Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/1202

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PANAMA

Movement of population for three

years : —

Year

Births

Marriages

Deaths

Tutal

Boys Girls

Legitimate

Illegitimate

1917 191S 1919

10,898 11,283

10.713

5,617 5,281 5,938 5,345

3,387 3,513

7,511 7,770

1,114

35+ 356

('.,1(17 6,6-19 5,403

Religion- — The religion of the country is Catholicism, but other de- nominations are represented and have a fair following. In the Canal Zone Protestantism chiefly prevails. There are 71 Catholic churches and 58 parishes, served by 70 priests of various nationalities (20 are Panamanians, 27 Spaniards, 5 Italians, 4 French, 1 English, 3 North Americans, 3 Germans, 4 Colombians, 2 Venezuelans, and 1 Swiss).

Education. — Elementary education is obligatory for all children from 7 to 15 years of age. The Government maintains 398 public schools through- out the eight provinces (1917), and 22,000 children (excluding 1,721 children enrolled in the Canal Zone public schools) received free instruction in 1917, from 315 teachers. A University (Instituto Nacional) has been opened in buildings constructed at a cost of about 300,000/. In addition there are about a dozen private institutions. Many young men and women are being edu- cated in Europe and the United States at the cost of the Panama Government.

Justice. — The laws have been codified and took effect on October 1, 1917, with the exception of the Administrative Code which was brought into force on November 15, 1918. These codes — civil, penal, commercial, judicial, administrative, fiscal, and mining — are designed to meet national needs and modern conditions, and will replace the old Colombian laws that have Wen in use since the separation of Panama. The death penalty has been abolished.

Finance.— All the revenue collected on importations into the Republic or zone belongs to the Panama Government, but the United States reserve the right to import supplies of all descriptions required for canal construction and for the use of their employees free of all taxes.

The national revenue and expenditure for 5 years were as follows : —

1915

£ 875,067

635,820

1916

1917

191S

1 •.>!!» fll

licvonuo Kxpemllture

£

729.S02 1,164,600

£ 708,884

732,170

£ 64C,762 707,1(1

£ 1,490,

1,490,3S5

EstiinatCB.

The actual revenue for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1920, was 1,204,840/. (4-86 dollars = 11.)

The finances of the Republic have been reorganised by a fiscal agent of the United States. Under the new regime, the budget is for the triennial period, Inlv 1, 1919, to June 30, 1921.

The Republic has 1,200,000/. in United States hanks and 410,000/.