Panama
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| República de Panamá | |
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| Flag | Coat of Arms |
| Capital | Panama City |
| Government | Constitutional democracy |
| Language | Spanish (official) |
| President | Martín Torrijos |
| Prime minister | Samuel Lewis Navarro |
| Area | 29,157 sq mi |
| Population | 3,320,000 (2006) |
| GDP per capita | $8,200 (2006) |
| Currency | Balboa; U.S. dollar |
The Republic of Panama is a country in Central America, just north and east of Colombia and west of Costa Rica. It has an area of 75,643km2
The weather is hot, humid and generally tropical with a prolonged rainy season. The interior is mainly steep, rugged mountains with the coastal areas being lowland plains. The population in 2006 was estimated to be 3.2 million. [1] Abortion is illegal in Panama.
Panama holds within its borders the Panama Canal, which is an important route for ships which are traveling from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean (and vice versa). In October 2006, voters passed a referendum to expand the Panama Canal to accommodate ships that are now too large to transverse the canal. [2]