Economy - overview:
Panama's dollarized economy rests primarily on a well-developed services sector that accounts for 80% of GDP. Services include operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. Economic growth will be bolstered by the Panama Canal expansion project that began in 2007 and is scheduled to be completed by 2014 at a cost of $5.3 billion - about 25% of current GDP. The expansion project will more than double the Canal's capacity, enabling it to accommodate ships that are now too large to transverse the transoceanic crossway, and should help to reduce the high unemployment rate. Strong economic performance has reduced the national poverty level to 29% in 2008; however, Panama has the second most unequal income distribution in Latin America. The government has implemented tax reforms, as well as social security reforms, and backs regional trade agreements and development of tourism. Not a CAFTA signatory, Panama in December 2006 independently negotiated a free trade agreement with the US, which, when implemented, will help promote the country's economic growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$38.49 billion (2008 est.)
$35.54 billion (2007)
$31.96 billion (2006)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):
$23.42 billion (2008 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
8.3% (2008)
11.2% (2007 est.)
8.7% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita:
$11,600 (2008 est.)
$10,900 (2007 est.)
$10,000 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6.2%
industry: 16.1%
services: 77.6% (2008 est.)

Labor force:
1.392 million
note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 18%
services: 67% (2006)

Unemployment rate:
6.3% (2008 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.7%
highest 10%: 43% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
56.1 (2003)

Investment (gross fixed):
24.9% of GDP (2008 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $6.09 billion
expenditures: $6 billion (2008 est.)

Public debt:
46.4% of GDP (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.6% (2008 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.25% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:
$3.054 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:
$14.26 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:
$17.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:
$6.219 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:
bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock; shrimp

Industries:
construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials, sugar milling

Industrial production growth rate:
6.6% (2008 est.)

Electricity - production:
5.805 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:
4.768 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:
124.9 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:
8.74 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:
92,790 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:
4,447 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:
88,790 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Current account balance:
-$2.536 billion (2008 est.)

Exports:
$10.37 billion f.o.b.; note - includes the Colon Free Zone (2008 est.)

Exports - commodities:
bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing

Exports - partners:
US 35.6%, Netherlands 10.2%, China 6%, Sweden 5.5%, UK 5.4%, Costa Rica 5.1%, Spain 5% (2007)

Imports:
$15.18 billion f.o.b.
note: includes the Colon Free Zone (2008 est.)

Imports - commodities:
capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals

Imports - partners:
US 32.8%, Netherlands Antilles 7.6%, China 5.6%, Japan 5.1%, Costa Rica 5.1%, South Korea 4.1% (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.655 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Debt - external:
$10.89 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA