Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

NA

Internet country code [time series]

.pw

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios [time series]

12,000 (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

1,500 (1988)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

0 (1988)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

11,000 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes

Budget [time series]

revenues: $57.7 million expenditures: $80.8 million, including capital expenditures of $17.1 million (FY98/99 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

US dollar (USD)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

USD

Debt - external [time series]

$0 (FY99/00)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$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

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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.

Exchange rates [time series]

the US dollar is used

Exports [time series]

$14.3 million (f.o.b., 1996)

Exports - commodities [time series]

trochus (type of shellfish), tuna, copra, handicrafts

Exports - partners [time series]

US, Japan

Fiscal year [time series]

1 October - 30 September

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

purchasing power parity - $129 million (1998 est.) note: GDP numbers reflect US spending

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $7,100 (1998 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

-1.4% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$126 million (f.o.b., FY99/00)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs

Imports - partners [time series]

US

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

NA%

Labor force [time series]

8,300 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

2.3% (2000 est.)

Area [time series]

total: 458 sq km land: 458 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

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

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Ngerchelchauus 242 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing practices, and overfishing

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

7 30 N, 134 30 E

Geography - note [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA%

Location [time series]

Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM extended fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM

Natural hazards [time series]

typhoons (June to December)

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

Administrative divisions [time series]

18 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatobohei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Palau Island, Peleliu, Sonsoral, Tobi

Capital [time series]

Koror; note - a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast of Koror

Constitution [time series]

1 January 1981

Country name [time series]

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)

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA chancery: 1150 18th Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814

Executive branch [time series]

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%

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

[1] (202) 452-6281

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

[680] 488-2911

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Independence [time series]

1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

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 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

National holiday [time series]

Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Palau Nationalist Party [Johnson TORIBIONG]; Ta Belau Party [Kuniwo NAKAMURA]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

NA

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

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.

Military - note [time series]

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

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

NA

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$NA

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

Age structure [time series]

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.)

Birth rate [time series]

19.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate [time series]

7.23 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 70%, Asian (mainly Filipinos, followed by Chinese, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese) 28%, white 2% (2000 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

NA

Infant mortality rate [time series]

16.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Languages [time series]

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)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 68.89 years male: 65.77 years female: 72.19 years (2001 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92% male: 93% female: 90% (1980 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Palauan(s) adjective: Palauan

Net migration rate [time series]

4.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Population [time series]

19,092 (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.69% (2001 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)

Sex ratio [time series]

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.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.47 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Airports [time series]

3 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

none (2000 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Koror

Railways [time series]

0 km

Waterways [time series]

none