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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. |
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Location: |
Oceania, group of islands
in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines |
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Geographic
coordinates: |
7 30 N, 134 30 E
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Map
references: |
Oceania |
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Area: |
total:
458 sq km
land: 458 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area -
comparative: |
slightly more than 2.5
times the size of Washington, DC |
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Land
boundaries: |
0 km |
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Coastline: |
1,519 km |
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Maritime
claims: |
territorial sea:
3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
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Climate: |
tropical; hot and humid;
wet season May to November |
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Terrain: |
varying geologically from
the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands
usually fringed by large barrier reefs |
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Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m |
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Natural
resources: |
forests, minerals
(especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals |
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Land use: |
arable land:
8.7%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 86.95% (2001) |
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Irrigated
land: |
NA |
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Natural
hazards: |
typhoons (June to December)
|
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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 |
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Environment -
international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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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 |
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Population: |
20,303 (July 2005 est.)
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Age structure: |
0-14 years:
26.4% (male 2,768/female 2,601)
15-64 years: 69% (male 7,565/female 6,436)
65 years and over: 4.6% (male 443/female 490) (2005 est.)
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Median age: |
total:
31.43 years
male: 32.4 years
female: 30.36 years (2005 est.) |
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Population
growth rate: |
1.39% (2005 est.)
|
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Birth rate: |
18.37 births/1,000
population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate: |
6.85 deaths/1,000
population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration
rate: |
2.36 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio: |
at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
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Infant
mortality rate: |
total:
14.84 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 16.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
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Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
70.14 years
male: 66.98 years
female: 73.48 years (2005 est.) |
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Total
fertility rate: |
2.46 children born/woman
(2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS -
adult prevalence rate: |
NA |
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HIV/AIDS -
people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
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HIV/AIDS -
deaths: |
NA |
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Nationality: |
noun:
Palauan(s)
adjective: Palauan |
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Ethnic groups: |
Palauan (Micronesian with
Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 69.9%, Carolinian 1.4%, other
Micronesian 1.1%, Filipino 15.3%, Chinese 4.9%, other Asian 2.4%, white
1.9%, other or unspecified 3.2% (2000 census) |
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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) |
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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)
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Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92%
male: 93%
female: 90% (1980 est.) |
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Country name: |
conventional long form:
Republic of Palau
conventional short form: Palau
local long form: Beluu er a Belau
local short form: Belau
former: Palau District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
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Government
type: |
constitutional government
in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered
into force 1 October 1994 |
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Capital: |
Koror; note - a new capital
is being built about 20 km northeast of Koror |
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Administrative
divisions: |
16 states; Aimeliik, Airai,
Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong,
Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol
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Independence: |
1 October 1994 (from the
US-administered UN Trusteeship) |
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National
holiday: |
Constitution Day, 9 July
(1979) |
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Constitution: |
1 January 1981 |
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Legal system: |
based on Trust Territory
laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
|
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
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Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (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); note
- the 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 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% |
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Legislative
branch: |
bicameral Parliament 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
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) |
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Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court; National
Court; Court of Common Pleas |
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Political
parties and leaders: |
none |
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Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
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International
organization participation: |
ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, WHO |
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Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Hersey KYOTA
chancery: 1800 K Street NW, Suite 714, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814
FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281
consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam) |
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Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
US ambassador to the Philippines is accredited to Palau
embassy: Koror (no street address)
mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940
telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990
FAX: [680] 488-2911 |
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Flag
description: |
light blue with a large
yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side
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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. 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.
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|
GDP
(purchasing power parity): |
$174 million
note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real
growth rate: |
1% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per
capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$9,000 (2001 est.) |
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GDP -
composition by sector: |
agriculture:
NA
industry: NA
services: NA |
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Labor force: |
9,845 (2000) |
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Labor force -
by occupation: |
agriculture 20%, industry
NA, services NA (1990) |
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Unemployment
rate: |
2.3% (2000 est.)
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Population
below poverty line: |
NA |
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Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate
(consumer prices): |
3.4% (2000 est.)
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Budget: |
revenues:
$57.7 million
expenditures: $80.8 million, including capital expenditures of
$17.1 million (FY98/99 est.) |
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Agriculture -
products: |
coconuts, copra, cassava
(tapioca), sweet potatoes |
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Industries: |
tourism, craft items (from
shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making |
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Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA |
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Electricity -
production by source: |
NA |
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Exports: |
$18 million f.o.b. (2001
est.) |
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Exports -
commodities: |
shellfish, tuna, copra,
garments |
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Exports -
partners: |
US, Japan, Singapore (2000)
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Imports: |
$99 million f.o.b. (2001
est.) |
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Imports -
commodities: |
machinery and equipment,
fuels, metals; foodstuffs |
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Imports -
partners: |
US, Guam, Japan, Singapore,
South Korea (2000) |
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Debt -
external: |
$0 (FY99/00) |
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Economic aid -
recipient: |
$155.8 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
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Currency
(code): |
US dollar (USD)
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Currency code: |
USD |
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Exchange
rates: |
the US dollar is used
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Fiscal year: |
1 October - 30 September
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Telephones -
main lines in use: |
6,700 (2002) |
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Telephones -
mobile cellular: |
1,000 (2002) |
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Telephone
system: |
general assessment:
NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
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Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1
(2002) |
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Radios: |
12,000 (1997) |
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Television
broadcast stations: |
1 (cable) (2005)
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Televisions: |
11,000 (1997) |
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Internet
country code: |
.pw |
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Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2002) |
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Highways: |
total:
61 km
paved: 36 km
unpaved: 25 km |
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Ports and
harbors: |
Koror |
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Airports: |
3 (2004 est.) |
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Airports -
with paved runways: |
total:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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Airports -
with unpaved runways: |
total:
2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
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Military
branches: |
no regular military forces;
Police Force |
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Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
NA |
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Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
NA |
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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 |
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Transnational Issues |
Palau |
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Disputes -
international: |
border delineation disputes
being negotiated with Philippines, Indonesia |
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