Palau

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

agricultural land:

10.8% (2018 est.)

arable land:

2.2% (2018 est.)

permanent crops:

4.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture:

4.3% (2018 est.)

forest:

87.6% (2018 est.)

other:

1.6% (2018 est.)

noun:

Palauan(s)

adjective:

Palauan

total:

35.3 years (2024 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:

10.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 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:

17.6% (2020 est.)

male:

27.3% (2020 est.)

female:

7.9% (2020 est.)

• inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste;
• threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal and destructive fishing practices, and overfishing;
• climate change contributes to rising sea level and 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:

10.8% (2018 est.)

arable land:

2.2% (2018 est.)

permanent crops:

4.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture:

4.3% (2018 est.)

forest:

87.6% (2018 est.)

other:

1.6% (2018 est.)

urban population:

82.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

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

particulate matter emissions:

7.82 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions:

0.22 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions:

0.06 megatons (2020 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"

history:

ratified 9 July 1980, effective 1 January 1981

amendments:

• 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;
• amended several times, last in 2020

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 of Palau

elections/appointments:

• 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);
• election last held on 5 November 2024 (next to be held November 2028)

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%

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

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 (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires James BOUGHNER (since 9 September 2022)

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/

• 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

name:

"Belau rekid" (Our Palau)

lyrics/music:

multiple/Ymesei O. EZEKIEL

note: 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

• 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

general assessment:

• Palau telecommunications is a small, formerly unregulated sector undertaking significant growth with the improvement and cost reduction in technology;
• mobile services have taken over the share of the market from landlines, with both 2-3G cell services throughout the islands;
• sim cards are easily available and offer 3G and data options;
• there are pre-paid and post-paid options for both voice and data;
• there are three data options for using a wireless hotspot network throughout Palau;
• connection from hotel and restaurant premises is available, enabling users to connect via WiFi throughout the main Islands of Palau (2022)

domestic:

fixed-line nearly 44 per 100 and mobile-cellular services roughly 130 per 100 persons (2021)

international:

• country code - 680;
• landing point for the SEA-US submarine cable linking Palau, Philippines, Micronesia, Indonesia, Hawaii (US), Guam (US) and California (US);
• satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2019)

• 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:

121 km

paved:

85 km

unpaved:

36 km (2018)

total ports:

1 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

0

very small:

1

ports with oil terminals:

1

key ports:

Malakal Harbor