巴拿马(Panama)
正式名称巴拿马共和国（Republic of Panama）
中美洲国家，北滨加勒比海，东接哥伦比亚，南滨太平洋，西邻哥斯大黎加。面积75,517平方公里。人口约2,903,000（2001）。首都︰巴拿马城。人口多数为梅斯蒂索人（mestizo，西班牙人和印第安人混血儿）和印第安民族（包括库纳人、圭米人、乔科人）。随着非洲裔黑人的引入，同时因修建巴拿马运河而带来新的民族（北美洲人、法国人及中国人），产生了更混杂的种族融合关系。语言︰西班牙语（官方语）、英语和原住民印第安语。宗教︰天主教（占大多数）。货币︰巴波亚（B）。巴拿马由三个迥然不同的地区组成：低地（或称热地），占国土的85%；温地；以及高地（或称冷地）。属市场型经济，以服务业为主，主要是与巴拿马运河有关的运输、通讯和仓储业，以及国际金融和旅游业。政府形式为共和国，一院制。国家元首暨政府首脑是总统（由副总统辅助）。
1501年西班牙人抵此时，就已有美洲印第安人居住在这里。1510年由巴尔沃亚建立了第一个成功的西班牙殖民地。後来成为新格拉纳达总督辖区的一部分，直到1821年宣布脱离西班牙独立，後来加入哥伦比亚。1903年掀起暴动反抗哥伦比亚，并为美国承认，巴拿马於是把运河区割让给美国。1914年完成的巴拿马运河开放通行，1999年运河管辖权从美国移交给巴拿马。1989年美军曾入侵，推翻该国实际的统治者诺瑞加将军。1999年该国选出第一位女性总统莫斯科索（Mireya Moscoso）。
English version：
Panama
Nation, Central America. It is bounded by the Caribbean Sea, Colombia, the Pacific Ocean, and Costa Rica. Area: 29,157 sq mi (75,517 sq km). Population (1997 est.): 2,719,000. Capital: Panama City. The people are mostly mestizo (mixed Spanish-Indian) and Indian groups, including the Guaymí, Kuna, and Chocó. The introduction of black Africans produced mixed populations, while the building of the Panama Canal brought North Americans, French, and Chinese. Languages: Spanish (official), English, and indigenous Indian languages. Religion: Roman Catholicism (the majority). Currency: balboa. Panama consists of three distinct areas: the lowlands, or hot lands (more than 85% of the country); the temperate lands; and the highlands, or cold lands. It has a market economy based on services. Most of this is transportation, communications, and storage connected with the Panama Canal, as well as international banking and tourism. It is a republic with one legislative house; its head of state and government is the president, assisted by vice presidents. The land was inhabited by American Indians when the Spanish arrived in 1501. The first successful Spanish settlement was founded by Vasco Nunez de Balboa in 1510. Panama was part of the viceroyalty of New Granada until it declared its independence from Spain in 1821 to join Colombia. In 1903 it revolted against Colombia and was recognized by the U.S., to whom it ceded the Canal Zone. The completed canal was opened in 1914; its jurisdiction reverted from the U.S. to Panama in 1999. An invasion by U.S. troops in 1989 overthrew the de facto ruler, Gen. Manuel Noriega. In 1999 the country elected its first female president, Mireya Moscoso.
