|
Background: |
After three decades as part of
the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific under US administration, this
westernmost cluster of the Caroline Islands opted for independence in 1978
rather than join the Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free
Association with the US was approved in 1986, but not ratified until 1993.
It entered into force the following year, when the islands gained
independence. |
|
Location: |
Oceania, group of islands in
the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines |
|
Geographic coordinates: |
7 30 N, 134 30 E |
|
Map references: |
Oceania |
|
Area: |
total: 458 sq km
land: 458 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
|
Area - comparative: |
slightly more than 2.5 times
the size of Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries: |
0 km |
|
Coastline: |
1,519 km |
|
Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
|
Climate: |
tropical; hot and humid; wet
season May to November |
|
Terrain: |
varying geologically from the
high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually
fringed by large barrier reefs |
|
Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Pacific
Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m |
|
Natural resources: |
forests, minerals (especially
gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals |
|
Land use: |
arable land: 8.7%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 86.95% (2005) |
|
Irrigated land: |
NA |
|
Natural hazards: |
typhoons (June to December)
|
|
Environment - current issues: |
inadequate facilities for
disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and
coral dredging, illegal fishing practices, and overfishing |
|
Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the
Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not
ratified: none of the selected agreements |
|
Geography - note: |
westernmost archipelago in the
Caroline chain, consists of six island groups totaling more than 300
islands; includes World War II battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and
world-famous rock islands |
|
Population: |
21,093 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure: |
0-14 years: 25.8% (male
2,797/female 2,637)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 7,864/female
6,779)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male 482/female 534) (2008
est.) |
|
Median age: |
total: 32.3 years
male: 33.3 years
female: 31.3 years (2008 est.)
|
|
Population growth rate: |
1.157% (2008 est.) |
|
Birth rate: |
17.4 births/1,000 population
(2008 est.) |
|
Death rate: |
6.73 deaths/1,000 population
(2008 est.) |
|
Net migration rate: |
0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2008 est.) |
|
Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.06
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64
years: 1.16 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9
male(s)/female
total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2008
est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate: |
total: 13.69
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 15.37 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 71
years
male: 67.82 years
female: 74.36 years (2008
est.) |
|
Total fertility rate: |
2.45 children born/woman (2008
est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
NA |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
NA |
|
Nationality: |
noun: Palauan(s)
adjective: Palauan |
|
Ethnic groups: |
Palauan (Micronesian with
Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 69.9%, Filipino 15.3%, Chinese 4.9%,
other Asian 2.4%, white 1.9%, Carolinian 1.4%, other Micronesian 1.1%,
other or unspecified 3.2% (2000 census) |
|
Religions: |
Roman Catholic 41.6%,
Protestant 23.3%, Modekngei 8.8% (indigenous to Palau), Seventh-Day
Adventist 5.3%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, Latter-Day Saints 0.6%, other
3.1%, unspecified or none 16.4% (2000 census) |
|
Languages: |
Palauan 64.7% official in all
islands except Sonsoral (Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi
and English are official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are
official), Filipino 13.5%, English 9.4%, Chinese 5.7%, Carolinian 1.5%,
Japanese 1.5%, other Asian 2.3%, other languages 1.5% (2000 census) |
|
Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 92%
male:
93%
female: 90% (1980 est.) |
|
Country name: |
conventional long form:
Republic of Palau
conventional short form: Palau
local
long form: Beluu er a Belau
local short form: Belau
former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Palau District
|
|
Government type: |
constitutional government in
free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into
force 1 October 1994 |
|
Capital: |
name: Melekeok
geographic coordinates: 7 29 N, 134 38 E
time
difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time) |
|
Administrative divisions: |
16 states; Aimeliik, Airai,
Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong,
Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol
|
|
Independence: |
1 October 1994 (from the
US-administered UN trusteeship) |
|
National holiday: |
Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)
|
|
Constitution: |
1 January 1981 |
|
Legal system: |
based on Trust Territory laws,
acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws |
|
Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
|
|
Executive branch: |
chief of state:
President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001); Vice
President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
head of government:
President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001); Vice
President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005)
cabinet: NA
elections: president and vice president elected on separate
tickets by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);
election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008)
election results: Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. reelected
president; percent of vote - Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. 64%, Polycarp
BASILIUS 33%; Elias Camsek CHIN elected vice president; percent of vote -
Elias Camsek CHIN 70%, Sandra PIERANTOZZI 29% |
|
Legislative branch: |
bicameral National Congress or
Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of the Senate (9 seats; members elected
by popular vote on a population basis to serve four-year terms) and the
House of Delegates (16 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004
(next to be held in November 2008); House of Delegates - last held 2
November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008)
election
results: Senate - percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9; House
of Delegates - percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 16 |
|
Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court; Court of Common
Pleas; Land Court |
|
Political parties and leaders: |
none |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
|
International organization participation: |
ACP, ADB, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,
SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Hersey KYOTA
chancery: 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Suite 400, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814
FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281
consulate(s) general:
Honolulu
consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam) |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission: Charge
d'Affaires Mark BEZNER
embassy: Koror (no street address)
mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940
telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990
FAX: [680] 488-2911
|
|
Flag description: |
light blue with a large yellow
disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side
|
|
Economy - overview: |
The economy consists primarily
of tourism, subsistence agriculture, and fishing. The government is the
major employer of the work force relying heavily on financial assistance
from the US. The Compact of Free Association with the US, entered into
after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994, provided Palau with
up to $700 million in US aid for the following 15 years in return for
furnishing military facilities. Business and tourist arrivals numbered
63,000 in 2003. The population enjoys a per capita income roughly 50%
higher than that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-run
prospects for the key tourist sector have been greatly bolstered by the
expansion of air travel in the Pacific, the rising prosperity of leading
East Asian countries, and the willingness of foreigners to finance
infrastructure development. |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$124.5 million
note:
GDP estimates includes US subsidy (2004 est.) |
|
GDP (official exchange rate): |
$145 million (2005) |
|
GDP - real growth rate: |
5.5% (2005 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$7,600 (2005 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 6.2%
industry: 12%
services: 81.8% (2003) |
|
Labor force: |
9,777 (2005) |
|
Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 20%
industry: NA%
services: NA% |
|
Unemployment rate: |
4.2% (2005 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line: |
NA% |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
2.7% (2005 est.) |
|
Budget: |
revenues: $72.07 million
expenditures: $72.43 million (FY04/05 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products: |
coconuts, copra, cassava
(tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish |
|
Industries: |
tourism, craft items (from
shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making |
|
Industrial production growth rate: |
NA% |
|
Electricity - production by source: |
NA |
|
Current account balance: |
$15.09 million (FY03/04) |
|
Exports: |
$5.882 million f.o.b. (2004
est.) |
|
Exports - commodities: |
shellfish, tuna, copra,
garments |
|
Exports - partners: |
US, Japan, Singapore (2006)
|
|
Imports: |
$107.3 million f.o.b. (2004
est.) |
|
Imports - commodities: |
machinery and equipment, fuels,
metals; foodstuffs |
|
Imports - partners: |
US, Singapore, Japan, South
Korea (2006) |
|
Economic aid - recipient: |
$23.46 million (2005) |
|
Debt - external: |
$0 (FY99/00) |
|
Market value of publicly traded shares: |
|
|
Currency (code): |
US dollar (USD) |
|
Currency code: |
USD |
|
Exchange rates: |
the US dollar is used |
|
Fiscal year: |
1 October - 30 September
|
|
Telephones - main lines in use: |
6,700 (2002) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular: |
1,000 (2002) |
|
Telephone system: |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 680;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
|
Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
|
|
Radios: |
12,000 (1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations: |
1 (cable) (2005) |
|
Televisions: |
11,000 (1997) |
|
Internet country code: |
.pw |
|
Internet hosts: |
1 (2007) |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2002) |
|
Airports: |
3 (2007) |
|
Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 1
1,524 to
2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 2
1,524 to
2,437 m: 2 (2007) |
|
Roadways: |
total: 60 km |
|
Ports and terminals: |
Koror |
|
Military branches: |
no regular military forces;
Palau National Police (2008) |
|
Manpower available for military service: |
males age 16-49: 5,973
(2008 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 16-49: 4,397
(2008 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually: |
males age 16-49: 179
(2008 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
NA |
|
Military - note: |
defense is the responsibility
of the US; under a Compact of Free Association between Palau and the US,
the US military is granted access to the islands for 50 years, but it has
not stationed any military forces there (2008) |
| Transnational Issues |
Palau |
|
Disputes - international: |
maritime delineation
negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia |
|
