Svalbard (2001) | Palau (2005) | |
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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:
NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
0-14 years: 26.4% (male 2,768/female 2,601)
15-64 years: 69% (male 7,565/female 6,436) 65 years and over: 4.6% (male 443/female 490) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes |
Airports | 4 (2000 est.) | 3 (2004 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:
3 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
Area | total:
62,049 sq km land: 62,049 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island) |
total: 458 sq km
land: 458 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than West Virginia | slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years later it officially took over the territory. | 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 | NA births/1,000 population | 18.37 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$11.5 million expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
revenues: $57.7 million
expenditures: $80.8 million, including capital expenditures of $17.1 million (FY98/99 est.) |
Capital | Longyearbyen | Koror; note - a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast of Koror |
Climate | arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year | tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November |
Coastline | 3,587 km | 1,519 km |
Constitution | - | 1 January 1981 |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitzbergen) |
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 | Norwegian krone (NOK) | - |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | 6.85 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $0 (FY99/00) |
Dependency status | territory of Norway; administered by the Ministry of Industry, Oslo, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty was given to Norway | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | chief of mission: 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): Tamuning (Guam) |
Disputes - international | focus of a maritime boundary dispute between Norway and Russia | border delineation disputes being negotiated with Philippines, Indonesia |
Economic aid - recipient | $8.2 million from Norway (1998) | $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 | Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some trapping of seal, polar bear, fox, and walrus. | 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 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. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | - |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Arctic Ocean 0 m highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 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 | Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998) | Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 69.9%, Carolinian 1.4%, other Micronesian 1.1%, Filipino 15.3%, Chinese 4.9%, other Asian 2.4%, white 1.9%, other or unspecified 3.2% (2000 census) |
Exchange rates | Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 8.7784 (January 2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (1999), 7.5451 (1998), 7.0734 (1997), 6.4498 (1996) | the US dollar is used |
Executive branch | chief of state:
King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991) head of government: Governor Morten RUUD (since NA November 1998) and Assistant Governor Odd Redar HUMLEGAARD (since NA) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice |
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 | $NA | $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 | the flag of Norway is used | light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $NA | - |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $NA | purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 1% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 78 00 N, 20 00 E | 7 30 N, 134 30 E |
Geography - note | northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area | 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:
NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
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 | $NA | $99 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Imports - commodities | - | machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | - | US, Guam, Japan, Singapore, South Korea (2000) |
Independence | none (territory of Norway) | 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA |
Industries | - | tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making |
Infant mortality rate | NA deaths/1,000 live births | total: 14.84 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 16.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | 3.4% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | none | ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 13 (Svalbard and Jan Mayen) (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas |
Labor force | NA | 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% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry) |
arable land: 8.7%
permanent crops: 4.35% other: 86.95% (2001) |
Languages | Russian, Norwegian | 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) |
Legal system | NA | 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:
NA years male: NA years female: NA years |
total population: 70.14 years
male: 66.98 years female: 73.48 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92% male: 93% female: 90% (1980 est.) |
Location | Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway | Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines |
Map references | Arctic Region | Oceania |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia territorial sea: 4 NM |
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | - |
Military - note | demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920) | 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 | NA | Constitution Day, 9 July (1979) |
Nationality | - | noun: Palauan(s)
adjective: Palauan |
Natural hazards | ice floes often block up the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic | typhoons (June to December) |
Natural resources | coal, copper, iron ore, phosphate, zinc, wildlife, fish | forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population | 2.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | 2,332 (July 2001 est.) | 20,303 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
Population growth rate | -3.55% (2001 est.) | 1.39% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden | Koror |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002) |
Radios | NA | - |
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 religion 3.1%, unspecified or none 16.4% (2000 census) |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
probably adequate domestic: local telephone service international: satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 6,700 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 1,000 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 1 (cable) (2005) |
Terrain | wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north coasts | varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | 2.46 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 2.3% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |