Palau (2001) | San Marino (2005) | |
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Administrative divisions | 18 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatobohei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Palau Island, Peleliu, Sonsoral, Tobi | 9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
26.88% (male 2,641; female 2,491) 15-64 years: 68.46% (male 7,128; female 5,943) 65 years and over: 4.66% (male 420; female 469) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 16.7% (male 2,482/female 2,328)
15-64 years: 66.5% (male 9,255/female 9,943) 65 years and over: 16.9% (male 2,106/female 2,766) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes | wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides |
Airports | 3 (2000 est.) | none (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
- |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
- |
Area | total:
458 sq km land: 458 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 61.2 sq km
land: 61.2 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC | about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC |
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 independent status 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 their independence. | The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See and Monaco) also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marino in 301 A.D. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of Italy. Social and political trends in the republic also track closely with those of its larger neighbor. |
Birth rate | 19.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 10.18 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.) |
revenues: $400 million
expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | Koror; note - a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast of Koror | San Marino |
Climate | wet season May to November; hot and humid | Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers |
Coastline | 1,519 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 1 January 1981 | 8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions of a constitution |
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) |
conventional long form: Republic of San Marino
conventional short form: San Marino local long form: Repubblica di San Marino local short form: San Marino |
Currency | US dollar (USD) | - |
Death rate | 7.23 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 8.07 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 (FY99/00) | $NA |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
the Ambassador to the Philippines is accredited to Palau; Charge d'Affaires Allen E. NUGENT embassy: address NA, Koror mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940 telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990 FAX: [680] 488-2911 |
the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the US Consul General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino |
Diplomatic representation in the US | 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 |
San Marino does not have an embassy in the US
honorary consulate(s) general: Washington, DC and New York honorary consulate(s): Detroit and Honolulu |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $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, will provide Palau with up to $700 million in US aid over 15 years in return for furnishing military facilities | $NA |
Economy - overview | The economy consists primarily of subsistence agriculture and fishing. The government is the major employer of the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. The population enjoys a per capita income of twice that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the tourist sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific and the rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries. | The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 2000 more than 3 million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries are banking, wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main agricultural products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of output and standard of living are comparable to those of the most prosperous regions of Italy, which supplies much of its food. |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Ngerchelchauus 242 m |
lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m
highest point: Monte Titano 755 m |
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 | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution |
Ethnic groups | Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 70%, Asian (mainly Filipinos, followed by Chinese, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese) 28%, white 2% (2000 est.) | Sammarinese, Italian |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) |
Executive branch | 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% |
chief of state: cochiefs of state Captain Regent Claudio MUCCIOLI and Captain Regent Antonello BACCIOCHI (for the period 1 October 2005 - 31 March 2006)
head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Fabio BERARDI (15 December 2003) cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term elections: cochiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great and General Council for a six-month term; election last held NA September 2005 (next to be held March 2006); secretary of state for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term; election last held 13 December 2003 (next to be held June 2006 when general elections are scheduled) election results: Claudio MUCCIOLI and Antonello BACCIOCHI elected captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA%; Fabio BERARDI elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs; percent of legislative vote - NA% note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council) selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (cochiefs of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State), which has 10 other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council; assisting the captains regent are 10 secretaries of state; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some of the prerogatives of a prime minister |
Exports | $14.3 million (f.o.b., 1996) | trade data are included with the statistics for Italy |
Exports - commodities | trochus (type of shellfish), tuna, copra, handicrafts | building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, ceramics |
Exports - partners | US, Japan | - |
Fiscal year | 1 October - 30 September | calendar year |
Flag description | light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side | two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $129 million (1998 est.)
note: GDP numbers reflect US spending |
- |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $7,100 (1998 est.) | purchasing power parity - $34,600 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | -1.4% (1998 est.) | 7.5% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 7 30 N, 134 30 E | 43 46 N, 12 25 E |
Geography - note | includes World War II battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands; archipelago of six island groups totaling over 200 islands in the Caroline chain | landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines |
Highways | total:
61 km paved: 36 km unpaved: 25 km |
total: 220 km
paved: 220 km unpaved: 0 km (2001) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $126 million (f.o.b., FY99/00) | trade data are included with the statistics for Italy |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs | wide variety of consumer manufactures, food |
Imports - partners | US | - |
Independence | 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship) | 3 September 301 |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 6% (1997 est.) |
Industries | tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making | tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine |
Infant mortality rate | 16.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 5.73 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.16 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | 3.3% (2001) |
International organization participation | ACP, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO | CE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | NA | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas | Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII |
Labor force | 8,300 (1999) | 18,500 (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% | agriculture 1%, industry 42%, services 57% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 39 km
border countries: Italy 39 km |
Land use | arable land:
NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA% |
arable land: 16.67%
permanent crops: 0% other: 83.33% (2001) |
Languages | 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) | Italian |
Legal system | based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws | based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of the Senate (16 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 by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; House of Delegates - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA |
unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 10 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 41.4%, PSS 24.2%, PD 20.8%, APDS 8.2%, RC 3.4%, AN 1.9%; seats by party - PDCS 25, PSS 15, PD 12, APDS 5, RC 2, AN 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
68.89 years male: 65.77 years female: 72.19 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 81.62 years
male: 78.13 years female: 85.43 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92% male: 93% female: 90% (1980 est.) |
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 96% male: 97% female: 95% (1976 est.) |
Location | Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines | Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy |
Map references | Oceania | Europe |
Maritime claims | continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM extended fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | - |
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 | defense is the responsibility of Italy |
Military branches | NA | Voluntary Military Force (Corpi Militari Voluntar); note - performs ceremonial duties and limited police assistance |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | $700,000 (FY00/01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | NA |
National holiday | Constitution Day, 9 July (1979) | Founding of the Republic, 3 September (301) |
Nationality | noun:
Palauan(s) adjective: Palauan |
noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Sammarinese |
Natural hazards | typhoons (June to December) | NA |
Natural resources | forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals | building stone |
Net migration rate | 4.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 10.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Palau Nationalist Party [Johnson TORIBIONG]; Ta Belau Party [Kuniwo NAKAMURA] | Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Ideas in Movement or IM [Alessandro ROSSI]; National Alliance or AN [leader NA]; Party of Democrats or PD [Claudio FELICI]; San Marino Christian Democratic Party or PDCS [Giovanni LONFERNINI]; San Marino Popular Alliance of Democrats or APDS [Roberto GIORGETTI]; San Marino Socialist Party or PSS [Alberto CECCHETTI]; Socialists for Reform or SR [Renzo GIARDI] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 19,092 (July 2001 est.) | 28,880 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.69% (2001 est.) | 1.3% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Koror | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 12,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Christian (Catholics, 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) | Roman Catholic |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.2 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.14 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment: adequate connections
domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system international: country code - 378; connected to Italian international network |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1,500 (1988) | 20,600 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1988) | 16,800 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997) |
Terrain | varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs | rugged mountains |
Total fertility rate | 2.47 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.33 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 2.3% (2000 est.) | 2.6% (2001) |
Waterways | none | - |