2008 Edition

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.

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

Climate

tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November

Coastline

1,519 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 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

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

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 8.7% permanent crops: 4.35% other: 86.95% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

typhoons (June to December)

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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: 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.)

Birth rate

17.4 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

6.73 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

10.3% of GDP (2002)

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)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

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.)

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)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71 years male: 67.82 years female: 74.36 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

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

Median age

total: 32.3 years male: 33.3 years female: 31.3 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Palauan(s) adjective: Palauan

Net migration rate

0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

21,093 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

1.157% (2008 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 3.1%, unspecified or none 16.4% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years male: 14 years female: 15 years (2000)

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.)

Total fertility rate

2.45 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

name: Melekeok geographic coordinates: 7 29 N, 134 38 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

1 January 1981

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

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

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

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

FAX

[1] (202) 452-6281 consulate(s) general: Honolulu consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam)

[680] 488-2911

Flag description

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

Government type

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

Independence

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

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Court of Common Pleas; Land Court

Legal system

based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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

National holiday

Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Political parties and leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $72.07 million expenditures: $72.43 million (FY04/05 est.)

Currency (code)

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Current account balance

$15.09 million (FY03/04)

Debt - external

$0 (FY99/00)

Economic aid - recipient

$23.46 million (2005)

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.

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 (2006)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 6.2% industry: 12% services: 81.8% (2003)

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: GDP estimates includes US subsidy (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 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 (2006)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.7% (2005 est.)

Labor force

9,777 (2005)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 20% industry: NA% services: NA%

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

4.2% (2005 est.)

Internet country code

.pw

Internet hosts

0 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios

12,000 (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: NA domestic: 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)

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)

Ports and terminals

Koror

Roadways

note: estimated to have 60 km of roads as of 1996

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 militarily significant age annually

male: 179 female: 165 (2008 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 (2008)

Military branches

no regular military forces; Palau National Police (2008)

Military expenditures

NA

Disputes - international

maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008