Palau source: CIA World Factbook 1998 |
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
Areacomparative: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,519 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
extended fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: wet season May to November; hot and humid
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 Ngerchelchauus 242 m
Natural resources: forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: NA%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December)
Environmentcurrent issues: inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing practices, and overfishing
Environmentinternational agreements:
party to: Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographynote: includes World War II battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands; archipelago of six island groups totaling over 200 islands in the Caroline chain
Population: 18,110 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27% (male 2,555; female 2,405)
15-64 years: 68% (male 6,727; female 5,535)
65 years and over: 5% (male 416; female 472) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.96% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 21.26 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 7.9 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 6.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.22 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 18.82 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.54 years
male: 64.49 years
female: 70.78 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.6 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Palauan(s)
adjective: Palauan
Ethnic groups: Palauans are a composite of Polynesian, Malayan, and Melanesian races
Religions: Christian (Catholics, Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Assembly of God, the Liebenzell Mission, and Latter-Day Saints), Modekngei religion (one-third of the population observes this religion which is indigenous to Palau)
Languages: English (official in all of Palau's 16 states), Sonsorolese (official in the state of Sonsoral), Angaur and Japanese (in the state of Anguar), Tobi (in the state of Tobi), Palauan (in the other 13 states)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92%
male: 93%
female: 90% (1980 est.)
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
Data code: PS
Government type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994
National capital: Koror
note: a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast in eastern Babelthuap
Administrative divisions: there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 16 states named Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngardmau, Ngaremlengui, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngerchelong, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol, Tobi
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 Kuniwo NAKAMURA (since 1 January 1993) and Vice President
Tommy E. REMENGESAU Jr. (since 1 January 1993); notethe president is both the chief
of state and head of government
head of government: President Kuniwo NAKAMURA (since 1 January 1993) and Vice
President Tommy E. REMENGESAU Jr. (since 1 January 1993); notethe president is both
the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote
for four-year terms; election last held 11 November 1996 (next to be held NA November
2000)
election results: Kuniwo NAKAMURA reelected president; percent of voteKuniwo
NAKAMURA 64%, Chief Ibedul Yutuka GIBBONS 36%; Tommy E. REMENGESAU Jr. reelected vice
president; percent of voteTommy E. REMENGESAU Jr. 69%, Kione ISECHAL 31%
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of
the Senate (14 seats; members elected by popular vote on a population basis to serve
four-year terms) and the House of Delegates (16 seatsone from each state; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senatelast held 11 November 1996 (next to be held NA November
2000); House of Delegateslast held 11 November 1996 (next to be held NA November
2000)
election results: Senatepercent of vote by partyNA; seats by
partyNA; House of Delegatespercent of vote by partyNA; seats by
partyNA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas
Political parties and leaders: Palau Nationalist Party, Polycarp BASILIUS
International organization participation: ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, IMF, SPC, SPF, UN, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA
chancery: 1150 18th Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814
FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Thomas C. HUBBARD (resident in Manila); Charge d'Affaires Gerald
PASCUA
embassy: address NA, Koror
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
Economyoverview: The economy consists primarily of subsistence agriculture and fishing. The government is the major employer of the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. The population enjoys a per capita income of more than twice that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the tourist sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific and the rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries.
GDP: purchasing power parity$160 million (1997 est.)
note: GDP numbers reflect US spending
GDPreal growth rate: 10% (1997 est.)
GDPper capita: purchasing power parity$8,800 (1997 est.)
GDPcomposition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rateconsumer price index: NA%
Labor force: NA
by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 7%
Budget:
revenues: $52.9 million
expenditures: $59.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Industries: tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), some commercial fishing and agriculture
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricitycapacity: 62,000 kW (1995)
Electricityproduction: 195 million kWh (1995)
Electricityconsumption per capita: 11,704 kWh (1995)
Agricultureproducts: coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes
Exports:
total value: $14.3 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: trochus (type of shellfish), tuna, copra, handicrafts
partners: US, Japan
Imports:
total value: $72.4 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: NA
partners: US
Debtexternal: about $100 million (1989)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
note: the Compact of Free Association with the US, entered into after the end of
the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994, will provide Palau with up to $700 million in US aid
over 15 years in return for furnishing military facilities
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October30 September
Telephones: 1,500 (1988 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 9,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2
Televisions: 1,600 (1993 est.)
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 61 km
paved: 36 km
unpaved: 25 km
Ports and harbors: Koror
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 3 (1997 est.)
Airportswith paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airportswith unpaved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1997 est.)
Military branches: NA
Military expendituresdollar figure: $NA
Military expenditurespercent of GDP: NA%
Militarynote: defense is the responsibility of the US
Disputesinternational: none
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