Panama People - 1986

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Population: 2,227,000 (July 1986), average

annual growth rate 2.1%

Nationality: noun—Panamanian(s); adjective—Panamanian

Ethnic divisions: 70% mestizo, 14% West

Indian, 10% white, 6% Indian

Religion: over 93% Roman Catholic, 6%

Protestant

Language. Spanish (official); 14% speak English as native tongue; many Panamanians bilingual

Infant mortality rate: 20.1/1,000(1984)

Life expectancy: 71

Literacy: 90%

Labor force: est. 680,471 (1984); 45% commerce, finance, and services; 29% agriculture, hunting, and fishing; 10% manufacturing and mining, 5% construction; 5% transportation and communications; 4% Canal Zone; 1.2% utilities; 2% other; unemployed estimated at 20% (January 1985); shortage of skilled labor but an oversupply of unskilled labor

Organized labor: approximately 15% of labor force (1982)

NOTE: The information regarding Panama on this page is re-published from the 1986 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Panama 1986 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Panama 1986 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.