| Introduction | Palau /pəˈlaʊ/, officially the Republic of Palau, is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, some 500 miles (800 km) east of the Philippines and 2,000 miles (3,200 km) south of Tokyo. Having emerged from United Nations trusteeship (administered by the United States) in 1994, it is one of the world's youngest and smallest sovereign states. In English, the name is sometimes spelled Belau in accordance with the native pronunciation. It was formerly also spelled Pelew. |
| Population | Population: 21,790 Population growth rate: 1.3% Life expectancy: male 68 yrs.; female 76 yrs |
| Geography | Palau's most populous islands are Angaur, Babeldaob, Koror, and Peleliu. The latter three lie together within the same barrier reef, while Angaur is an oceanic island several miles to the south. About two-thirds of the population live on Koror. The coral atoll of Kayangel is situated north of these islands, while the uninhabited Rock Islands are situated to the west of the main island group. A remote group of six islands, known as the Southwest Islands, some 375 miles (600 km) from the main islands, are also part of the country and make up the states of Hatohobei and Sonsorol. |
| Religion | 49.4% of the population are Roman Catholics, 21.3% Protestants, 8.7% Modekngei and 5.3% Seventh-day Adventists |
| Government | Palau has a constitutional government in free association with the United States. The Compact of Free Association was entered into with the United States on October 1, 1994, also marking Palau's independence. Palau has three branches of government. The President is directly-elected and serves a four year term. The President and Vice-President run on separate tickets. The Council of Chiefs, comprised of the highest traditional chiefs from each state, acts in an advisory capacity to the President on traditional laws and customs. The legislative branch, the Olbiil Era Kelulau (Palau National Congress), consists of two chambers, the Senate and House of Delegates. All legislators serve four year terms. The judicial system consists of the Supreme Court, the Court of Common Pleas, and the Land Court. The Supreme Court has trial and appellate divisions and is presided over by the Chief Justice. Judges are appointed to life terms by the President with approval from Palau's National Congress. Each of Palau's 16 states also elects its own governor and legislature. (Source: Palau Government at http://www.palaugov.net/PalauGov/AboutPalau/AboutPalau.htm) |
| Economics | GDP (purchasing power parity) $124.5million. Consists primarily of tourism, subsistence agriculture, and fishing. Tourist activity focuses on scuba diving and snorkeling in the islands' rich marine environment, including its barrier reefs walls and World War II wrecks. The government is the major employer of the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. Business and tourist arrivals numbered 50,000 in the financial year 2000/2001. The population enjoys a per capita income twice that of much of Micronesia. Long-term prospects for the key tourist sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific, the rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries, and the willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure development. |
| Health | Palau is reported to have one of the highest living standards of all Pacific Island nations and income per capita is twice that of its neighbour, the Phillippines. It remains unranked in terms of the UNDP Human Development Index. A report on the status of Palau's Millenium Development Goals is available at: http://www.undp.org.fj/components/com_publications/pdfs/Palau_MDG_Report_20081259790490.pdf (PDF 83 pages) |
| Legislation | http://www.paclii.org/databases.html#Palau |
| Related Websites | The World Factbook - Palau UNICEF - Palau |