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.

Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines
7 30 N, 134 30 E
Oceania
total: 458 sq km ; land: 458 sq km ; water: 0 sq km
slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
0 km
1,519 km
territorial sea: 3 nm ; exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November
varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m ; highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m
forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals
arable land: 8.7% ; permanent crops: 4.35% ; other: 86.95% (2005)
NA


typhoons (June to December)
inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing practices, and overfishing
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
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
20,842 (July 2007 est.)
0-14 years: 26% (male 2,796/female 2,633) ; 15-64 years: 69.2% (male 7,767/female 6,665) ; 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 465/female 516) (2007 est.)
total: 32 years ; male: 33 years ; female: 31 years (2007 est.)
1.233% (2007 est.)
17.7 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
6.77 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female ; under 15 years: 1.062 male(s)/female ; 15-64 years: 1.165 male(s)/female ; 65 years and over: 0.901 male(s)/female ; total population: 1.124 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
total: 14.07 deaths/1,000 live births ; male: 15.78 deaths/1,000 live births ; female: 12.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total population: 70.71 years ; male: 67.54 years ; female: 74.06 years (2007 est.)
2.46 children born/woman (2007 est.)
NA
NA
NA
noun: Palauan(s) ; adjective: Palauan
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)
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)
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)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write ; total population: 92% ; male: 93% ; female: 90% (1980 est.)


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
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994
name: Melekeok ; geographic coordinates: 7 29 N, 134 38 E ; time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol

1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)
1 January 1981
based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
18 years of age; universal
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 government ; head of government: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001); 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 in 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%
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
Supreme Court; Court of Common Pleas; Land Court
none
NA
ACP, AsDB, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side
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)
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





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 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.
$124.5 million ; note: includes US subsidy (2004 est.)
$145 million (2005)
5.5% (2005 est.)
$7,600 (2005 est.)
agriculture: 6.2% ; industry: 12% ; services: 81.8% (2003)
9,777 (2005)
agriculture: 20% ; industry: NA% ; services: NA% (1990)
4.2% (2005 est.)
NA%
lowest 10%: NA% ; highest 10%: NA%

2.7% (2005 est.)

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

coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish
tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making
NA%

NA













$15.09 million (FY03/04)
$5.882 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
shellfish, tuna, copra, garments
US, Japan, Singapore (2006)
$107.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
US, Singapore, Japan, South Korea (2006)


$0 (FY99/00)


$NA
US dollar (USD)
USD
the US dollar is used
1 October - 30 September
$23.46 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 (2005)
6,700 (2002)
1,000 (2002)
general assessment: NA ; domestic: NA ; international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
12,000 (1997)
1 (cable) (2005)
11,000 (1997)
.pw
1 (2007)
1 (2002)


3 (2007)
total: 1 ; 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
total: 2 ; 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)



total: 61 km ; paved: 36 km ; unpaved: 25 km


Koror

no regular military forces; Palau National Police (2006)

males age 18-49: 5,694 (2005 est.)
males age 18-49: 4,087 (2005 est.)
males age 18-49: 142 (2005 est.)
NA
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 no military forces are stationed there (2005)
maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia



