Panama+(Kalib

 **Panama** = =



**Capital:**  Panama City **Population:** 3,460,462 (July 2011) **Official Language:** Spanish

Government

 * Constitutional Democracy
 * President: Ricardo Martinelli
 * Political Climate: The government's strategy for mitigating poverty and inequality rests primarily on reviving sustainable growth; its economic program emphasizes reforms that will mitigate the bias against employment creation (unemployment surpassed 14% in 2002), increase agricultural productivity, and reduce the high cost of the basic consumption basket.

Geography

 * Located in Central America between Costa Rica and Columbia
 * Borders both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean
 * Includes coastal landscape, as well as many mountains and forests
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Approximately 77,082 square kilometers, is 772 kilometers in length, and is between 60 and 177 kilometers in width
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Highest point is the Volcan Baru
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Nearly 500 rivers

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">__**Coastline:**__
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> 2,490 km
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens the animals that live in that area



<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Demographics
__**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Age Structure: **__
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">0-14 years: 28.6%
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">15-64 years: 64.2%
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">65 years and over: 7.2%

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**__Birth Rate:__**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">19.43 births/1,000 population

**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Death Rate:__ **

 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">4.65 deaths/1,000 population

**<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__Religion:__ **

 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Roman Catholic 85%
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Protestant 15%

__**<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Major exports: **__
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Salmon/tuna is the largest
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Also, beef, watermelon, shrimp, pineapples



<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Monetary System

 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Balboa
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The same value as US dollar

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Brief history
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Before the arrival of the Spaniards in the region, Panama was inhabited by tribes like Cuevas and Cocole when AVasco Núñez de Balboa arrived to Panama in 1513. He would change its history when he found out there was another ocean on the other side of isthumus; he thought Panama could be the center of trade of contraband of Spanish goods for treasures taking from Peru which had been taken by Spain and for slave trade. The indeginous tribes were killed in the process. Panama has been part of Spain for 300 years, but in 1821 Columbia became independent from Spain and Panama became apart of Columbia. From 1903 to 1968 Panama was controlled by powerful commercial oligarchy.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Culture
<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__**Food:**__
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Typical meal includes meat, coconut rice and beans
 * Fruits & Vegetables like <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-align: left;">yucca, squash and plantains
 * Other Panama meals: Sancoho, Empanadas, Tamales

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**__Clothing:__**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 21px;">Bright light clothes
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Very casual, sometimes light suit worn for business

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**__Sports:__**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 21px;">Football/American Soccer
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 21px;">Golf
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 21px;">Tennis
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 21px;">Rugby
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 21px;">Surfing

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">__**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Holidays/Celebrations: **__
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">November 4- Flag Day
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 21px;">November 28- Independence Day
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 21px;">December 25- Christmas
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 21px;">January 1- New Year's Day

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">__**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 21px;">Music: **__
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Calypso
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Jazz
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Salsa

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">__**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 21px;">Art: **__
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Make straw hats
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Make blankets, afghans with different types of cloth
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Body painting
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Wood sculptures

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Tourism

 * **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Metropolitan National Park **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Within Panama City
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">573 acres of Pacific Dry Forest
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Monkeys, iguanas, deer, various bird species




 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Ancon Hill**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Over looks Panama City
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">654 ft high




 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Bridge of Americas**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; line-height: 21px;">Originally known as Thatcher Ferry Bridge
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Road bridge in Panama that spans the Pacific entrance to Panama Canal
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">354 ft high, 5400 ft long



<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Current Events
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">On Tuesday, February 21, 2012 in Tecan, Arraijan, a 19 year old dies after his 17 year old brother cut his jugular vein after they started fighting. After the fight, the 17 year old called the police to come help his brother but when they arrived he was already dead. The parents of both the teenagers arrived in shock and couldn't believe what had happened. The police arrested the 17 year old and is charging him with murder.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The same week of the previous article, Police officers executed a search warrant to search a <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">neighborhood of Alto Cuvibora in the area of San Martín de Porres inside the city of Santiago. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> During the search they found 487 rounds of live ammunition for AK-47 and M16 assault rifles, and 73 plastic envelopes with suspected marijuana. Michael Garcia, the Deputy Commissioner and police chief in the zone of Veraguas. He said the Police Information Management (DIP) units along with the Drug Prosecutor's Office performed the search. Garcia said they have already started investigations to find those responsible for the ammunition and drugs.

<span style="color: #404040; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Sources
<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Georgia,Verdana,Arial; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">Author: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Georgia,Verdana,Arial; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">Ulrich Keller > >
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 * [|http://www.panama-guide.com]
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Georgia,Verdana,Arial; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">Title: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Georgia,Verdana,Arial; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify;">"The Building of the Panama Canal in Historic Photos
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