PANAMABy: Chris

Location

Facts

• Full name: Republic of Panama

• Population: 3.6 million (UN, 2011)

• Capital: Panama City

• Area: 75,517 sq km (29,157 sq miles)

• Major languages: Spanish, English

• Major religion: Christianity-Roman Catholic

• Life expectancy: 74 years (men), 79 years (women) (UN)

• Monetary unit: 1 balboa = 100 cents

• Main exports: Bananas, fish, shrimp, petroleum products

• GNI per capita: US$7,910 (World Bank, 2011)

• Internet domain: .pa, International dialling code: +507

• Colonized by Spain

PresidentRicardo Martinelli

Conservative supermarket magnate Ricardo Martinelli was elected to succeed Martin Torrijos with a landslide victory at the April 2009 presidential election.

Standing for the four-party opposition Alliance for Change, Mr Martinelli gained 61% of the vote, against 37% for Balbina Herrera, the candidate of the governing left-wing Democratic Revolutionary Party.

The result appeared to run counter a wider Latin American trend towards the left.

Foods

• Sancocho: A Panamanian stew, packed with meat (usually chicken) and veggies.

• Empanadas: Savory corn or flour pastries filled with meat, potatoes and/or cheese.

• Carimanola: a fried yucca roll stuffed with meat and boiled eggs.

• Tamales

• Yuca frita

• Gallo pinto

• Ceviche

MediaThe press

• La Prensa - daily broadsheet

• El Siglo - daily tabloid

• La Critica Libre - daily tabloid

• El Panama America - daily

• La Estrella de Panama - daily

• Panama News - English-language

Television

• Telemetro - commercial

• RPC - commercial

• Televisora Nacional (TVN) - commercial

• FETV - educational, run as charitable foundation

Radio

• RPC Radio - commercial, news, talk

• Super Q - commercial FM

• Omega Stereo - commercial FM

•KW Continente - mediumwave (AM) station, rebroadcasts some BBC programmes

Sports

• Rugby

• Soccer Better than football, get it?

• Golf

• Tennis

Conflict/Panama Canal

U.S. Invasion of Panama (1989)--A short war between the United States and Panama in 1989 in which the United States invaded Panama in order to secure the Panama Canal and to remove Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega from power.

Websites• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/

country_profiles/1229332.stm

• http://www.gowealthy.com/gowealthy/wcms/en/home/articles/travel/sports/Sports-in-Panama-1233150556604.html

• http://www.historyguy.com/warfiles/Panama.htm

• http://gocentralamerica.about.com/od/panamaguide/p/Panama_Food.htm