CIA - The World Factbook -- Palau

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This page was last updated on 29 March, 2006
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| Introduction | Palau | Top of Page

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 | Top of Page

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 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

| People | Palau | Top of Page

Population: | 20,579 (July 2006 est.)
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.)
Median age: | total: 31.7 years male: 32.7 years female: 30.7 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate: | 1.31% (2006 est.)
Birth rate: | 18.03 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: | 6.8 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate: | 1.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 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 total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 14.46 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 70.42 years male: 67.26 years female: 73.77 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 2.46 children born/woman (2006 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 religion 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.)

| Government | Palau | Top of Page

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: | Koror; note - a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast of Koror
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) and 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) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: NA elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held 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 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) 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) 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)
Judicial branch: | Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas
Political parties and leaders: | none
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, 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: 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 FAX: [680] 488-2911
Flag description: | light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side

| Economy | Palau | Top of Page

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.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $174 million; note - includes US subsidy (2001 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | NA
GDP - real growth rate: | 1% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $9,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force: | 9,845 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture 20%, industry NA%, services NA% (1990)
Unemployment rate: | 2.3% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: | NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 3.4% (2000 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $57.7 million expenditures: $80.8 million; including capital expenditures of $17.1 million (FY98/99 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%
Exports: | $18 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: | shellfish, tuna, copra, garments
Exports - partners: | US, Japan, Singapore (2004)
Imports: | $99 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs
Imports - partners: | US, Guam, Japan, Singapore, South Korea (2004)
Debt - external: | $0 (FY99/00)
Economic aid - recipient: | $155.8 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
Currency (code): | US dollar (USD)
Exchange rates: | the US dollar is used
Fiscal year: | 1 October - 30 September

| Communications | Palau | Top of Page

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 (2002)
Television broadcast stations: | 1 (cable) (2005)
Internet country code: | .pw
Internet hosts: | 3 (2005)

| Transportation | Palau | Top of Page

Airports: | 3 (2005)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2005)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2005)
Ports and terminals: | Koror

| Military | Palau | Top of Page

Military branches: | no regular military forces; Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | NA
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

| Transnational Issues | Palau | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | border delineation disputes being negotiated with Philippines, Indonesia

This page was last updated on 29 March, 2006