2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol

Age structure

0-14 years: 26.3% (male 2,789/female 2,622) 15-64 years: 69.1% (male 7,664/female 6,549) 65 years and over: 4.6% (male 453/female 502) (2006 est.)

Area

land

458 sq km

total

458 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

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. Geography Palau

Birth rate

18.03 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Capital

geographic coordinates

7 29 N, 134 38 E

name

Melekeok

time difference

UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November

Coastline

1,519 km

Constitution

1 January 1981

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Palau

conventional short form

Palau

former

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Palau District

local long form

Beluu er a Belau

local short form

Belau

Death rate

6.8 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

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

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)

Executive branch

chief of state

President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

Geographic coordinates

7 30 N, 134 30 E

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 People Palau

Government type

constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Independence

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

Infant mortality rate

female

12.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

16.19 deaths/1,000 live births

total

14.46 deaths/1,000 live births

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

8.7%

other

86.95% (2005)

permanent crops

4.35%

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)

Legal system

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

73.77 years (2006 est.)

male

67.26 years

total population

70.42 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

90% (1980 est.) Government Palau

male

93%

total population

92%

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

3 nm

Median age

female

30.7 years (2006 est.)

male

32.7 years

total

31.7 years

National holiday

Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Nationality

adjective

Palauan

noun

Palauan(s)

Natural hazards

typhoons (June to December)

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

1.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Population

20,579 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate

1.31% (2006 est.)

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 religion 3.1%, unspecified or none 16.4% (2000 census)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.13 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

2.46 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish

Airports

3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Budget

expenditures

$72.43 million; including capital expenditures of $12.98 million (FY04/05 est.)

revenues

$72.07 million

Currency (code)

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Current account balance

$15.09 million (FY03/04)

Debt - external

$0 (FY99/00)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

US ambassador to the Philippines is accredited to Palau

embassy

Koror (no street address)

mailing address

P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940

telephone

[680] 488-2920, 2990

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20006

chief of mission

Ambassador Hersey KYOTA

telephone

[1] (202) 452-6814

Disputes - international

maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Economic aid - recipient

$19.6 million; note - the Compact of Free Association with the US, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994, provides Palau with up to $700 million in US aid over 15 years in return for furnishing military facilities (2004)

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. Business and tourist arrivals numbered 63,000 in 2003. The population enjoys a per capita income twice 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.

Electricity - production by source

NA

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

$5.882 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

shellfish, tuna, copra, garments

Exports - partners

US, Japan, Singapore (2004)

FAX

[1] (202) 452-6281

[680] 488-2911

consulate(s)

Tamuning (Guam)

consulate(s) general

Honolulu

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September Communications Palau

Flag description

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

6.2%

industry

12%

services

81.8%

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$7,600 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.5% (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$145 million (2005)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$124.5 million; note - includes US subsidy (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$107.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs

Imports - partners

US, Singapore, Japan, South Korea (2004)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.7% (2005 est.)

International organization participation

ACP, AsDB, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Internet country code

.pw

Internet hosts

3 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2002) Transportation Palau

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas

Labor force

9,777 (2005)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

20%

industry

NA%

services

NA% (1990)

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament 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)

election results

Senate - percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 (four new members elected); House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 16 (one new member elected)

elections

Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); House of Delegates - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49

5,694 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49

4,087 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49

142 (2005 est.)

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 (2005) Transnational Issues Palau

Military branches

no regular military forces; Palau National Police (2006)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA

Political parties and leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Ports and terminals

Koror Military Palau

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios

12,000 (1997)

Roadways

paved

36 km

total

61 km

unpaved

25 km

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

NA

international

country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

6,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1,000 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

1 (cable) (2005)

Televisions

11,000 (1997)

Unemployment rate

4.2% (2005 est.)