Country Trading Profiles Panama - General information

Political outline | Living conditions | Useful resources | Communications

Political outline

Executive Power: The President is both the chief of state and head of the government. The President is elected by popular vote to serve a five-year term, and has executive powers which include implementation of the law within the country and running the day-to-day affairs. He also appoints the Cabinet.
Legislative Power: The legislature in Panama is unicameral. The parliament, called the National Assembly, has 78 seats and its members are elected by popular vote for five-year terms. The legislature is a branch of the power which is equal to and independent of the executive. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly.
Main political parties: Panama's political system is based on a multi-party system with parties having to get along in order to form coalition governments. The country's major political parties are:
- PRD (Democratic Revolutionary Party) – a centre-left political party,
- PA (Panamenista Party) – party is a homage to Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid who was president of Panama three times,
- PS (Socialist Party) – a nationalist party,
- Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement – a liberal party,
- PP (People's Party) – Christian democrats,
- PLN (National Liberal Party) – liberals.
Current political leaders: President: Martin TORRIJOS ESPINO (since September 2004) –PRD, heads the coalition government with PP
Next election dates: Presidential: 2014
National Assembly: 2014

Living conditions

Health and safety

Health precautions

MAIN HEALTH RISK

- All rural areas situated at less than 1,800 meters in altitude have malaria however, malaria remains rare in towns. The existing strains are very resistant to chloroquine in the Amazon (zone 3) and moderately resistant in the rest of the country (zone 2).

- Dengue fever is present in the whole country including in towns.

- Yellow fever is endemic in the Magdalena valley, the Eastern range, the region of Uraba, Orenoque, the Amazon and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.

- People with respiratory, heart or hypertension diseases can be made uncomfortable by the altitude or affected by altitude sickness.

- Tuberculosis is common in the country.

Systematically:

- Hepatitis A: the vaccination is available for children from the age of one year. People born before 1945, grew up in a developing country or have a history of jaundice could avoid an unnecessary vaccination by testing for antibodies in the serous (immunoglobulin G - Ig G). Hepatitis B: the vaccination is available for children from the age of two months.

- Diphtheria, tetanus, polio: to be updated if necessary (recall every ten years).

For further information on sanitary conditions

Weather forecast
Meteo Consult

For further information on safety conditions

Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Contact your Embassy

Honorary Consulate of Greece in Panama
Apto Postal 415, Colon, Panama, Cale 31 Av FedericoBoyd 4041, Inmobiliaria Tageropoulos, Colon, Panama
Phone: (00507) 4450195
Fax : (00507) 4450171

Emergency numbers

Police	104
Tourism Police	226.40.21 or 270.24.67
Panamanian Institute of Tourism, Legal affairs Management	226.30.15 or 226.70.00
Complaints center	262.69.79, 262.82.77 or 266.60.77

Time difference and climate

Time and time difference: It is %T:%M %A in Panama (GMT-5 )
Summer time period: Panama is a tropical country and temperatures are generally uniform all through out the year. The average temperature is 81 degrees F (27° C).

Map of the time zone

Type of climate: The climate in Panama is very varied. The mountains are the cause of three types of climate: the tropical humid zone of the Atlantic, the temperate zone of the Central Valley and the tropical zone of the Pacific characterized by its very hot summers and very intense rainy seasons. The average annual temperatures vary between 90oF (32° C) on the coast to 63oF (17°C) inland. The Central Valley has an average temperature of 68oF (20°C) all through out the year and is referred to as the eternal spring. The proximity of the equator determines the two seasons on the coasts: a dry season from December to May, called summer. A rainy season starts in April or May and ends in December.

For further information: World Weather Information Service

Average annual temperatures and rainfall

Useful resources

To find an accommodation: Visit Panama
Hotel reservations
Hotel reservation
To find an apartment: "ENCUENTRA 24" real Estate Agency

Compre o Alquile
To find a job: Computrabajo (Spanish only)
Tecoloco

Communications

Telephone codes: To make a call from Panama to Greece: dial 00 (or +) 30
To make a call to in Panama from Greece: dial 00 (or +) +507
Mobile telephone standards
Internet suffix: .pa

COUNTRY TRADING PROFILES

General Information