Compare Pacific Ocean (2004) - Palau (2008)

Compare Pacific Ocean (2004) z Palau (2008)

	Pacific Ocean (2004)	Palau (2008)

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% (male 2,796/female 2,633) 15-64 years: 69.2% (male 7,767/female 6,665) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 465/female 516) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products	-	coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish
Airports	-	3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	-	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)
Area	total: 155.557 million sq km note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other tributary water bodies	total: 458 sq km land: 458 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world	slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south.	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	-	17.7 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	-	revenues: $72.07 million expenditures: $72.43 million (FY04/05 est.)
Capital	-	name: Melekeok geographic coordinates: 7 29 N, 134 38 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and east Asia from May to December	tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November
Coastline	135,663 km	1,519 km
Constitution	-	1 January 1981
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
Death rate	-	6.77 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	-	$0 (FY99/00)
Diplomatic representation from the US	-	chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Mark BEZNER 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	-	chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA chancery: 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814 FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281 consulate(s) general: Honolulu consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam)
Disputes - international	some maritime disputes (see littoral states)	maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia
Economic aid - recipient	-	$23.46 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 (2005)
Economy - overview	The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has led to fluctuations in new drillings.	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 roughly 50% higher than 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: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m highest point: sea level 0 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m
Environment - current issues	endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea	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
Ethnic groups	-	Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 69.9%, Filipino 15.3%, Chinese 4.9%, other Asian 2.4%, white 1.9%, Carolinian 1.4%, other Micronesian 1.1%, other or unspecified 3.2% (2000 census)
Exchange rates	-	the US dollar is used
Executive branch	-	chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001); 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); Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005) cabinet: NA elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in 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	-	$5.882 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities	-	shellfish, tuna, copra, garments
Exports - partners	-	US, Japan, Singapore (2006)
Fiscal year	-	1 October - 30 September
Flag description	-	light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side
GDP - composition by sector	-	agriculture: 6.2% industry: 12% services: 81.8% (2003)
GDP - real growth rate	-	5.5% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates	0 00 N, 160 00 W	7 30 N, 134 30 E
Geography - note	the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific 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
Household income or consumption by percentage share	-	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports	-	$107.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities	-	machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs
Imports - partners	-	US, Singapore, Japan, South Korea (2006)
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: 14.07 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.78 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-	2.7% (2005 est.)
International organization participation	-	ACP, ADB, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
Irrigated land	-	NA
Judicial branch	-	Supreme Court; Court of Common Pleas; Land Court
Labor force	-	9,777 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation	-	agriculture: 20% industry: NA% services: NA% (1990)
Land boundaries	-	0 km
Land use	-	arable land: 8.7% permanent crops: 4.35% other: 86.95% (2005)
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	-	based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
Legislative branch	-	bicameral National Congress 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 in November 2008); House of Delegates - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008) 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: 70.71 years male: 67.54 years female: 74.06 years (2007 est.)
Literacy	-	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92% male: 93% female: 90% (1980 est.)
Location	body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere	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
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, but no military forces are stationed there (2005)
Military branches	-	no regular military forces; Palau National Police (2008)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	NA
National holiday	-	Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)
Nationality	-	noun: Palauan(s) adjective: Palauan
Natural hazards	surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December	typhoons (June to December)
Natural resources	oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish	forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals
Net migration rate	-	1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders	-	none
Political pressure groups and leaders	-	NA
Population	-	20,842 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	NA%
Population growth rate	-	1.233% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors	Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong, Kao-hsiung (Taiwan), Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)	-
Radio broadcast stations	-	AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
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 3.1%, unspecified or none 16.4% (2000 census)
Sex ratio	-	at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.062 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.165 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.901 male(s)/female total population: 1.124 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage	-	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	-	general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	-	6,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	1,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	-	1 (cable) (2005)
Terrain	surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana Trench, which is the world's deepest	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 (2007 est.)
Transportation - note	Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state)	-
Unemployment rate	-	4.2% (2005 est.)

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