from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Palau
Introduction
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
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean,
southeast of the Philippines
Geographic 7 30 N, 134 30 E
coordinates:
Map Oceania
references:
Area: total: 458 sq km
land: 458 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 1,519 km
Maritime territorial sea: 3 nm
claims: 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 lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m
Natural forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products,
resources: deep-seabed minerals
Land use: arable land: 8.7%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 86.95% (2005)
Irrigated NA
land:
Natural typhoons (June to December)
hazards:
Environment - inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste;
current threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral
issues: dredging, illegal fishing practices, and overfishing
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
international Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea,
agreements: Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements
Geography - westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists
note: of six island groups totaling more than 300 islands;
includes World War II battleground of Beliliou
(Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands
People
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 1.31% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 18.03 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 6.8 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 1.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
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 total: 14.46 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 16.19 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 12.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 70.42 years
expectancy at male: 67.26 years
birth: female: 73.77 years (2006 est.)
Total 2.46 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
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
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 constitutional government in free association with the
type: US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force
1 October 1994
Capital: name: Melekeok
geographic coordinates: 7 29 N, 134 38 E
time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington,
DC during Standard Time)
Administrative 16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei,
divisions: Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong,
Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal,
Peleliu, Sonsorol
Independence: 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN
Trusteeship)
National Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)
holiday:
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 chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr.
branch: (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)
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 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 bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK)
branch: 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 Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas
branch:
Political none
parties and
leaders:
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACP, AsDB, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
organization IFRCS, IMF, IOC, IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC,
participation: UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA
representation chancery: 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 400,
in the US: Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814
FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281
consulate(s) general: Honolulu
consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam)
Diplomatic chief of mission: US ambassador to the Philippines is
representation accredited to Palau
from the US: 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 light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the
description: moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side
Economy
Economy - The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence
overview: 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 $124.5 million; note - includes US subsidy (2004 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $145 million
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 5.5% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $7,600 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: NA% 6.2%
composition by industry: NA% 12%
sector: services: NA% 81.8%
Labor force: 9,777 (2005)
Labor force - agriculture: 20%
by occupation: industry: NA%
services: NA% (1990)
Unemployment 4.2% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 2.7% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $72.07 million
expenditures: $72.43 million; including capital
expenditures of $12.98 million (FY98/99 est.)
Agriculture - coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes;
products: fish
Industries: tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls),
construction, garment making
Industrial NA%
production
growth rate:
Electricity - NA
production by
source:
Current $15.09 million
account
balance:
Exports: $5.882 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - shellfish, tuna, copra, garments
commodities:
Exports - US, Japan, Singapore (2004)
partners:
Imports: $107.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs
commodities:
Imports - US, Singapore, Japan, South Korea (2004)
partners:
Debt - $0 (FY99/00)
external:
Economic aid - $19.6 million; note - the Compact of Free Association
recipient: 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 US dollar (USD)
(code):
Currency code: USD
Exchange the US dollar is used
rates:
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
Communications
Telephones - 6,700 (2002)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 1,000 (2002)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: NA
system: domestic: NA
international: country code - 680; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 12,000 (1997)
Television 1 (cable) (2005)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 11,000 (1997)
Internet .pw
country code:
Internet 3 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 1 (2002)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Transportation
Airports: 3 (2006)
Airports - total: 1
with paved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
runways:
Airports - total: 2
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)
runways:
Roadways: total: 61 km
paved: 36 km
unpaved: 25 km
Ports and Koror
terminals:
Military
Military no regular military forces; Palau National Police
branches: (2006)
Manpower males age 18-49: 5,694 (2005 est.)
available for
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 4,087 (2005 est.)
for military
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 142 (2005 est.)
reaching
military
service age
annually:
Military NA
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military NA
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Military - defense is the responsibility of the US; under a
note: 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
Disputes - border delineation disputes being negotiated with
international: Philippines, Indonesia