Christmas Island (2007) | Palau (2002) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | 16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatobohei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsoral |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
0-14 years: 26.8% (male 2,678; female 2,522)
15-64 years: 68.6% (male 7,241; female 6,074) 65 years and over: 4.6% (male 426; female 468) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | NA | coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes |
Airports | 1 (2007) | 3 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 458 sq km
land: 458 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement began by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. | 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 | NA | 19.32 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
revenues: $57.7 million
expenditures: $80.8 million, including capital expenditures of $17.1 million |
Capital | name: The Settlement
geographic coordinates: 10 25 S, 105 43 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Koror; note - a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast of Koror |
Climate | tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds | wet season May to November; hot and humid |
Coastline | 138.9 km | 1,519 km |
Constitution | Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 | 1 January 1981 |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
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) |
Currency | - | US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | NA | 7.11 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $0 (FY99/00) |
Dependency status | non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | chief of mission: the Ambassador to the Philippines is accredited to Palau; Charge d'Affaires Ronald A. HARMS
embassy: address NA, Koror 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 (territory of Australia) | 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 consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $155.8 million (1995); 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 | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993, but closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, expected to begin operations in the near future. | 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 50,000 in FY00/01. 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. |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m |
Environment - current issues | loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining | 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 | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 70%, Asian (mainly Filipinos, followed by Chinese, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese) 28%, white 2% (2000 est.) |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002) | the US dollar is used |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001) and Vice President Sandra PIERANTOZZI (since 19 January 2001); 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 Sandra PIERANTOZZI (since 19 January 2001); 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 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. elected president; percent of vote - Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. 53%, Peter SUGIYAMA 46%; Sandra PIERANTOZZI elected vice president; percent of vote - Sandra PIERANTOZZI 52%, Alan SEID 45% |
Exports | $NA | $11 million f.o.b. (1999) |
Exports - commodities | phosphate | shellfish, tuna, copra, garments |
Exports - partners | Australia, NZ (2006) | US, Japan, Singapore |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | 1 October - 30 September |
Flag description | territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly; the upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden Bosun Bird superimposed, while the lower triangle is blue with the Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia, superimposed; a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the island; the flag of Australia is used for official purposes | light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $174 million
note: GDP numbers reflect US spending (2001 est.) |
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 | 10 30 S, 105 40 E | 7 30 N, 134 30 E |
Geography - note | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean | 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 | $NA | $126 million f.o.b. (1999) |
Imports - commodities | consumer goods | machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | principally Australia (2006) | US |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) | tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
16.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 3.4% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | none | ACP, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2002) |
Irrigated land | NA | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court | Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas |
Labor force | NA | 8,300 (1999) |
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% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park) (2005) |
arable land: 21.74%
permanent crops: 0% other: 78.26% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official), Chinese, Malay | English and Palauan official in all states except Sonsoral (Sonsorolese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official) |
Legal system | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law | based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws |
Legislative branch | unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held 20 October 2007 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9 |
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 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004); House of Delegates - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9; House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 16 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total population: 69.19 years
male: 66.07 years female: 72.5 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92% male: 93% female: 90% (1980 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia | Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM
extended fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | 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 | - | NA |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | NA% |
National holiday | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | Constitution Day, 9 July (1979) |
Nationality | noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
noun: Palauan(s)
adjective: Palauan |
Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | typhoons (June to December) |
Natural resources | phosphate, beaches | forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals |
Net migration rate | NA | 3.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 1,402 (July 2006 est.) (July 2007 est.) | 19,409 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0% (2007 est.) | 1.61% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Koror |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006) | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002) |
Radios | - | 12,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) | Christian (Roman Catholics 49%, 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) |
Sex ratio | NA | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.19 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1.14 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005 international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth stations - 1 INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (2005) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: 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 | 0 (TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia) (2006) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau | varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs |
Total fertility rate | NA | 2.47 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 2.3% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | - | none |