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
- Area 198/257
total: 459 sq km
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 topography from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs
- Elevation
mean elevation:
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
agricultural land: 10.8%
arable land 2.2%; permanent crops 4.3%; permanent pasture 4.3%
forest: 87.6%
other: 1.6% (2011 est.)
- Irrigated land
0 sq km (2012)
- 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) 72.5%, Carolinian 1%, other Micronesian 2.4%, Filipino 16.3%, Chinese 1.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other Asian 3.4%, white 0.9%, other 0.3% (2005 est.)
- Languages
Palauan (official on most islands) 66.6%, Carolinian 0.7%, other Micronesian 0.7%, English (official) 15.5%, Filipino 10.8%, Chinese 1.8%, other Asian 2.6%, other 1.3%
note: Sonsoral (Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official) (2005 est.)
- Religions
Roman Catholic 49.4%, Protestant 30.9% (includes Protestant (general) 23.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.3%, and other Protestant 2.5%), Modekngei 8.7% (indigenous to Palau), Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other 8.8%, none or unspecified 1.1% (2005 est.)
- Population 220/238
21,265 (July 2015 est.)
- Age structure
0-14 years: 20.26% (male 2,225/female 2,084)
15-24 years: 17.18% (male 1,819/female 1,834)
25-54 years: 46.21% (male 5,992/female 3,834)
55-64 years: 9.03% (male 667/female 1,253)
65 years and over: 7.32% (male 418/female 1,139) (2015 est.)
- Median age
total: 33.2 years
male: 32.6 years
female: 34.4 years (2015 est.)
- Population growth rate 167/233
0.38% (2015 est.)
- Birth rate 178/224
11.05 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
- Death rate 100/225
7.99 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
- Net migration rate 68/222
0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)
- Urbanization
urban population: 87.1% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: 1.66% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
- Major urban areas - population
MELEKEOK (capital) 299 (2012)
- Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.56 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.53 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.37 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
- Infant mortality rate 129/224
total: 11.15 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 12.67 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
- Life expectancy at birth 135/224
total population: 72.87 years
male: 69.69 years
female: 76.23 years (2015 est.)
- Total fertility rate 170/224
1.71 children born/woman (2015 est.)
- Health expenditures 28/191
9.9% of GDP (2013)
- Physicians density
1.38 physicians/1,000 population (2010)
- Hospital bed density
4.8 beds/1,000 population (2010)
- Drinking water source
improved:
urban: 97% of population
rural: 86% of population
total: 95.3% of population
unimproved:
urban: 3% of population
rural: 14% of population
total: 4.7% of population (2011 est.)
- Sanitation facility access
improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
- HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
- HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
- HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
- Obesity - adult prevalence rate 7/191
47.1% (2014)
- School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 14 years
male: 14 years
female: 14 years (2013)
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
etymology: from the Palauan name for the islands, Belau, which likely derives from the Palauan word "beluu" meaning "village"
- 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), day of a national referendum to pass the new constitution
- Constitution
ratified 9 July 1980, effective 1 January 1981; amended 1992, 2004, last in 2008 (2015)
- 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
- Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Palau
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: note - no procedure for naturalization
- Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
- Executive branch
chief of state: President Tommy REMENGESAU (since 17 January 2013); Vice President Antonio BELLS (since 17 January 2013); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Tommy REMENGESAU (since 17 January 2013); Vice President Antonio BELLS (since 17 January 2013)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate; also includes the vice president; the Council of Chiefs consists of chiefs from each of the states who advise the president on issues concerning traditional laws, customs, and their relationship to the constitution and laws of Palau
elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on separate ballots by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2016)
election results: Tommy REMENGESAU elected president; percent of vote - Tommy REMENGESAU 58%, Johnson TORIBIONG 42%; Antonio BELLS elected vice president
- Legislative branch
description: bicameral National Congress or Olbiil Era Kelulau consists of the Senate (9 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by majority vote to serve 4-year terms) and the House of Delegates (16 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2016); House of Delegates - last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2016)
election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 9; House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 16
- Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 3 associate justices organized into appellate trial divisions; also within the Supreme Court organization are the Common Pleas and Land Courts)
judge selection and term of office: justices nominated by a 7-member independent body consisting of judges, presidential appointees, and lawyers, and appointed by the president; judges appointed until mandatory retirement at age 65
subordinate courts: National Court and other 'inferior' courts
- 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, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, IOC, IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
- 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 symbol(s)
bai (native meeting house); national colors: blue, yellow
- National anthem
name: "Belau rekid" (Our Palau)
lyrics/music: multiple/Ymesei O. EZEKIEL
note: adopted 1980
Economy
- Economy - overview
The economy consists of tourism and other services such as trade, subsistence agriculture, and fishing. Government is a major employer of the work force relying on financial assistance from the US under the Compact of Free Association (Compact) with the US. The Compact took effect, after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994. The US provided Palau with roughly $700 million in aid for the first 15 years following commencement of the Compact in 1994 in return for unrestricted access to its land and waterways for strategic purposes. Business and leisure tourist arrivals numbered over 125,000 in fiscal year 2014, a 13.4% increase over the previous year. The population enjoys a per capita income roughly double that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for tourism have been bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific, the rising prosperity of industrial East Asia, and the willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure development. Proximity to Guam, the region's major destination for tourists from East Asia, and a regionally competitive tourist infrastructure enhance Palau's advantage as a destination.
- GDP (purchasing power parity) 217/230
$262.6 million (2015 est.)
$252.5 million (2014 est.)
$240.7 million (2013 est.)
note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy
- GDP (official exchange rate)
$261 million (2015 est.)
- GDP - real growth rate 66/225
4% (2015 est.)
4.9% (2014 est.)
-1.8% (2013 est.)
- GDP - per capita (PPP) 110/230
$14,800 (2015 est.)
$14,300 (2014 est.)
$13,600 (2013 est.)
- GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 3.2%
industry: 20%
services: 76.8% (2012 est.)
- Agriculture - products
coconuts, copra, cassava (manioc, tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish
- Industries
tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making
- Industrial production growth rate
NA%
- Labor force 218/233
10,470 (2014)
- Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 20%
industry: NA%
services: NA% (1990)
- Unemployment rate 42/207
4.2% (2005 est.)
- Population below poverty line
NA%
- Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
- Budget
revenues: $123.6 million
expenditures: $97.53 million (2012 est.)
- Taxes and other revenues 20/219
47.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
- Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) 4/220
10% of GDP (2012 est.)
- Fiscal year
1 October - 30 September
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 101/226
1.8% (2015 est.)
4% (2014 est.)
- Market value of publicly traded shares
$NA
- Current account balance 56/197
-$21 million (2015 est.)
-$32 million (2014 est.)
- Exports 210/224
$19.1 million (2014 est.)
$14.4 million (2013 est.)
- Exports - commodities
shellfish, tuna, copra, garments
- Imports 208/223
$177.7 million (2014 est.)
$146.5 million (2013 est.)
- Imports - commodities
machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs
- Debt - external 88/206
$18.38 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$16.47 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
- Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
Communications
- Telephones - fixed lines 203/219
total subscriptions: 7,100
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34 (2014 est.)
- Telephones - mobile cellular 210/217
total: 19,100
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 90 (2014 est.)
- Telephone system
domestic: fixed-line and mobile-cellular services available with a combined subscribership of roughly 100 per 100 persons
international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2009)
- Broadcast media
no TV stations; a cable TV network covers the major islands and provides access to rebroadcasts, on a delayed basis, of a number of US stations, as well as access to a number of real-time satellite TV channels; about a half dozen radio stations (1 government-owned) (2009)
- Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
- Television broadcast stations
1 (cable) (2005)
- Internet country code
.pw
- Internet hosts 231/232
4 (2012)
Transportation
- Airports 194/236
3 (2013)
- Airports - with paved runways
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)
- Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2013)
- Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Koror
Military and Security
- Military branches
no regular military forces; Palau National Police (2009)
Transnational Issues
- Disputes - international
maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia