1149 PANAMA.
(Republica de Panama.)
Government. — Panama, formerly a department of the RepubJic of Colombia, asserted its independence on November 3, 1903, and the de facto Government was on November 13 recognised by the Government of the United States, and soon afterwards by the other Powers. In 1914 Colombia, in virtue of the Treaty of Bogota" entered into with the United States (see under Colombia), undertook to agree to recognise the independence of Panama. This Treaty his been ratified by Colombia but not by the United States.
The Constitution, adopted February 13, 1904, and amended on Decem- ber 26, 1918, provides for a Chamber of Deputies of 33 members (one for every 10,000 inhabitants), which meets biennially on September 1, and for a President of the Republic, elected by direct vote for 4 years, and not eligible for the succeeding term. Neither is the President who has been called to exercise the executive power owing to the death or resignation of a President eligible for re-election if he has exeni-ed the power during any of that time. Nor is the President eligible for re-election if he has been called to exerri-e the executive power on account of th<' accidental or temporary absence of the titular President, and remains in power during any part of the siv months immediately preceding the date of election for the new President Beginning with 1924, elections of deputies are to be held every four years.
President of the Republic. — Dr. Felix Belisari. Assumed office
October 1, 1920.
There are three Vice-Presidents, and a Cabinet of five Ministers. The Republic is divided into eight provinces, each under a Governor.
A treaty for the demarcation of the boundary line between Panama and Costa Rica was signed on behalf of the respective Governments on March 17, 1910, and has been ratified by the congresses of both countries. By this treaty the question of what is the true boundary line was submitted to the arbitration of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, who gave his decision in 1914. Panama, however, refused to accept the award, and the controversy is still pending.
Area and Population. — Extreme length is about 480 miles ; breadth between 37 and 110 miles; total area is 32,380 square miles; population according to the census of 1920 (excluding the Canal Zone), 401,428. The inhabitants are of a mixed race, comprising Spanish, Indian, and Negro elements, with a small number of temporary immigrants from the United States and European countries. Chinese subjects are estimated at 3,500. There are about 55,000 British subjects in the Republic, chiefly from the West Indies. There are 8 provinces as follows (the capitals in brackets) : — Bocas del Toro (Bocas del Toro), 14,408 inhabitants ; Code (Penonome), 47,146 inhabitants ; Colon (Colon), 40.SS6 inhabitants ; Chiriqui (David), 70,846 inhabitants ; Herrera (Chitre), 28.737 inhabitants ; Los Santos (Las Tablas), 34,944 inhabitants ; Panama (Panama). 104,003 inhabitants ; Veraguas (Santiago), 60,458 inhabitants. The capital, Panama, founded in 1518, on the Pacific coast ; has (1917) 61,369 inhabitants (33,559 males and 28,810 females), and Colon on the Atlantic coast, (1917) 26,076. Smaller ports on the Pacific are Aguadulce, Pedregal, Montijo, and Puerto Mutis ; on the Atlantic Bocas del Toro, Porto bello, and Mandinga (opened September 26, 1916).
