| GEOGRAPHY |
| Country 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) |
| Capital: |
Koror; note - a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast of Koror |
| Location: |
Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines |
| Geographic
Coordinates: |
7 30 N, 134 30 E |
| Area: |
total: 458 sq km
land: 458 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area
Comparative: |
slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Land
Boundaries: |
0 km |
| Coastline: |
1,519 km |
| Maritime
Claims: |
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: |
tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November |
| Terrain: |
varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs |
| Elavation
Extremes: |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m |
| Natural
Resources: |
forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals |
| GOVERNEMENT |
| Governement
Type: |
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994 |
| Administratives
Divisions: |
16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol |
| Independence |
1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship) |
| National
Holiday: |
Constitution Day, 9 July (1979) |
| Constitution: |
1 January 1981 |
| Legal
System; |
based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws |
| Suffrage |
18 years of age; universal |
| Executive
Branch: |
chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005); 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 Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005); 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 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
election results: Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. reelected president; percent of vote - Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. 64%, Polycarp BASILIUS 33%; Elias Camsek CHIN elected vice president; percent of vote - Elias Camsek CHIN 70%, Sandra PIERANTOZZI 29% |
| Legislative
Branch: |
bicameral Parliament 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 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); House of Delegates - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 (four new members elected); House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 16 (one new member elected) |
| Judicial
Branch: |
Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas |
| Political
parties and Leaders: |
none |
| PEOPLE |
| Population: |
20,303 (July 2005 est.) |
| Age structure: |
0-14 years: 26.4% (male 2,768/female 2,601)
15-64 years: 69% (male 7,565/female 6,436)
65 years and over: 4.6% (male 443/female 490) (2005 est.) |
| Median age: |
total: 31.43 years
male: 32.4 years
female: 30.36 years (2005 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun: Palauan(s)
adjective: Palauan |
| Ethnic groups: |
Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 70%, Asian (mainly Filipinos, followed by Chinese, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese) 28%, white 2% (2000 est.) |
| Religions: |
Christian (Roman Catholics 49%, 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 islands except Sonsoral (Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official) |
| COMUNICATIONS |
| Telephones - main
lines in use: |
6,700 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile
cellular: |
1,000 (2002) |
| Telephone system: |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
| Radio broadcast
stations: |
AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002) |
| Television broadcast
stations: |
1 (cable) (2005) |
| Internet country
code: |
.pw |
| Internet hosts: |
|
| Internet users: |
|
| TRANSPORT |
| Railways: |
|
| Highways: |
total: 61 km
paved: 36 km
unpaved: 25 km |
| Waterways: |
|
| Pipelines: |
|
| Ports and harbors: |
Koror |
| Merchant marine: |
|
| Airports: |
3 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with
paved runways: |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with
unpaved runways: |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
| Heliports: |
|
