Flag Description

divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and plain red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star in the center; the blue and red colors are those of the main political parties (Conservatives and Liberals respectively) and the white denotes peace between them; the blue star stands for the civic virtues of purity and honesty, the red star signifies authority and law

Background:Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the latter dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. In 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the subsequent decades. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the Canal, and remaining US military bases were transferred to Panama by the end of 1999. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious plan (estimated to cost $5.3 billion) to expand the Canal. The project, which began in 2007 and could double the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in 2015.

Total Area: 75,420 sq km

Land Area:74,340 sq km

Water Area:1,080 sq km

Land Boundries Total:687 km

Border Countries:Colombia 339 km, Costa Rica 348 km

Coastline:2,490 km

Lowest Point:Pacific Ocean 0 m

Highest Point:Volcan Baru 3,475 m

Population:3,608,431 (July 2014 est.)

Population Growth Rate:1.35% (2014 est.)

Religion:Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Literacy(%):0.941

Literacy(%) Male:0.947

Literacy(%) Female:93.5% (2010 est.)

Independence Day:3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain on 28 November 1821)

National Holiday:Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

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