2022 Edition

Background

Humans arrived in the Palauan archipelago around 1000 B.C. from Southeast Asia and developed a complex, highly organized matrilineal society where high-ranking women picked the chiefs. The islands were the westernmost part of the widely scattered Pacific islands north of New Guinea that Spanish explorers named the Caroline Islands in the 17th century. There were several failed attempts by Spanish Jesuit missionaries to visit the islands in the early 1700s. Spain gained some influence in the islands and administered it from the Philippines but sold Palau to Germany in 1899 after it lost the Philippines in the Spanish-American War.Japan seized Palau in 1914, was granted a League of Nations mandate to administer the islands in 1920, and made Koror the capital of its South Seas Mandate in 1922. By the outbreak of World War II, there were four times as many Japanese living in Koror as Palauans. In 1944, the Battle of Peleliu between US and Japanese forces resulted in more than 15,000 deaths. Following the war, Palau became part of the US-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.Palau voted against joining the Federated States of Micronesia in 1978 and adopted its own constitution in 1981, which stated that Palau was a nuclear-free country. In 1982, Palau signed a Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the US, which granted Palau financial assistance and access to many US domestic programs in exchange for exclusive US military access and defense responsibilities. However, many Palauans saw the COFA as incompatible with the Palauan Constitution because of the US military’s nuclear arsenal, and seven referenda failed to achieve ratification. Following a constitutional amendment and eighth referendum in 1993, the COFA was ratified and entered into force in 1994 when the islands gained their independence. Its funding was renewed in 2010.Palau has been on the frontlines of combatting climate change and protecting marine resources. In 2011, Palau banned commercial shark fishing and created the world’s first shark sanctuary. In 2017, Palau began stamping the Palau Pledge into passports, reminding visitors to act in ecologically and culturally responsible ways. In 2020, Palau banned coral reef-toxic sunscreens and expanded its fishing prohibition to include 80% of its exclusive economic zone.

Area

land

459 sq km

total

459 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

highest point

Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

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

0 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

10.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 4.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 4.3% (2018 est.)

forest

87.6% (2018 est.)

other

1.6% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

typhoons (June to December)

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

most of the population is located on the southern end of the main island of Babelthuap

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

18.68% (male 2,090/female 1,961)

15-24 years

15.86% (male 1,723/female 1,716)

25-54 years

45.33% (male 6,026/female 3,804)

55-64 years

10.68% (male 853/female 1,463)

65 years and over

9.45% (male 501/female 1,548) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

11.52 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

15.2% of GDP (2019)

Death rate

8.25 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

13.7

potential support ratio

7.3 (2021)

total dependency ratio

43.8

youth dependency ratio

30.2

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 99.8% of population

improved: total

total: 99.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.6% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.3% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.4% of population

Education expenditures

6.8% of GDP (2019)

Ethnic groups

Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 73%, Carolinian 2%, Asian 21.7%, Caucasian 1.2%, other 2.1% (2015 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

9.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)

male

13.26 deaths/1,000 live births

total

11.28 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Palauan (official on most islands) 65.2%, other Micronesian 1.9%, English (official) 19.1%, Filipino 9.9%, Chinese 1.2%, other 2.8% (2015 est.)

note

note: Sonsoralese is official in Sonsoral; Tobian is official in Tobi; Angaur and Japanese are official in Angaur

Life expectancy at birth

female

78 years (2022 est.)

male

71.48 years

total population

74.64 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

96.3% (2015)

male

96.8%

total population

96.6%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

malaria

Major urban areas - population

277 NGERULMUD (capital) (2018)

Median age

female

35.9 years (2020 est.)

male

32.9 years

total

33.9 years

Nationality

adjective

Palauan

noun

Palauan(s)

Net migration rate

0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

55.3% (2016)

Physicians density

1.77 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

21,695 (2022 est.)

Population distribution

most of the population is located on the southern end of the main island of Babelthuap

Population growth rate

0.39% (2022 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 45.3%, Protestant 34.9% (includes Evangelical 26.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 6.9%, Assembly of God .9%, Baptist .7%), Modekngei 5.7% (indigenous to Palau), Muslim 3%, Church of Jesus Christ 1.5%, other 9.7% (2015 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 99% of population

improved: total

total: 99.6% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.8% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.4% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.2% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2013)

male

16 years

total

17 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.07 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.01 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.66 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.64 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.27 male(s)/female

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

1.07 male(s)/female (2022 est.)

Tobacco use

female

7.9% (2020 est.)

male

27.3% (2020 est.)

total

17.6% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.7 children born/woman (2022 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

82.4% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

(2014) NA

male

NA

total

5.6%

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

etymology

the Palauan meaning is "place of fermented 'mud'" ('mud' being the native name for the keyhole angelfish); the site of the new capitol (established in 2006) had been a large hill overlooking the ocean, Ngerulmud, on which women would communally gather to offer fermented angelfish to the gods

geographic coordinates

7 30 N, 134 37 E

name

Ngerulmud

note

note: Ngerulmud, on Babeldaob Island, is the smallest national capital on earth by population, with only a few hundred people; the name is pronounced en-jer-al-mud; Koror, on Koror Island, with over 11,000 residents is by far the largest settlement in Palau; it served as the country's capital from independence in 1994 to 2006

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Palau

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

note - no procedure for naturalization

Constitution

amendments

proposed by a constitutional convention (held at least once every 15 years with voter approval), by public petition of at least 25% of eligible voters, or by a resolution adopted by at least three fourths of National Congress members; passage requires approval by a majority of votes in at least three fourths of the states in the next regular general election; amended several times, last in 2020

history

ratified 9 July 1980, effective 1 January 1981

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Palau

conventional short form

Palau

etymology

from the Palauan name for the islands, Belau, which likely derives from the Palauan word "beluu" meaning "village"

former

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Palau District

local long form

Beluu er a Belau

local short form

Belau

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador John HENNESSEY-NILAND (since 6 March 2020)

email address and website

ConsularKoror@state.govhttps://pw.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Omsangel/Beklelachieb, Airai 96940

FAX

[680] 587-2911

mailing address

4260 Koror Place, Washington, DC  20521-4260

telephone

[680] 587-2920

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1701 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20006

chief of mission

Ambassador Hersey KYOTA (since 12 November 1997)

consulate(s)

Tamuning (Guam)

email address and website

info@palauembassy.orghttps://www.palauembassy.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 452-6281

telephone

[1] (202) 349-8598

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate; also includes the vice president; the Council of Chiefs consists of chiefs from each of the states who advise the president on issues concerning traditional laws, customs, and their relationship to the constitution and laws of Palau

chief of state

President Surangel WHIPPS Jr. (since 21 January 2021); Vice President Jerrlyn Uduch Sengebau SENIOR (since 21 January 2021); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. elected president (in second round); percent of vote - Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. (independent) 56.7%, Raynold OILUCH (independent) 43.3%

elections/appointments

president and vice president directly elected on separate ballots by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 3 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2024)

head of government

President Surangel WHIPPS Jr. (since 21 January 2021); Vice President Jerrlyn Uduch Sengebau SENIOR (since 21 January 2021)

Flag description

light blue with a large yellow disk shifted slightly to the hoist side; the blue color represents the ocean, the disk represents the moon; Palauans consider the full moon to be the optimum time for human activity; it is also considered a symbol of peace, love, and tranquility

Government type

presidential republic in free association with the US

Independence

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

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, IOC, IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 3 associate justices organized into appellate trial divisions; the Supreme Court organization also includes the Common Pleas and Land Courts)

judge selection and term of office

justices nominated by a 7-member independent body consisting of judges, presidential appointees, and lawyers and appointed by the president; judges can serve until mandatory retirement at age 65

subordinate courts

National Court and other 'inferior' courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of civil, common, and customary law

Legislative branch

description

bicameral National Congress or Olbiil Era Kelulau consists of:Senate (13 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by majority vote to serve 4-year terms)House of Delegates (16 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 13; composition - men 12, women 1; percent of women 7.7%House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 16; composition - men 15, women 1; percent of women 6.3%; note - overall percent of women in National Congress 6.9%

elections

Senate - last held on 3 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2024)House of Delegates - last held on 3 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2024)

National anthem

lyrics/music

multiple/Ymesei O. EZEKIEL

name

"Belau rekid" (Our Palau)

note

note: adopted 1980

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Rock Islands Southern Lagoon

total World Heritage Sites

1 (mixed)

National holiday

Constitution Day, 9 July (1981), day of a national referendum to pass the new constitution; Independence Day, 1 October (1994)

National symbol(s)

bai (native meeting house); national colors: blue, yellow

Political parties and leaders

none

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

coconuts, cassava (manioc, tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish, pigs, chickens, eggs, bananas, papaya, breadfruit, calamansi, soursop, Polynesian chestnuts, Polynesian almonds, mangoes, taro, guava, beans, cucumbers, squash/pumpkins (various), eggplant, green onions, kangkong (watercress), cabbages (various), radishes, betel nuts, melons, peppers, noni, okra

Budget

expenditures

167.3 million (2012 est.)

revenues

193 million (2012 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

8.8% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$36 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$53 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2013

$16.47 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2014

$18.38 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

Economic overview

The economy is dominated by tourism, fishing, and subsistence agriculture. Government is a major employer of the work force relying on financial assistance from the US under the Compact of Free Association (Compact) with the US that took effect after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994. The US provided Palau with roughly $700 million in aid for the first 15 years following commencement of the Compact in 1994 in return for unrestricted access to its land and waterways for strategic purposes. The population enjoys a per capita income roughly double that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia.   Business and leisure tourist arrivals reached a record 167,966 in 2015, a 14.4% increase over the previous year, but fell to 138,408 in 2016. Long-run prospects for tourism have been bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific, the rising prosperity of industrial East Asia, and the willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure development. Proximity to Guam, the region's major destination for tourists from East Asia, and a regionally competitive tourist infrastructure enhance Palau's advantage as a destination.

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

Exports 2015

$14.8 million (2015 est.)

Exports 2017

$23.17 billion (2017 est.)

Exports - commodities

fish, computers, broadcasting equipment, office machinery/parts, scrap vessels (2019)

Exports - partners

Japan 70%, South Korea 15%, United States 7% (2019)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

55.2% (2016 est.)

government consumption

27.2% (2016 est.)

household consumption

60.5% (2016 est.)

imports of goods and services

-67.6% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital

22.7% (2016 est.)

investment in inventories

1.9% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

3% (2016 est.)

industry

19% (2016 est.)

services

78% (2016 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$292 million (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2017

$4.079 billion (2017 est.)

Imports 2018

$4.715 billion (2018 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, fish, cars, broadcasting equipment, modeling instruments (2019)

Imports - partners

South Korea 19%, China 18%, Taiwan 17%, United States 17%, Japan 16% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

tourism, fishing, subsistence agriculture

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

-1% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

0.9% (2017 est.)

Labor force

11,610 (2016)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

1.2%

industry

12.4%

services

86.4% (2016)

Population below poverty line

24.9% (2006) NA

Public debt

Public debt 2015

21.6% of GDP (2015)

Public debt 2016

24.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017

$317 million (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$330 million (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$320 million (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

10.1% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

0% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

-3.7% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2017

$17,841 (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2018

$18,400 (2018 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$17,600 (2019 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2015

$580.9 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$0 (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

66.1% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2012

4.1% (2012)

Unemployment rate 2015

1.7% (2015 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

(2014) NA

male

NA

total

5.6%

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2018)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

7 (2015 est.)

total

1,224 (2015 est.)

Broadcast media

no broadcast TV stations; a cable TV network covers the major islands and provides access to 4 local cable stations, rebroadcasts (on a delayed basis) of a number of US stations, as well as access to a number of real-time satellite TV channels; about a half dozen radio stations (1 government-owned) (2019)

Internet country code

.pw

Internet users

percent of population

36% (2016 est.)

total

7,650 (2016 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line nearly 44 per 100 and mobile-cellular services roughly 133 per 100 persons (2020)

general assessment

well-developed mobile sector, recently boosted by satellite network capacity upgrades; 3G services available with satellite; lack of telecom regulations; newest and most powerful commercial satellite, Kacific-1 satellite, launched in 2019 to improve telecommunications in the Asia Pacific region (2020)

international

country code - 680; landing point for the SEA-US submarine cable linking Palau, Philippines, Micronesia, Indonesia, Hawaii (US), Guam (US) and California (US); satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

44 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

8,000 (2020 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

133 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

24,000 (2020 est.)

Airports

total

3 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2021)

total

1

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

2 (2021)

total

2

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

T8

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 16, container ship 7, general cargo 107, oil tanker 40, other 94 (2021)

total

264

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

1

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Koror

Roadways

paved

89 km (2018)

total

125 km (2018)

unpaved

36 km (2018)

Military - note

under the Compact of Free Association (COFA) between Palau and the US, the US is responsible for the defense of Palau and the US military is granted access to the islands, but it has not stationed any military forces there; the COFA also allows citizens of Palau to serve in the US armed forcesPalau has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Palau's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2022)

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; the Ministry of Justice includes divisions/bureaus for public security, police functions, and maritime law enforcement

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

since 2018, Australia and Japan have provided patrol boats to Palau's Division of Marine Law Enforcement (2021)

Disputes - international

Palau-Indonesia: maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia Palau-Philippines: maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.22 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.06 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

12.18 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November

Environment - current issues

inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal and destructive fishing practices, and overfishing; climate change contributes to rising sea level and coral bleaching; drought

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

10.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 4.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 4.3% (2018 est.)

forest

87.6% (2018 est.)

other

1.6% (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

malaria

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

82.4% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

9,427 tons (2016 est.)