Palau

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 coordinates

7 30 N, 134 30 E

Map references

Oceania

Area

total: 459 sq km
country comparison to the world: 197 land:459 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, Wetlands, Whaling
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 and Society

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)

Languages

Palauan (official on most islands) 64.7%, 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)
note:Sonsoral (Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official)

Religions

Roman Catholic 41.6%, Protestant 23.3%, Modekngei 8.8% (indigenous to Palau), Seventh-Day Adventist 5.3%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 0.9%, Mormon 0.6%, other 3.1%, unspecified or none 16.4% (2000 census)

Population

20,956 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 218

Age structure

0-14 years: 21.5% (male 2,329/female 2,187)
15-64 years:72% (male 8,355/female 6,724)
65 years and over:6.5% (male 402/female 959) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 32.6 years
male:32.3 years
female:33.3 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

0.363% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163

Birth rate

10.74 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177

Death rate

7.87 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109

Net migration rate

0.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58

Urbanization

urban population: 83% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:1.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.064 male(s)/female
under 15 years:1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years:1.25 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.43 male(s)/female
total population:1.13 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 12.43 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 132 male:14.06 deaths/1,000 live births
female:10.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.78 years
country comparison to the world: 131 male:68.63 years
female:75.12 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.73 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164

Health expenditures

11.2% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 18

Physicians density

1.3 physicians/1,000 population (2006)
country comparison to the world: 89

Hospital bed density

4.9 beds/1,000 population (2009)
country comparison to the world: 40

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 78% of population
rural: 95% of population
total: 83% of population
unimproved:
urban: 22% of population
rural: 5% of population
total: 17% of population (2000)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 92% of population
rural: 52% of population
total: 80% of population
unimproved:
urban: 8% of population
rural: 48% of population
total: 20% of population (2000)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

HIV/AIDS – deaths

NA

Education expenditures

NA

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:92%
male:93%
female:90% (1980 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years
male:14 years
female:15 years (2001)

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 type

constitutional government in free association with the US

the Compact of Free Association entered into force on 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 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

mixed legal system of civil, common, and customary law

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration

non-party state to the ICCt

Suffrage

18 years of age

universal

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
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections:president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term)

election last held on 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)
election results:Johnson TORIBIONG elected president

percent of vote – Johnson TORIBIONG 51%, Elias Camsek CHIN 49%

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 on 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)

House of Delegates – last held on 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)
election results:Senate – percent of vote – NA

seats – independents 9

House of Delegates – percent of vote – NA

seats – independents 16

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Court of Common Pleas

Land Court

Political parties and leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA
chancery:1701 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006
telephone:[1] (202) 452-6814
FAX:[1] (202) 452-6281
consulate(s):Tamuning (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Helen P. REED-ROWE
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 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

National anthem

name: “Belau rekid” (Our Palau)
lyrics/music:multiple/Ymesei O. EZEKIEL
note:adopted 1980

Economy

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.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$164 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217 $124.5 million (2004 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP estimate includes US subsidy

GDP (official exchange rate)

$164 million (2008)

GDP – real growth rate

NA% (2009)
5.5% (2005 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$8,100 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121 $7,600 (2005 est.)

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 6.2%
industry:12%
services:81.8% (2003)

Labor force

9,777 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 214

Labor force – by occupation

agriculture: 20%
industry:NA%
services:NA% (1990)

Unemployment rate

4.2% (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38

Population below poverty line

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%:NA%

Budget

revenues: $114.8 million
expenditures:$99.5 million (2008 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

70% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

9.3% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.7% (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

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%

Current account balance

$15.09 million (FY03/04)
country comparison to the world: 61

Exports

$5.882 million (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 214

Exports – commodities

shellfish, tuna, copra, garments

Imports

$107.3 million (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209

Imports – commodities

machinery and equipment, fuels, metals

foodstuffs

Debt – external

$0 (FY99/00)
country comparison to the world: 199

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Transportation

Airports

3 (2010)
country comparison to the world:193

Airports – with paved runways

total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m:1 (2010)

Airports – with unpaved runways

total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m:2 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Koror

Military

Military branches

no regular military forces

Palau National Police (2009)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 6,987 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 5,272
females age 16-49:3,969 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 216
female:222 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures

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, but it has not stationed any military forces there (2008)

Transnational Issues

Disputes – international

maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia