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 independent status 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 their independence.
Government
type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free
Association entered into force 1 October 1994
Capital: Koror
note: a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast of Koror
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Geography of Palau
Location: Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the
Philippines
Geographic coordinates: 7 30 N, 134 30 E
Area:
total: 458 sq km
land: 458 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,519 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
extended fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: wet season May to November; hot and humid
Terrain: varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of
Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Ngerchelchauus 242 m
Natural resources: forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products,
deep-seabed minerals
Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December)
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
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain,
consists of six island groups totaling over 200 islands; includes World War
II battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands.
People of Palau
Population: 20,303 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.88%
15-64 years: 68.46%
65 years and over: 4.66%
Population growth rate: 1.69%
Birth rate: 19.64 births/1,000 population
Death rate: 7.23 deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: 4.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: 16.67 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.89 years
male: 65.77 years
female: 72.19 years
Total fertility rate: 2.47 children born/woman
Nationality:
noun: Palauan(s)
adjective: Palauan
Ethnic groups: Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian
admixtures) 70%, Asian (mainly Filipinos, followed by Chinese, Taiwanese,
and Vietnamese) 28%, white 2% (2000 est.)
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 and Palauan official in all states except Sonsoral
(Sonsorolese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and Angaur
(Angaur, Japanese, and English are official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92%
male: 93%
female: 90% (1980 est.)
SOURCE: The World Factbook |