Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1237

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PANAMA.

Government.— Panama, formerly a department of the Eepuhlic of Colombia, asserted its independence on November 4, 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. The Constitution, adopted February 13, 1904, for a period of 90 days, provides for a Chamber of Deputies of 28 members (one for every 10,000 inhabitants), which meets biennially on September 1, and for a President of the Republic, elected for 4 years, and not eligible for the succeeding term.

President of the Republic.— Dv. Belisario Porras (October 1, 1912). There are three Vice-Presidents, and a Cabinet of five Ministers. The Republic is divided into seven provinces, each under a Governor.

On November 18, 1903, a treaty between the United States and Panama was signed,^ providing facilities for the construction and maintenance of the inter-oceanic Canal. In this treaty, Panama grants in perpetuity the use of a zone (Canal Zone) five miles wide on each side of the Canal route, and within this zone the exclusive control for police, judicial, sanitary and other purposes. For subsidiary canals other territory is ceded and, for the defence of the Canal, the coastline of the zone and the islands iu Panama Bay are also ceded. The cities of Panama and Colon remain under the authority of the new State, but complete jurisdiction is granted to the United States in both the cities and in their harbours in all that relates to sanitation and quarantine. In return for these grants the United States paid 10,000,000 dollars on the ratification of the treaty, and will pay 250,000 dollars yearly, beginning after nine years. The treaty was ratified on Felmiary 23, 1904, and in July, 1904, the provisional delimitation of the boundaries of the United States territory on the Isthmus was signed According to this agreement the city of Panama is, for all practical purposes, left without a seaport for foreign commerce, as the anchorage of vessels at Flamenco Island and the wharf at Balboa, noAv called 'Port Ancon,' so far as ocean-going vessels are concerned, both lie within the territory of the zone. Moreover, a similar port has been opened on the Atlantic entrance to the Canal, called Cristobal.

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 will be submitted to the arbitration of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Area and Population.— Extreme length is about 480 miles ; breadth, between 37 and 110 miles; total area is 32,380 square miles; population a^3Cording to the census of 1912 (including the Canal Zone), 426,928. Population of the Canal Zone, 62,810 or 12-9 per square mile. The inhabi- tants are of a mixed race, comprising Spanish, Indian, and Negro elements, with a small number of temporary immigrants from the United States and lliUropean countries. Chinese subjects are estimated at 3,500. There are 54,488 British subjects In the Republic, including 30,859 in the Canal Zone, chiefly from the West Indies. There are 7 provinces. The capital, Panama, tounded m 1518, on the Pacific coast; has (1912) 37,505 inhabitants, and Colon or Aspinwall on the Atlantic coast, 17,748. Smaller ports on the Pacihc are Agua Dulce, Pedregal, Montijo, and Puerto Mudis ; on the Atlantic, Bocas del Toro and Puerto Bello.

Education.— The Government maintains 294 public schools throughout the seven provinces, and 19,362 children (excluding 1,721 children enrolled