well as
full administration of the canal to Panama.
Politics
Panama is a representative democracy with three branches of government:
executive and legislative branches elected by direct vote for 5-year terms,
and an independently appointed judiciary. The executive branch includes a
president and two vice presidents. The legislative branch consists of a 72-member
unicameral Legislative Assembly. The judicial branch is organized under a
nine-member Supreme Court and includes all tribunals and municipal courts.
An autonomous Electoral Tribunal supervises voter registration, the election
process, and the activities of political parties. Everyone over the age of
18 is required to vote, although those who fail to do so are not penalized.
General elections were held on May 2, 2004; the presidential contest was won
by Martín Torrijos, son of the former strongman Omar Torrijos. Torrijos
assumed the presidency on September 1, 2004. The former president had been
Mireya Moscoso.
Provinces
Panama is divided into 9 provinces (provincias) and 5 indigenous territories
(comarcas), marked by a *:
Bocas del Toro
Chiriquí
Coclé
Colón
Darién
Emberá*
Herrera
Kuna de Madugandí*
Kuna de Wargandí*
Kuna Yala*
Los Santos
Ngobe-Buglé*
Panamá
Veraguas
Geography
Panama in located in Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and
the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica. Its strategic
location on eastern end of isthmus forming a land bridge connecting Central
and South America. By 1999, Panama controls the Panama Canal that links
North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean.
Economy
Because of its key geographic location, Panama's economy is service-based,
heavily weighted toward banking, commerce, and tourism. The hand-over of the
canal and military installations by the US has given rise to new
construction projects. The Moscoso administration inherited an economy that
is much more structurally sound and liberalized than the one inherited by
its predecessor.
Demographics
The culture, customs, and language of the Panamanians are predominantly
Caribbean Spanish. Ethnically, the majority of the population is mestizo or
mixed Spanish, Indian, Chinese, and West Indian. Spanish is the official and
dominant language; English is a common second language spoken by the West
Indians and by many in business and the professions. More than half the
population lives in the Panama City–Colón metropolitan corridor.
|
|
