Population: 2,476,281 (July 1991), growth rate 2.1% (1991)

Birth rate: 26 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Infant mortality rate: 21 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 76 years female (1991)

Total fertility rate: 3.0 children born/woman (1991)

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

Ethnic divisions: mestizo (mixed Indian and European ancestry) 70%, West Indian 14%, white 10%, Indian 6%

Religion: Roman Catholic over 93%, Protestant 6%

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

Literacy: 88% (male 88%, female 88%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Labor force: 770,472 (1987); government and community services 27.9%; agriculture, hunting, and fishing 26.2%; commerce, restaurants, and hotels 16%; manufacturing and mining 10.5%; construction 5.3%; transportation and communications 5.3%; finance, insurance, and real estate 4.2%; Canal Zone 2.4%; shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor

Organized labor: 17% of labor force (1986)

NOTE: The information regarding Panama on this page is re-published from the 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Panama People 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Panama People 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.