South America / GoM
Country profile: Panama
| Location: | Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica |
| Climate: | tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May) |
| Terrain: | interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills |
| Size: | 78200 sq. km total (Land area: 75990 sq. km Water area: 2210 sq.km) |
| Population: | 3,292,693 (July 2008 est.) |
| Languages: | Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual |
| Government: | constitutional democracy |
| Capital city: | Panama |
| Legal system: | based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations |
| Currency: | balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD) |
| Licensing: |
Country profile
With hardly any domestic hydrocarbon reserves, Central American countries rely heavily on imported oil for their energy needs. The countries of Central America, including Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama, have traditionally been dependent upon agricultural exports for a large portion of their economic activity. However, in recent years, these countries have begun to diversify their economies towards manufacturing and tourism. As a result, the countries have been especially affected by high world oil prices in recent years. Partially offsetting this, many have been able to secure preferential pricing for oil from Venezuela and Mexico.
Central America does have a large amount of installed hydroelectric capacity, but the region still relies upon imports for some three-fourths of its total energy consumption. Despite the lack of sizable oil reserves, Central America remains an important transit center for oil via the Panama Canal and as a potential energy transit center between North and South America.
Energy production and consumption
| Oil | Gas | |
| Production: | ||
| Consumption: | 93,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) | |
| Exports: | 4,140 bbl/day (2006 est.) | |
| Imports: | 92,170 bbl/day (2006 est.) | |
| Reserves: | ||
| Major fields: |
Panama - recent news
| 15 May 23 |
Panama: MPC Energy Solutions expands its development footprint in Latin America, signs first development service agreement in Panama MPC Energy Solutions, a global provider of sustainable energy, has strengthened its commitment to deliver renewable energy solutions and expands its development footprint in Latin America by entering Panama. Through new developments focusing on ground-mounted solar PV, the company enhances its ambition to significantly expand its project pipeline in Latin America. |
Panama - more news
Other countries in this region
- Argentina,
- Aruba,
- Bahamas,
- Barbados,
- Belize,
- Bermuda,
- Bolivia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- Chile,
- Colombia,
- Costa Rica,
- Cuba,
- Dominican Republic,
- Ecuador,
- Falklands,
- French Guiana,
- Grenada,
- Guatemala,
- Gulf of Mexico,
- Guyana,
- Honduras,
- Jamaica,
- Mexico,
- Nicaragua,
- Paraguay,
- Peru,
- Suriname,
- Trinidad,
- Uruguay,
- USA,
- Venezuela
