Shortly after separating from Colombia in 1903, Panama signed a treaty with the U.S. giving them a strip of land to construct the Panama Canal. The Canal was created for cargo ships to cut through Central America instead of having to go all the way around the tip of South America near Argentina and Chile. Cutting through Panama increases revenue by preserving ship fuel and expediting the transfer of goods.
The Panama Canal Zone was U.S. sovereign territory until 1977 when the U.S. agreed to sign over the land back to Panama. In 2006, Panamanians voted on a plan to expand the Canal. The project began in 2007 and is expected to be complete between 2014-2015. The canal is currently 52 miles long. The project's goal is to double the Canal's capacity.
Panama is a representative democracy with a population of 3.3 million people. The country has eleven provinces, or states, and one territory.
- Bocas del Toro
- Comarca Kuna Yala
- Comarca Ngobe-Bugle
- Chiriqui
- Cocle
- Colon
- Darien
- Herrera
- Los Santos
- Panama
- San Blas (Kuna Yala)*
- Veraguas
* denotes territory
Panamanian Executive Branch
Panama's President is Martin Torrijos Espino. The nations has two vice-presidents, first vice-president Samuel Lewis Navarro and Second Vice-President Ruben Arosemena Valdes. The group has been in office since September 2004. he president and vice presidents are all elected by popular vote and on the same ticket. They serve five-year terms and cannot run for immediate reelection. They have to wait at least two terms before running again Panama will hold its next election in May, 2009 and is eliminating one vice-president from the executive structure.
Panamanian Legislative Branch
Panama has a unicameral National Assembly with seventy-eight seats. The members are elected by popular vote and serve five-year terms. In 2009 the number of seats will change to seventy-one seats. Legislators that represent rural districts are chosen on a plurality basis, meaning the winner is the person who has the most votes overall, and not necessarily the majority. Legislators from more populated towns and areas are chosen by popular vote.
Panamanian Judicial Branch
Panama's law of the land is governed by the Supreme Court of Justice. The Supreme Court has nine judges which serve 10-year terms. Panama also has five superior courts and three courts of appeal.
Political Parties in Panama
Democratic Change (CD), Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (MOLIRENA), Panamenista Party (PA), Patriotic Union party (PU) which combines the Liberalt National Party (PLN) and the Solidarity Party (PS), Popular Party (PP) which was formerly the Christian Democratic Party (PDC).
Information gathered from CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, and the Country of Panama's Presidential Office.
Carmen Sofia Grant - Carmen is a social media marketer, freelance writer, and blogger. Her favorite blogs are MomCrunch and Social Media Examiner.com
