Palau (2008) | Qatar (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | 16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol | 10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal |
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.) |
0-14 years: 24.7% (male 102,938; female 98,934)
15-64 years: 72.4% (male 415,302; female 176,183) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 17,199; female 6,496) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish | fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish |
Airports | 3 (2007) | 4 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 2 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007) |
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total: 458 sq km
land: 458 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 11,437 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Connecticut |
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. | Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. He was overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have a per capita income not far below the leading industrial countries of Western Europe. |
Birth rate | 17.7 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 15.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $72.07 million
expenditures: $72.43 million (FY04/05 est.) |
revenues: $5 billion
expenditures: $5.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2 billion (FY 02/03 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) |
Doha |
Climate | tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November | arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers |
Coastline | 1,519 km | 563 km |
Constitution | 1 January 1981 | provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent constitution; in the 29 April 2003 referendum, 96.6% of Qatari voters approved the new 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: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Palau District |
conventional long form: State of Qatar
conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar |
Currency | - | Qatari rial (QAR) |
Death rate | 6.77 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 4.43 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 (FY99/00) | $15.4 billion (2002 est.) |
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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Maureen E. QUINN
embassy: Al-Luqtas District, 22 February Road, Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: [974] 488 4101 FAX: [974] 488 4298 |
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) |
chief of mission: Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA
chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061 consulate(s) general: Houston |
Disputes - international | maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia | none |
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) | $NA |
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 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. | Oil and gas account for more than 55% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to that of the leading West European industrial countries. Proved oil reserves of 14.5 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important to the economy. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 17.9 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total and third largest in the world. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore natural gas reserves. Since 2000, Qatar has consistently posted trade surpluses largely because of high oil prices and increased natural gas exports, and Qatar's economy is expected to receive an added boost as it begins to increase liquid natural gas exports. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 8.616 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | - | 9.264 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m |
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 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 | limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities |
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 |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
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) | Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2002), 3.64 (2001), 3.64 (2000), 3.64 (1999), 3.64 (1998) |
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% |
chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad Al Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince JASIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected crown prince by the monarch 22 October 1996); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of minister of defense and commander-in-chief of the armed forces
head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 20 January 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election for the CMC was held in March 1999 |
Exports | $5.882 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | shellfish, tuna, copra, garments | petroleum products, fertilizers, steel |
Exports - partners | US, Japan, Singapore (2006) | Japan 40.1%, South Korea 16.6%, Singapore 8.2%, US 4.1% (2002) |
Fiscal year | 1 October - 30 September | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side | maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $15.91 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 6.2%
industry: 12% services: 81.8% (2003) |
agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 67.6% services: 32% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $20,100 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5.5% (2005 est.) | 4.6% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 7 30 N, 134 30 E | 25 30 N, 51 15 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 | strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits |
Heliports | - | 1 (2002) |
Highways | - | total: 1,230 km
paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $107.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs | machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals |
Imports - partners | US, Singapore, Japan, South Korea (2006) | France 17.8%, Japan 10.1%, US 8.5%, UK 8.3%, Germany 8%, Italy 6.7%, UAE 5.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.1%, South Korea 4% (2002) |
Independence | 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship) | 3 September 1971 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making | crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement |
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.) |
total: 20.03 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.7% (2005 est.) | 1.9% (2002) |
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 | ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | 130 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Court of Common Pleas; Land Court | Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 9,777 (2005) | 280,122 (1997 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 20%
industry: NA% services: NA% (1990) |
- |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km |
Land use | arable land: 8.7%
permanent crops: 4.35% other: 86.95% (2005) |
arable land: 1.27%
permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.46% (1998 est.) |
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) | Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language |
Legal system | based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws | discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters |
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 |
unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed)
note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every four years since; the new constitution provides for a 45-member Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would appoint the remaining members |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 70.71 years
male: 67.54 years female: 74.06 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 73.14 years
male: 70.65 years female: 75.76 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92% male: 93% female: 90% (1980 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 82.5% male: 81.4% female: 85% (2003 est.) |
Location | Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines | Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia |
Map references | Oceania | Middle East |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 638,815 GRT/995,096 DWT
ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, combination ore/oil 2, container 7, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Kuwait 1, UAE 3 (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, but no military forces are stationed there (2005) | - |
Military branches | no regular military forces; Palau National Police (2008) | Army, Navy, Air Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $723 million (FY00) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | 10% (FY00) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 320,835
note: includes non-nationals (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 168,416 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 7,192 (2003 est.) |
National holiday | Constitution Day, 9 July (1979) | Independence Day, 3 September (1971) |
Nationality | noun: Palauan(s)
adjective: Palauan |
noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari |
Natural hazards | typhoons (June to December) | haze, dust storms, sandstorms common |
Natural resources | forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals | petroleum, natural gas, fish |
Net migration rate | 1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 17.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | - | condensate 90 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 902 km; liquid petroleum gas 87 km; oil 722 km; oil/gas/water 41 km (2003) |
Political parties and leaders | none | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 20,842 (July 2007 est.) | 817,052 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.233% (2007 est.) | 2.87% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001) | AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
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) | Muslim 95% |
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.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.36 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.65 male(s)/female total population: 1.9 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: NA international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat |
Telephones - main lines in use | 6,700 (2002) | 142,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,000 (2002) | 43,476 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (cable) (2005) | 1 (plus three repeaters) (2001) |
Terrain | varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs | mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel |
Total fertility rate | 2.46 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 3.02 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.2% (2005 est.) | 2.7% (2001) |
Waterways | - | none |