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 Match 187   DB Rec# - 7,639  Dataset-WOFACT

Title         :Palau 
Text          : 
                                      Palau 
 
                                    Geography 
 
Location: 
    Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the 
    Philippines 
Map references: 


    Oceania 
Area: 
  total area: 
    458 sq km 
  land area: 
    458 sq km 
  comparative area: 
    slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC 
Land boundaries: 
    0 km 
Coastline: 
    1,519 km 
Maritime claims: 
  continental shelf: 
    200-m depth or to depth of exploitation 
  exclusive fishing zone: 
    200 nm 
  territorial sea: 
    3 nm 
International disputes: 
    none 
Climate: 
    wet season May to November; hot and humid 
Terrain: 
    about 200 islands varying geologically from the high, mountainous main 
    island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier 
    reefs 
Natural resources: 
    forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals 
Land use: 
  arable land: 
    NA% 
  permanent crops: 
    NA% 
  meadows and pastures: 
    NA% 
  forest and woodland: 
    NA% 
  other: 
    NA% 
Irrigated land: 
    NA sq km 
Environment: 
  current issues: 
    inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine 
    ecosystem from sand and coral dredging and illegal fishing practices that 
    involve the use of dynamite 
  natural hazards: 
    typhoons (June to December) 
  international agreements: 
    NA 
Note: 
    includes World War II battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous 
    rock islands; archipelago of six island groups totaling over 200 islands in 
    the Caroline chain 
 
                                     People 
 
Population: 
    16,661 (July 1995 est.) 


Age structure: 
  0-14 years: 
    NA 
  15-64 years: 
    NA 
  65 years and over: 
    NA 
Population growth rate: 
    1.76% (1995 est.) 
Birth rate: 
    22.11 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Death rate: 
    6.61 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Net migration rate: 
    2.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Infant mortality rate: 
    25.07 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) 
Life expectancy at birth: 
  total population: 
    71.01 years 
  male: 
    69.14 years 
  female: 
    73.02 years (1995 est.) 
Total fertility rate: 
    2.85 children born/woman (1995 est.) 
Nationality: 
  noun: 
    Palauan(s) 
  adjective: 
    Palauan 
Ethnic divisions: 
    Palauans are a composite of Polynesian, Malayan, and Melanesian races 
Religions: 
    Christian (Catholics, 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) 
Languages: 
    English (official in all of Palau's 16 states), Sonsorolese (official in the
 
    state of Sonsoral), Angaur and Japanese (in the state of Anguar), Tobi (in 
    the state of Tobi), Palauan (in the other 13 states) 
Literacy: 
    age 15 and over can read and write (1980) 
  total population: 
    92% 
  male: 
    93% 
  female: 
    90% 
Labor force: 
    NA 
  by occupation: 
    NA 
 
                                   Government 
 
Names: 
  conventional long form: 


    Republic of Palau 
  conventional short form: 
    Palau 
  former: 
    Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 
Digraph: 
    PS 
Type: 
    self-governing territory in free association with the US pursuant to Compact
 
    of Free Association which entered into force 1 October 1994; Palau is fully 
    responsible for internal affairs; US retains responsibility for external 
    affairs 
Capital: 
    Koror 
  note: 
    a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast in eastern Babelthuap 
Administrative divisions: 
    there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US 
    Government, but there are 16 states: Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Kayangel, 
    Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngardmau, Ngaremlengui, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, 
    Ngerchelong, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol, Tobi 
Independence: 
    1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship) 
National holiday: 
    Constitution Day, 9 July (1979) 
Constitution: 
    1 January 1981 
Legal system: 
    based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, 
    and customary laws 
Suffrage: 
    18 years of age; universal 
Executive branch: 
  chief of state and head of government: 
    President Kuniwo NAKAMURA (since 1 January 1993), Vice-President Tommy E. 
    REMENGESAU Jr. (since 1 January 1993); election last held 4 November 1992 
    (next to be held NA November 1996); results - Kuniwo NAKAMURA 50.7%, Johnson
 
    TORIBIONG 49.3% 
Legislative branch: 
    bicameral Parliament (Olbiil Era Kelulau or OEK) 
  Senate: 
    elections last held 4 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); 
    results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (14 total) number of seats by
 
    party NA 
  House of Delegates: 
    elections last held 4 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); 
    results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (16 total) number of seats by
 
    party NA 
Judicial branch: 
    Supreme Court, National Court, Court of Common Pleas 
Member of: 
    ESCAP (associate), SPC, SPF (observer), UN 
Diplomatic representation in US: 
  chief of mission: 
    Liaison Officer NA 
  liaison office: 


    444 North Capital Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 
 
                                   Government 
  telephone: 
    (202) 624-7793 
  FAX: 
    NA 
  note: 
    relationship of free association with the US pursuant to compact of free 
    association which entered into force 1 October 1994 
US diplomatic representation: 
  chief of mission: 
    Liaison Officer Lloyd W. MOSS 
  liaison office: 
    Erenguul Street, Koror, Republic of Palau 
  mailing address: 
    P.O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940 
  telephone: 
    [680] 488-2920 
  FAX: 
    [680] 488-2911 
  note: 
    relationship of free association with the US pursuant to compact of free 
    association which entered into force 1 October 1994 
Flag: 
    light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly
 
    to the hoist side 
 
                                     Economy 
 
Overview: 
    The economy consists primarily of subsistence agriculture and fishing. The 
    government is the major employer of the work force, relying heavily on 
    financial assistance from the US. The compact of "free association" with the
 
    United States, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October
 
    1994, provides Palau with $500 million in US aid over 15 years in return for
 
    furnishing some military facilities. The population, in effect, enjoys a per
 
    capita income of $5,000, twice that of the Philippines and much of 
    Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the tourist sector have been greatly 
    bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific and the rapidly 
    rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries. 
National product: 
    GDP - purchasing power parity - $81.8 million (1994 est.) 
  note: 
    GDP numbers reflect US spending 
National product real growth rate: 
    NA% 
National product per capita: 
    $5,000 (1994 est.) 
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 
    NA% 
Unemployment rate: 
    20% (1986) 
Budget: 
  revenues: 


    $6 million 
  expenditures: 
    $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1986 est.) 
Exports: 
    $600,000 (f.o.b., 1989) 
  commodities: 
    trochus (type of shellfish), tuna, copra, handicrafts 
  partners: 
    US, Japan 
Imports: 
    $24.6 million (c.i.f., 1989) 
  commodities: 
    NA 
  partners: 
    US 
External debt: 
    about $100 million (1989) 
Industrial production: 
    growth rate NA% 
Electricity: 
  capacity: 
    16,000 kW 
  production: 
    22 million kWh 
  consumption per capita: 
    1,540 kWh (1990) 
Industries: 
    tourism, craft items (shell, wood, pearl), some commercial fishing and 
    agriculture 
Agriculture: 
    subsistence-level production of coconut, copra, cassava, sweet potatoes 
 
                                     Economy 
Economic aid: 
  recipient: 
    US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $2.56 billion; Western (non-US) 
    countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $92 million 
Currency: 
    1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents 
Exchange rates: 
    US currency is used 
Fiscal year: 
    1 October - 30 September 
 
                                 Transportation 
 
Railroads: 
    0 km 
Highways: 
  total: 
    61 km 
  paved: 
    36 km 
  unpaved: 
    gravel 25 km 
Ports: 
    Koror 
Merchant marine: 
    none 
Airports: 


  total: 
    3 
  with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 
    1 
  with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 
    2 
 
                                 Communications 
 
Telephone system: 
    NA telephones 
  local: 
    NA 
  intercity: 
    NA 
  international: 
    1 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth station 
Radio: 
  broadcast stations: 
    AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 
  radios: 
    NA 
Television: 
  broadcast stations: 
    2 
  televisions: 
    NA 
 
                                 Defense Forces 
 
Branches: 
    NA 
Defense expenditures: 
    $NA, NA% of GDP 
Note: 
    defense is the responsibility of the US pursuant to Compact of Free 
    Association which entered into force 1 October 1994 

This publication is also available online from the CIA (http://www.odci.gov/cia) as 1995 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html).

The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995

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Updated: March 12, 1996