Paracel Islands (2001) | Palau (2004) | |
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: 26.6% (male 2,746; female 2,578)
15-64 years: 68.8% (male 7,456; female 6,319) 65 years and over: 4.6% (male 437; female 480) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes |
Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | 3 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
Area | total:
NA sq km land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 458 sq km
land: 458 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | NA | slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | This archipelago is surrounded by productive fishing grounds and potentially large oil reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Prattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops captured a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. However, the islands are still claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan. | 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 | - | 18.69 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $57.7 million
expenditures: $80.8 million, including capital expenditures of $17.1 million (FY98/99 est.) |
Capital | - | Koror; note - a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast of Koror |
Climate | tropical | Tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November |
Coastline | 518 km | 1,519 km |
Constitution | - | 1 January 1981 |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Paracel Islands |
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 | - | 6.89 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $0 (FY99/00) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | chief of mission: Ambassador Francis J. RICCIARDONE, US ambassador to the Philippines is accredited to Palau
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: 1800 K Street NW, Suite 714, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814 FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281 consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands) |
Disputes - international | occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam | border delineation disputes being negotiated with Philippines, Indonesia |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $155.8 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 |
Economy - overview | China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. | 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:
South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | 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 | - | Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 70%, Asian (mainly Filipinos, followed by Chinese, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese) 28%, white 2% (2000 est.) |
Exchange rates | - | the US dollar is used |
Executive branch | - | chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001) and 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) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005); 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 2 November 2004 (next to be held 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 | - | $18 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Exports - commodities | - | shellfish, tuna, copra, garments |
Exports - partners | - | US, Japan, Singapore (2000) |
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 | - | purchasing power parity - $174 million
note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (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 | 16 30 N, 112 00 E | 7 30 N, 134 30 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 |
Highways | - | total: 61 km
paved: 36 km unpaved: 25 km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | - | $99 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Imports - commodities | - | machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | - | US, Guam, Japan, Singapore, Korea (2000) |
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: 15.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.07 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 3.4% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | - | ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1993) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas |
Labor force | - | 9,845 (2000) |
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% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% |
arable land: 8.7%
permanent crops: 4.35% other: 86.95% (2001) |
Languages | - | English and Palauan official in all states except Sonsoral (Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official) |
Legal system | - | based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws |
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 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); House of Delegates - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008) election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 (four new members elected); House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 16 (one new member elected) |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 69.82 years
male: 66.67 years female: 73.15 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92% male: 93% female: 90% (1980 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines | Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Oceania |
Maritime claims | NA | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm extended fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | - | none |
Military - note | occupied by China | 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 | - | no regular military forces; Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | NA |
National holiday | - | Constitution Day, 9 July (1979) |
Nationality | - | noun: Palauan(s)
adjective: Palauan |
Natural hazards | typhoons | typhoons (June to December) |
Natural resources | none | forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals |
Net migration rate | - | 2.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2001 est.) |
20,016 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA |
Population growth rate | - | 1.46% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded | Koror |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002) |
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) |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1.14 male(s)/female (2004 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 | mostly low and flat | 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 (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 2.3% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |