Palau
Republic of PalauBeluu er a Belau
constitutional government in free association with the US
Palau as the 2014 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 112 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 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.
Geography
Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines
18 fieldsLand useshare of 459 sq km
Terrain
varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs
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, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
- 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
People and Society
30 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2014 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2014 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(2005 est.)
Languages
Palauan (official on most islands) 66.6%, Carolinian 0.7%, other Micronesian 0.7%, English (official) 15.5%, Filipino 10.8%, Chinese 1.8%, other Asian 2.6%, other 1.3% note: Sonsoral (Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official) (2005 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 49.4%, Protestant 30.9% (includes Protestant (general) 23.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.3%, and other Protestant 2.5%), Modekngei 8.7% (indigenous to Palau), Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other 8.8%, none or unspecified 1.1% (2005 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.07 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 0.99 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 1.56 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 1.1 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.4 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.12 male(s)/female (2014 est.)
Government
Constitutional government in free association with the US; President Tommy REMENGESAU (since 17 January 2013); President Tommy REMENGESAU (since 17 January 2013)
20 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Senate, 16 seats, elected 6 November 2012one dot, one seat
Country name
- 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
Government type
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force on 1 October 1994
Capital
- name:
- Melekeok
- geographic coordinates:
- 7 29 N, 134 38 E
- time difference:
- UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Tommy REMENGESAU (since 17 January 2013);
- Vice President Antonio BELLS (since 17 January 2013);
- note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
- head of government:
- President Tommy REMENGESAU (since 17 January 2013); Vice President Antonio BELLS (since 17 January 2013)
- cabinet:
- NA; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);
- election last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2016)
- election results:
- Tommy REMENGESAU elected president; percent of vote - Tommy REMENGESAU 58%, Johnson TORIBIONG 42%
Legislative branch
bicameral National Congress 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 on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2016); House of Delegates - last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2016)
- election results:
- Senate - percent of vote - NA;
- seats - independents 9;
- House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA;
- seats - independents 16
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 3 associate justices organized into appellate trial divisions; also within the Supreme Court organization are 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 appointed until mandatory retirement at age 65
- subordinate courts:
- National Court and other 'inferior' courts
International organization participation
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, IOC, IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Hersey KYOTA (since 12 November 1997)
- chancery:
- 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 452-6814
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 452-6281
- consulate(s):
- Tamuning (Guam)
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Helen P. REED-ROWE (since 27 September 2013)
- embassy:
- Koror (no street address)
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box 6028, Koror, Republic of Palau 96940
- telephone:
- [680] 587-2920
- FAX:
- [680] 587-2911
Flag description
- light blue with a large yellow disk shifted slightly to the hoist side;
- the blue color represents the ocean, the disk represents the moon;
- Palauans consider the full moon to be the optimum time for human activity;
- it is also considered a symbol of peace, love, and tranquility
Economy
The economy consists of tourism and other services such as trade, subsistence agriculture, and fishing.
27 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2012 est.)
Economy - overview
The economy consists of tourism and other services such as trade, subsistence agriculture, and fishing. Government is a major employer of the work force relying on financial assistance from the US under the Compact of Free Association (Compact) with the US. The Compact took effect, after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994.
The US provided Palau with roughly $700 million in aid for the first 15 years following commencement of the Compact in 1994 in return for unrestricted access to its land and waterways for strategic purposes. Business and leisure tourist arrivals numbered over 109,000 in 2011, for a 27% increase over 2010.
The population enjoys a per capita income roughly double that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for tourism have been bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific, the rising prosperity of industrial East Asia, and the willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure development.
Proximity to Guam, the region's major destination for tourists from East Asia, and a regionally competitive tourist infrastructure enhance Palau's advantage as a destination.
Current account balance
-$20.8 million (2010 est.); $15.09 million (FY03/04) country comparison to the world: 63
Communications
6 fieldsTelephone system
- domestic:
- fixed-line and mobile-cellular services available with a combined subscribership of roughly 100 per 100 persons
- international:
- country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2009)
Broadcast media
- no TV stations;
- a cable TV network covers the major islands and provides access to 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 with 1 government-owned (2009)
Transportation
4 fieldsMilitary
No regular military forces; Palau National Police (2009)
5 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, but it has not stationed any military forces there (2008)
Transnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Palau.” The World Factbook 2014. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/palau/2014.