Palau (2002) | Mayotte (2008) | |
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Administrative divisions | 16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatobohei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsoral | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) |
Age structure | 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.) |
0-14 years: 45.8% (male 48,016/female 47,533)
15-64 years: 52.5% (male 59,111/female 50,437) 65 years and over: 1.8% (male 1,864/female 1,822) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes | vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra |
Airports | 3 (2001) | 1 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 458 sq km
land: 458 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 374 sq km
land: 374 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than twice 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 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. | Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of the Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego independence. |
Birth rate | 19.32 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 40.35 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $57.7 million
expenditures: $80.8 million, including capital expenditures of $17.1 million |
revenues: $420 million
expenditures: $394 million (2005) |
Capital | Koror; note - a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast of Koror | name: Mamoudzou
geographic coordinates: 12 46 S, 45 13 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | wet season May to November; hot and humid | tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November) |
Coastline | 1,519 km | 185.2 km |
Constitution | 1 January 1981 | 4 October 1958 (French 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: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte |
Currency | US dollar (USD) | - |
Death rate | 7.11 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 (FY99/00) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | departmental collectivity of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | 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 |
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) |
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 consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands) |
none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) |
Disputes - international | none | claimed by Comoros |
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, provides Palau with up to $700 million in US aid over 15 years in return for furnishing military facilities | $201.3 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (2005) |
Economy - overview | 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. | Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance, an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the development of tourism. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 139.2 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | - | NA kWh |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Benara 660 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, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
- |
Ethnic groups | Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 70%, Asian (mainly Filipinos, followed by Chinese, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese) 28%, white 2% (2000 est.) | NA |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003) |
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: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHL (since 17 January 2005)
head of government: President of the General Council Said Omar OILI (since 8 April 2004) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term; next election to be held in 2010 |
Exports | $11 million f.o.b. (1999) | $6.5 million f.o.b. (2005) |
Exports - commodities | shellfish, tuna, copra, garments | ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon |
Exports - partners | US, Japan, Singapore | France 43%, Comoros 36%, Reunion 15% (2006) |
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 | unofficial, local flag with the coat of arms of Mayotte centered on a white field, above which the name of the island appears in red capital letters; the main elements of the coat of arms, flanked on either side by a seahorse, appear above a scroll with the motto RA HACHIRI (We are Vigilant); the only official flag is the national flag of France |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $174 million
note: GDP numbers reflect US spending (2001 est.) |
- |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 1% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 7 30 N, 134 30 E | 12 50 S, 45 10 E |
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 | part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands |
Highways | total: 61 km
paved: 36 km unpaved: 25 km |
- |
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. (1999) | $341 million f.o.b.; note - excludes petroleum imports (2005) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs | food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals |
Imports - partners | US | France 49%, Seychelles 8.8%, China 4.1%, South Africa 2.8% (2006) |
Independence | 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship) | none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making | newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction |
Infant mortality rate | 16.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 59.51 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 65.33 deaths/1,000 live births female: 53.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.4% (2000 est.) | 1.7% (2005) |
International organization participation | ACP, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO | InOC, UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2002) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas | Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel |
Labor force | 8,300 (1999) | 44,560 (2002) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 20%, industry NA%, services NA% (1990) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 21.74%
permanent crops: 0% other: 78.26% (1998 est.) |
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA% other: NA% |
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) | Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population |
Legal system | based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws | the laws of France, where applicable, apply |
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 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 |
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - MDM 23.3%, UMP 22.8%, PS 10.2%, MRC 8.9%, FRAP 6.5%, MPM 1.2%, other 27.1%; seats by party - MDM 6, UMP 9, MRC 2, MPM 1, diverse left 1 note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held in September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.1%, UDF 44.9%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 69.19 years
male: 66.07 years female: 72.5 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 62.16 years
male: 59.94 years female: 64.45 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92% male: 93% female: 90% (1980 est.) |
definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
Location | Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines | Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique |
Map references | Oceania | Africa |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM
extended fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2002 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 France; a small contingent of French forces is stationed on the island |
Military branches | NA | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | - |
National holiday | Constitution Day, 9 July (1979) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Palauan(s)
adjective: Palauan |
noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran |
Natural hazards | typhoons (June to December) | cyclones during rainy season |
Natural resources | forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals | NEGL |
Net migration rate | 3.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 3.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or UMP-RPR [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for Democracy or FRAP; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar SALIM]; Renewed Communist Party of Mayotte or MRC [Omar SIMBA]; Socialist Party or PS [Ibrahim ABUBACAR] (local branch of French Parti Socialiste); Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 19,409 (July 2002 est.) | 208,783 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.61% (2002 est.) | 3.617% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Koror | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002) | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001) |
Radios | 12,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | 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) | Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3% |
Sex ratio | 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.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.172 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.023 male(s)/female total population: 1.092 male(s)/female (2007 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: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA international: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros |
Telephones - main lines in use | 6,700 (2002) | 10,000 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,000 (2002) | 48,100 (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 3 (2001) |
Terrain | varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs | generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks |
Total fertility rate | 2.47 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 5.69 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 2.3% (2000 est.) | 25.4% (2005) |
Waterways | none | - |