Background: 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.

Geographic coordinates: 7 30 N 134 30 E

Area
Rank: 198
Land: 459 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1519 km

Maritime claims
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

Elevation
Extremes highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m

Natural resources: forests minerals (especially gold) marine products deep-seabed minerals

Land use
Permanent crops: 4.35%
Other: 93.48% (2011)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December)

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

Population: 21,186 (July 2014 est.)
Rank: 220
Growth rate: 0.37% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 163
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Adjective: Palauan

Ethnic groups: Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 72.5% Carolinian 1% other Micronesian 2.4% Filipino 16.3% Chinese 1.6% Vietnamese 1.6% other Asian 3.4% white 0.9% other 0.3% (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%

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.)

Age structure
15-24 years: 17.4% (male 1835/female 1855)
25-54 years: 46.4% (male 5,985/female 3,842)
55-64 years: 8.6% (male 642/female 1188)
65 years and over: 6.8% (male 410/female 1089) (2014 est.)

Median age
Male: 32.5 years
Female: 34.2 years (2014 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.37% (2014 est.)
Rank: 163

Birth rate: 10.95 births/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 177

Death rate: 7.93 deaths/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 102

Net migration rate: 0.66 migrant(s)/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 66

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 1.67% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: MELEKEOK (capital) 1000 (2011)

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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
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.)

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 130
Male: 13.01 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 9.81 deaths/1000 live births (2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 132
Male: 69.43 years
Female: 75.96 years (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (2014 est.)
Rank: 170

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 32.8%

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 1.38 physicians/1000 population (2010)

Hospital bed density: 4.8 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 48.9% (2008)
Rank: 7

Education expenditures: 7.3% of GDP (2002)
Rank: 17

Literacy
Total population: 92%
Male: 93%
Female: 90% (1980 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 13 years
Female: 15 years (2000)

Country name
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
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

Independence: 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Constitution Day 9 July (1979)

Constitution: ratified 9 July 1980 effective 1 January 1981; amended 1992 2004 (2011)

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil common and customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: President Tommy REMENGESAU (since 17 January 2013); Vice President Antonio BELLS (since 17 January 2013)
Cabinet: NA
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
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

Political parties and leaders: none

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 chancery: 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Suite 300 Washington DC 20,006
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 452-6,814
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 452-6,281
In the us consulate: Tamuning (Guam)
From the us embassy: Koror (no street address)
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 6,028 Koror Republic of Palau 96,940
From the us telephone: [680] 587-2,920
From the us FAX: [680] 587-2,911

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

National anthem
Lyrics and music: multiple/Ymesei O. EZEKIEL

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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 218

Real gdp growth rate: 6.3% (2012 est.)
Rank: 99

Real gdp per capita: $7,600 (2005 est.)
Rank: 117

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 20%
Services: 76.8% (2012 est.)

Agriculture products: coconuts copra cassava (manioc tapioca) sweet potatoes; fish

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 9,777 (2005)
Rank: 217
By occupation industry: NA%
By occupation services: NA% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 4.2% (2005 est.)
Rank: 37

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: NA%

Budget
Expenditures: $94.3 million (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -2.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 99

Taxes and other revenues: 40.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 39

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.6% (2010 est.)
Rank: 101

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance: $15.09 million (FY03/04)
Rank: 63

Exports: $5.882 million (2004 est.)
Rank: 210
Commodities: shellfish tuna copra garments

Imports: $107.3 million (2004 est.)
Rank: 211
Commodities: machinery and equipment fuels metals; foodstuffs

Debt external: $0 (FY99/00)
Rank: 203

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Telephones
Main lines in use: 7,300 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 205
Mobile cellular: 17,150 (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 210

Telephone system
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)

Internet
Country code: .pw
Hosts: 4 (2012)
Hosts rank: 231

Airports: 3 (2013)
Rank: 194
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2 (2013)

Disputes international: maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines Indonesia