Palau

• tropical;
• hot and humid;
• wet season May to November

agricultural land:

9.3% (2023 est.)

arable land:

0.7% (2023 est.)

permanent crops:

4.3% (2023 est.)

permanent pasture:

4.3% (2023 est.)

forest:

90.6% (2023 est.)

other:

0% (2023 est.)

noun:

Palauan(s)

adjective:

Palauan

total:

35.5 years (2025 est.)

male:

34.1 years

female:

37.4 years

at birth:

1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.25 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.33 male(s)/female

total population:

1.06 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

10.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

12.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

8.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

75.2 years (2024 est.)

male:

72 years

female:

78.5 years

total:

16.3% (2025 est.)

male:

25.2% (2025 est.)

female:

6.8% (2025 est.)

• inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste;
• threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing practices, and overfishing;
• rising sea level;
• coral bleaching;
• drought

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

• tropical;
• hot and humid;
• wet season May to November

agricultural land:

9.3% (2023 est.)

arable land:

0.7% (2023 est.)

permanent crops:

4.3% (2023 est.)

permanent pasture:

4.3% (2023 est.)

forest:

90.6% (2023 est.)

other:

0% (2023 est.)

urban population:

82.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

1.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

conventional long form:

Republic of Palau

conventional short form:

Palau

local long form:

Beluu er a Belau

local short form:

Belau

former:

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Palau District

etymology:

from the Palauan name for the islands, Belau, which likely derives from the Palauan word beluu , meaning "village"

name:

Ngerulmud

geographic coordinates:

7 30 N, 134 37 E

time difference:

UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology:

the name comes from a Palauan term meaning "place of fermented angelfish;" the site of the capital was the traditional location for women to gather and offer fermented angelfish to the gods

history:

ratified 9 July 1980, effective 1 January 1981

amendment process:

• proposed by a constitutional convention (held at least once every 15 years with voter approval), by public petition of at least 25% of eligible voters, or by a resolution adopted by at least three fourths of National Congress members;
• passage requires approval by a majority of votes in at least three fourths of the states in the next regular general election

citizenship by birth:

no

citizenship by descent only:

at least one parent must be a citizen of Palau

dual citizenship recognized:

no

residency requirement for naturalization:

note - no procedure for naturalization

chief of state:

President Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. (since 21 January 2021)

head of government:

President Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. (since 21 January 2021)

cabinet:

• Cabinet appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate;
• also includes the vice president;
• the Council of Chiefs consists of chiefs from each of the states who advise the president on issues concerning traditional laws, customs, and their relationship to the constitution and laws

election/appointment process:

president and vice president directly elected on separate ballots by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term)

most recent election date:

5 November 2024

election results:

• 2024: Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. elected president in second round;
• percent of vote - Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. (independent) 57.7%, Tommy REMENGESAU (independent) 42.1%, other 0.2%

; 2020: Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. elected president in second round; percent of vote - Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. (independent) 56.7%, Raynold OILUCH (independent) 43.3%

expected date of next election:

November 2028

note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

legislature name:

National Congress (Olbiil Era Kelulau)

legislative structure:

bicameral

chamber name:

House of Delegates

number of seats:

16 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

plurality/majority

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

4 years

most recent election date:

11/5/2024

percentage of women in chamber:

25%

expected date of next election:

November 2028

chamber name:

Senate

number of seats:

15 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

plurality/majority

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

4 years

most recent election date:

11/5/2024

percentage of women in chamber:

13.3%

expected date of next election:

November 2028

highest court(s):

Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 3 associate justices organized into appellate trial divisions; the Supreme Court organization also includes the Common Pleas and Land Courts)

judge selection and term of office:

• justices nominated by a 7-member independent body consisting of judges, presidential appointees, and lawyers and appointed by the president;
• judges can serve until mandatory retirement at age 65

subordinate courts:

National Court and other inferior courts

chief of mission:

Ambassador Hersey KYOTA (since 12 November 1997)

chancery:

1701 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20006

telephone:

[1] (202) 349-8598

FAX:

[1] (202) 452-6281

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://www.palauembassy.org/

consulate(s):

Tamuning (Guam)

chief of mission:

Ambassador Joel EHRENDREICH (since 29 September 2023)

embassy:

Omsangel/Beklelachieb, Airai 96940

mailing address:

4260 Koror Place, Washington, DC 20521-4260

telephone:

[680] 587-2920

FAX:

[680] 587-2911

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://pw.usembassy.gov/

description:

light blue with a large yellow disk to the left side

meaning:

blue stands for the ocean, and the disk for the moon, which is considered a symbol of peace, love, and tranquility

title:

"Belau rekid" (Our Palau)

lyrics/music:

multiple/Ymesei O. EZEKIEL

history:

adopted 1980

total World Heritage Sites:

1 (mixed)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

Rock Islands Southern Lagoon

• high-income Pacific island economy;
• environmentally fragile;
• subsistence agriculture and fishing industries;
• US aid reliance;
• rebounding post-pandemic tourism industry and services sector;
• very high living standard and low unemployment

agriculture:

3% (2023 est.)

industry:

9.9% (2023 est.)

services:

76.7% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

• coconuts, cassava (manioc, tapioca), sweet potatoes;
• fish, pigs, chickens, eggs, bananas, papaya, breadfruit, calamansi, soursop, Polynesian chestnuts, Polynesian almonds, mangoes, taro, guava, beans, cucumbers, squash/pumpkins (various), eggplant, green onions, kangkong (watercress), cabbages (various), radishes, betel nuts, melons, peppers, noni, okra

• no broadcast TV stations;
• a cable TV network covers the major islands and provides access to 4 local cable stations, rebroadcasts (on a delayed basis) of a number of US stations, as well as access to a number of real-time satellite TV channels;
• about a half dozen radio stations (1 government-owned) (2019)

total ports:

1 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

0

very small:

1

ports with oil terminals:

1

key ports:

Malakal Harbor