1995 Edition

Area

total area: 458 sq km land area: 458 sq km comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

wet season May to November; hot and humid

Coastline

1,519 km

Environment

current issues: inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging and illegal fishing practices that involve the use of dynamite natural hazards: typhoons (June to December) international agreements: NA

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% meadows and pastures: NA% forest and woodland: NA% other: NA%

Location

Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural resources

forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals

Note

includes World War II battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands; archipelago of six island groups totaling over 200 islands in the Caroline chain

Terrain

about 200 islands varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs

Age structure

0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Birth rate

22.11 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate

6.61 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Palauans are a composite of Polynesian, Malayan, and Melanesian races

Infant mortality rate

25.07 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force

NA by occupation: NA

Languages

English (official in all of Palau's 16 states), Sonsorolese (official in the state of Sonsoral), Angaur and Japanese (in the state of Anguar), Tobi (in the state of Tobi), Palauan (in the other 13 states)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.01 years male: 69.14 years female: 73.02 years (1995 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 92% male: 93% female: 90%

Nationality

noun: Palauan(s) adjective: Palauan

Net migration rate

2.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population

16,661 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate

1.76% (1995 est.)

Religions

Christian (Catholics, Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Assembly of God, the Liebenzell Mission, and Latter-Day Saints), Modekngei religion (one-third of the population observes this religion which is indigenous to Palau)

Total fertility rate

2.85 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Administrative divisions

there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 16 states: Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngardmau, Ngaremlengui, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngerchelong, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol, Tobi

Capital

Koror note: a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast in eastern Babelthuap

Constitution

1 January 1981

Digraph

PS

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Liaison Officer NA liaison office: 444 North Capital Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: (202) 624-7793

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President Kuniwo NAKAMURA (since 1 January 1993), Vice-President Tommy E. REMENGESAU Jr. (since 1 January 1993); election last held 4 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - Kuniwo NAKAMURA 50.7%, Johnson TORIBIONG 49.3%

FAX

NA note: relationship of free association with the US pursuant to compact of free association which entered into force 1 October 1994

[680] 488-2911 note: relationship of free association with the US pursuant to compact of free association which entered into force 1 October 1994

Flag

light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side

House of Delegates

elections last held 4 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (16 total) number of seats by party NA

Independence

1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, National Court, Court of Common Pleas

Legal system

based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament (Olbiil Era Kelulau or OEK)

Member of

ESCAP (associate), SPC, SPF (observer), UN

Names

conventional long form: Republic of Palau conventional short form: Palau former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands

National holiday

Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Senate

elections last held 4 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (14 total) number of seats by party NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type

self-governing territory in free association with the US pursuant to Compact of Free Association which entered into force 1 October 1994; Palau is fully responsible for internal affairs; US retains responsibility for external affairs

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Liaison Officer Lloyd W. MOSS liaison office: Erenguul Street, Koror, Republic of Palau mailing address: P.O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940 telephone: [680] 488-2920

Agriculture

subsistence-level production of coconut, copra, cassava, sweet potatoes

Budget

revenues: $6 million expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1986 est.)

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $2.56 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $92 million

Electricity

capacity: 16,000 kW production: 22 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,540 kWh (1990)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

$600,000 (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: trochus (type of shellfish), tuna, copra, handicrafts partners: US, Japan

External debt

about $100 million (1989)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

Imports

$24.6 million (c.i.f., 1989) commodities: NA partners: US

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Industries

tourism, craft items (shell, wood, pearl), some commercial fishing and agriculture

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $81.8 million (1994 est.) note: GDP numbers reflect US spending

National product per capita

$5,000 (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate

NA%

Overview

The economy consists primarily of 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 United States, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994, provides Palau with $500 million in US aid over 15 years in return for furnishing some military facilities. The population, in effect, enjoys a per capita income of $5,000, twice that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the tourist sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific and the rapidly rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries.

Unemployment rate

20% (1986)

Radio

broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telephone system

NA telephones local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth station

Television

broadcast stations: 2 televisions: NA

Airports

total: 3 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 2

Highways

total: 61 km paved: 36 km unpaved: gravel 25 km

Merchant marine

none

Ports

Koror

Railroads

0 km

Branches

NA

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP

Note

defense is the responsibility of the US pursuant to Compact of Free Association which entered into force 1 October 1994 ________________________________________________________________________ PALMYRA ATOLL (territory of the US)