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Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2006) - Palau (2005)

Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2006) z Palau (2005)

 British Indian Ocean Territory (2006)Palau (2005)
 British Indian Ocean TerritoryPalau
Administrative divisions - 16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol
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.)
Agriculture - products - coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes
Airports 1 (2006) 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)
total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Area total: 54,400 sq km


land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km


water: 54,340 sq km


note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands
total: 458 sq km


land: 458 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Background Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. 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.
Birth rate - 18.37 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget - revenues: $57.7 million


expenditures: $80.8 million, including capital expenditures of $17.1 million (FY98/99 est.)
Capital - Koror; note - a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast of Koror
Climate tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November
Coastline 698 km 1,519 km
Constitution - 1 January 1981
Country name conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory


conventional short form: none


abbreviation: BIOT
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)
Death rate - 6.85 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external - $0 (FY99/00)
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) 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
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) 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)
Disputes - international Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001 the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1965 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; the UK resists the Chagossians' demand for an immediate return to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest island in the chain; border delineation disputes being negotiated with Philippines, Indonesia
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
Economy - overview All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The country makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps. 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.
Electricity - consumption NA kWh -
Electricity - production NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military -
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m
Environment - current issues NA 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


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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)
Exchange rates - the US dollar is used
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK


cabinet: NA


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
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%
Exports - $18 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities - shellfish, tuna, copra, garments
Exports - partners - US, Japan, Singapore (2000)
Fiscal year - 1 October - 30 September
Flag description white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: NA


industry: NA


services: NA
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 1% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E 7 30 N, 134 30 E
Geography - note archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility 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
Highways - total: 61 km


paved: 36 km


unpaved: 25 km
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Imports - $99 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities - machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs
Imports - partners - US, Guam, Japan, Singapore, South Korea (2000)
Independence - 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)
Industrial production growth rate - NA
Industries - tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making
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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 3.4% (2000 est.)
International organization participation - ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
Irrigated land 0 sq km NA
Judicial branch - Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas
Labor force - 9,845 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture 20%, industry NA, services NA (1990)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (2005)
arable land: 8.7%


permanent crops: 4.35%


other: 86.95% (2001)
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)
Legal system the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
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)
Life expectancy at birth - total population: 70.14 years


male: 66.98 years


female: 73.48 years (2005 est.)
Literacy - definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 92%


male: 93%


female: 90% (1980 est.)
Location archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines
Map references Political Map of the World Oceania
Maritime claims territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 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
Military branches - no regular military forces; Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure - NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - NA
National holiday - Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)
Nationality - noun: Palauan(s)


adjective: Palauan
Natural hazards NA typhoons (June to December)
Natural resources coconuts, fish, sugarcane forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals
Net migration rate - 2.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Political parties and leaders - none
Political pressure groups and leaders - NA
Population no indigenous inhabitants


note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2006 est.)
20,303 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line - NA
Population growth rate - 1.39% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors - Koror
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002)
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)
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.)
Suffrage - 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available


domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet


international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use NA 6,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular - 1,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 1 (cable) (2005)
Terrain flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation) varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs
Total fertility rate - 2.46 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate - 2.3% (2000 est.)
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