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Compare Spratly Islands (2005) - Palau (2004)

Compare Spratly Islands (2005) z Palau (2004)

 Spratly Islands (2005)Palau (2004)
 Spratly IslandsPalau
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 3 (2004 est.) 3 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


less than 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Area total: less than 5 sq km


land: less than 5 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea
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 The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef, but has not made any formal claim. 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 926 km 1,519 km
Constitution - 1 January 1981
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Spratly 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 all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratlys 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 Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored; there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed. 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 Southwest Cay 4 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 8 38 N, 111 55 E 7 30 N, 134 30 E
Geography - note strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs 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 (1998 est.) 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%


other: 100% (2001)
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 reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern 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 Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam 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; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals typhoons (June to December)
Natural resources fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential 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 garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (2004)
20,016 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line - NA
Population growth rate - 1.46% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors none; offshore anchorage only 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 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.)
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