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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 3 usable: 3 with permanent-surface runways: 1 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 3

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 61 km paved: 36 km unpaved: gravel 25 km

Ports [time series]

Koror

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

broadcast stations - 1 AM, 1 FM, 2 TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the US and that will not change when the UN trusteeship terminates if the Compact of Free Association with the US goes into effect

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

subsistence-level production of coconut, copra, cassava, sweet potatoes

Budget [time series]

revenues: $6 million expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1986 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $2.56 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $92 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 16,000 kW production: 22 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,540 kWh (1990)

Exchange rates [time series]

US currency is used

Exports [time series]

$500,000 (f.o.b., 1986) commodities: trochus (type of shellfish), tuna, copra, handicrafts partners: US, Japan

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

about $100 million (1989)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 October - 30 September

Imports [time series]

$27.2 million (c.i.f., 1986) commodities: NA partners: US

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate NA%

Industries [time series]

tourism, craft items (shell, wood, pearl), some commercial fishing and agriculture

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

NA%

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $31.6 million (1986) note: GDP numbers reflect US spending

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$2,260 (1986)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

NA%

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy consists primarily of subsistence agriculture and fishing. Tourism provides some foreign exchange, although the remote location of Palau and a shortage of suitable facilities has hindered development. The government is the major employer of the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US.

Unemployment rate [time series]

20% (1986)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 458 sq km land area: 458 sq km comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

wet season May to November; hot and humid

Coastline [time series]

1,519 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: NA natural hazards: subject to typhoons (June to December) international agreements: NA

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% meadows and pastures: NA% forest and woodland: NA% other: NA%

Location [time series]

Oceania, Micronesia, in the North Pacific Ocean, 850 km southeast of the Philippines

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals

Note [time series]

includes World War II battleground of Peleliu and world-famous rock islands; archipelago of six island groups totaling over 200 islands in the Caroline chain

Terrain [time series]

about 200 islands varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 16 states: Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngardmau, Ngaremlengui, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngerchelong, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol, Tobi

Capital [time series]

Koror note: a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast in eastern Babelthuap

Constitution [time series]

1 January 1981

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

trust territory of the UN administered by the US: Administrative Officer Charles UONG, Palau Liaison Office, 444 North Capitol Street NW, Suite 308, Washington, DC 20001

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state and head of government: President Kuniwo NAKAMURA (since 1 January 1993), Vice-President Tommy E. REMENGESAU Jr. (since 1 January 1993); election last held on 4 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - Kuniwo NAKAMURA 50.7%, Johnson TORIBIONG 49.3%

Flag [time series]

light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side

Legislative branch (House of Delegates) [time series]

elections last held 4 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (16 total); number of seats by party NA

Independence [time series]

the last polity remaining under the US-administered UN trusteeship following the departure of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas from the trusteeship; administered by the Office of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of Interior

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court, National Court, Court of Common Pleas

Legal system [time series]

based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament (Olbiil Era Kelulau or OEK)

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ESCAP (associate), SPC, SPF (observer)

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands conventional short form: none note: may change to Republic of Palau after independence; the native form of Palau is Belau and is sometimes used incorrectly in English and other languages

National holiday [time series]

Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Legislative branch (Senate) [time series]

elections last held 4 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (14 total); number of seats by party NA

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

UN trusteeship administered by the US note: constitutional government signed a Compact of Free Association with the US on 10 January 1986, which was never approved in a series of UN-observed plebiscites; until the UN trusteeship is terminated with entry into force of the Compact, Palau remains under US administration as the Palau District of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; administrative authority resides in the Department of the Interior and is exercised by the Assistant Secretary for Territorial and International Affairs through the Palau Office, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, J. Victor HOBSON Jr., Director (since 16 December 1990)

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

director: US Liaison Officer Lloyd W. MOSS liaison office: US Liaison Office at Top Side, Neeriyas, Koror mailing address: P.O. Box 6028, Koror, PW 96940 telephone: (680) 488-2920; (680) 488-2911

People

Birth rate [time series]

22.54 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.61 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Palauans are a composite of Polynesian, Malayan, and Melanesian races

Infant mortality rate [time series]

25.07 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

NA by occupation: NA

Languages [time series]

English (official in all of Palau's 16 states), Sonsorolese (official in the state of Sonsoral), Angaur and Japanese (in the state of Anguar), Tobi (in the state of Tobi), Palauan (in the other 13 states)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 71.01 years male: 69.14 years female: 73.02 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 92% male: 93% female: 91%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Palauan(s) adjective: Palauan

Net migration rate [time series]

2.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

16,366 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.81% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

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)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.91 children born/woman (1994 est.)