Palau
Introduction Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues
Introduction	Back To Top
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	Back To Top
Land boundaries: 0 km 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 Climate: tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November Map references: Australia/Oceania Geographic coordinates: 7 30 N, 134 30 E Natural resources: forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m Terrain: varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs 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 Area: total: 458 sq km land: 458 sq km water: 0 sq km Location: Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines Coastline: 1,519 km Area - comparative: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC Irrigated land: NA 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 Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December) Land use: arable land: 8.7% permanent crops: 4.35% other: 86.95% (2005)
People	Back To Top
Total fertility rate: 2.45 children born/woman (2008 est.) 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.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA 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.) Net migration rate: 0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.) 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) Median age: total: 32.3 years male: 33.3 years female: 31.3 years (2008 est.) Population: 21,093 (July 2008 est.) Education expenditures: 10.3% of GDP (2002) Population growth rate: 1.157% (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) Death rate: 6.73 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) 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.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 15 years male: 14 years female: 15 years (2000) 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.) 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) Nationality: noun: Palauan(s) adjective: Palauan
Government	Back To Top
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 FAX: [680] 488-2911 National holiday: Constitution Day, 9 July (1979) Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Government type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994 Political pressure groups and leaders: NA 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) 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 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 Legal system: based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Flag description: light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side Independence: 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship) Country name (Goverment): 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 Political parties and leaders: none 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 Executive branch: chief of state: President Johnson TORIBIONG (since 15 January 2009); Vice President Kerai MARIUR (since 15 January 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Johnson TORIBIONG (since 15 January 2009); Vice President Kerai MARIUR (since 15 January 2009) cabinet: NA elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012) election results: Johnson TORIBIONG (51%) defeats Elias Camsek CHIN (49%) for president; Kerai MARIUR elected vice president Administrative divisions: 16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Common Pleas; Land Court
Economy	Back To Top
Current account balance: $15.09 million (FY03/04) Debt - external: $0 (FY99/00) Unemployment rate: 4.2% (2005 est.) GDP - per capita (PPP): $8,100 (2007 est.) GDP (purchasing power parity): $164 million note: GDP estimates includes US subsidy (2007 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $164 million (2007) Exchange rates: the US dollar is used GDP - real growth rate: 5.5% (2005 est.) Labor force: 9,777 (2005) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.7% (2005 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.2% industry: 12% services: 81.8% (2003) Exports: $5.882 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Currency (code): US dollar (USD) 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 85,000 in 2007. 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. Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs Industries: tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making Population below poverty line: NA% Imports: $107.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 20% industry: NA% services: NA% Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA Currency code: USD Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Exports - commodities: shellfish, tuna, copra, garments Economic aid - recipient: $23.46 million (2005) Electricity - production by source: NA Budget: revenues: $114.8 million expenditures: $99.5 million (2007 est.) Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
Communications	Back To Top
Telephones - main lines in use: 6,700 (2002) Televisions: 11,000 (1997) Internet country code: .pw Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001) Radios: 12,000 (1997) Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,000 (2002) Television broadcast stations: 1 (cable) (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002) Internet hosts: 0 (2008)
Transportation	Back To Top
Ports and terminals: Koror Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) Roadways: note: estimated to have 60 km of roads as of 1996 Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007) Airports: 3 (2007)
Military	Back To Top
Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 5,973 (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) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 4,397 (2008 est.) Military branches: no regular military forces; Palau National Police (2009) Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: male: 179 female: 165 (2008 est.) Military expenditures: NA
Transnational Issues	Back To Top
Disputes - international: maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia

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