Palau
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)
constitutional government in free association with the US
Palau as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 106 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines
18 fieldsTerrain
varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs
Land use
arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA%
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
- 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
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2001 est.)
Ethnic groups(2000 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 26.88% (male 2,641; female 2,491) 15-64 years: 68.46% (male 7,128; female 5,943) 65 years and over: 4.66% (male 420; female 469) (2001 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.2 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.14 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 68.89 years male: 65.77 years female: 72.19 years (2001 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.)
Government
Constitutional government in free association with the US; President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU Jr. (since 19 January 2001) and Vice President Sandra PIERANTOZZI (since 19 January 2001)
20 fieldsCountry name
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)
Government type
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994
Administrative divisions
18 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatobohei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Palau Island, Peleliu, Sonsoral, Tobi
Legal system
based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU Jr. (since 19 January 2001) and Vice President Sandra PIERANTOZZI (since 19 January 2001);
- 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 Sandra PIERANTOZZI (since 19 January 2001);
- 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 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: Tommy Esang REMENGESAU Jr. elected president;
- percent of vote - Tommy Esang REMENGESAU Jr. 53%, Peter SUGIYAMA 46%;
- Sandra PIERANTOZZI elected vice president;
- percent of vote - Sandra PIERANTOZZI 52%, Alan SEID 45%
Legislative branch
- bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of the Senate (16 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 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004);
- House of Delegates - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;
- seats by party - NA;
- House of Delegates - percent of vote by party - NA%;
- seats by party - NA
Political parties and leaders
Palau Nationalist Party [Johnson TORIBIONG]; Ta Belau Party [Kuniwo NAKAMURA]
International organization participation
ACP, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA chancery: 1150 18th Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- the Ambassador to the Philippines is accredited to Palau;
- Charge d'Affaires Allen E. NUGENT embassy: address NA, Koror mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940 telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990
Flag description
light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side
Economy
The economy consists primarily of subsistence agriculture and fishing.
27 fieldsEconomy - 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 population enjoys a per capita income of 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 rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries.
Budget
revenues: $57.7 million expenditures: $80.8 million, including capital expenditures of $17.1 million (FY98/99 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$155.8 million (1995); note - the Compact of Free Association with the US, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994, will provide Palau with up to $700 million in US aid over 15 years in return for furnishing military facilities
Communications
9 fieldsTelephone system
general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Transportation
8 fieldsMilitary
NA
4 fieldsMilitary - note
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
Transnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Palau.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/palau/2001.