Palau

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 1,224 (2015 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2015 est.)

Broadcast media

no broadcast TV stations; a cable TV network covers the major islands and provides access to 4 local cable stations, 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 (1 government-owned) (2019)

Internet country code

.pw

Internet users

total: 6,696 (2021 est.) percent of population: 37.2% (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: Palau telecommunications is a small, formerly unregulated sector undertaking significant growth with the improvement and cost reduction in technology; mobile services have taken over the share of the market from landlines, with both 2-3G cell services throughout the islands; sim cards are easily available and offer 3G and data options; there are pre-paid and post-paid options for both voice and data; there are three data options for using a wireless hotspot network throughout Palau; connection from hotel and restaurant premises is available, enabling users to connect via WiFi throughout the main Islands of Palau (2022) domestic: fixed-line nearly 44 per 100 and mobile-cellular services roughly 130 per 100 persons (2021) international: country code - 680; landing point for the SEA-US submarine cable linking Palau, Philippines, Micronesia, Indonesia, Hawaii (US), Guam (US) and California (US); satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 8,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 24,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 130 (2021 est.)

Agricultural products

coconuts, cassava (manioc, tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish, pigs, chickens, eggs, bananas, papaya, breadfruit, calamansi, soursop, Polynesian chestnuts, Polynesian almonds, mangoes, taro, guava, beans, cucumbers, squash/pumpkins (various), eggplant, green onions, kangkong (watercress), cabbages (various), radishes, betel nuts, melons, peppers, noni, okra

Budget

revenues: $122 million (2019 est.) expenditures: $121 million (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

8.8% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Current account balance

-$63.534 million (2021 est.) -$106.379 million (2020 est.) -$97.48 million (2019 est.)

Debt - external

$18.38 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $16.47 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Economic overview

high-income Pacific island economy; environmentally fragile; subsistence agriculture and fishing industries; US aid reliance; rebounding post-pandemic tourism industry and services sector; very high living standard and low unemployment

Exchange rates

1 (2021 est.) 1 (2020 est.) 1 (2019 est.) 1 (2018 est.) 1 (2017 est.) the US dollar is used

Exports

$12.07 million (2021 est.) $58.349 million (2020 est.) $107.823 million (2019 est.)

Exports - commodities

computers, scrap vessels, recreational boats, scrap iron, fish, scrap copper, scrap aluminum (2021)

Exports - partners

Japan 34%, Taiwan 16%, Turkey 16%, Italy 12%, United States 9% (2021)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP (official exchange rate)

$292 million (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 60.5% (2016 est.) government consumption: 27.2% (2016 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.7% (2016 est.) investment in inventories: 1.9% (2016 est.) exports of goods and services: 55.2% (2016 est.) imports of goods and services: -67.6% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 3% (2016 est.) industry: 19% (2016 est.) services: 78% (2016 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports

$180.38 million (2021 est.) $215.97 million (2020 est.) $226.594 million (2019 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, boat propellers, iron structures, cars, floating docks, broadcasting equipment, prefabricated buildings (2021)

Imports - partners

China 34%, United States 21%, South Korea 12%, Japan 8%, Taiwan 6% (2021)

Industrial production growth rate

-3.42% (2021 est.) NA

Industries

tourism, fishing, subsistence agriculture

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.61% (2021 est.) 0.22% (2020 est.) 0.27% (2019 est.)

Labor force

11,610 (2016)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 1.2% industry: 12.4% services: 86.4% (2016)

Population below poverty line

24.9% (2006) NA

Public debt

86.13% of GDP (2019 est.) 84.75% of GDP (2018 est.) 79.83% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$248.468 million (2021 est.) $286.694 million (2020 est.) $315.42 million (2019 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

-13.33% (2021 est.) -9.11% (2020 est.) 0.4% (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita

$13,800 (2021 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars $16,000 (2020 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars $17,600 (2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$0 (31 December 2017 est.) $580.9 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

18.59% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

1.7% (2015 est.) 4.1% (2012)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 5.6% (2014) male: NA female: NA

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2021)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 7.82 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 0.22 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 0.06 megatons (2020 est.)

Climate

tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November

Environment - current issues

inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal and destructive fishing practices, and overfishing; climate change contributes to rising sea level and coral bleaching; drought

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land: 10.8% (2018 est.) arable land: 2.2% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 4.3% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 4.3% (2018 est.) forest: 87.6% (2018 est.) other: 1.6% (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 82.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 9,427 tons (2016 est.)

Area

total: 459 sq km land: 459 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November

Coastline

1,519 km

Elevation

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

Geographic coordinates

7 30 N, 134 30 E

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

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 10.8% (2018 est.) arable land: 2.2% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 4.3% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 4.3% (2018 est.) forest: 87.6% (2018 est.) other: 1.6% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Natural hazards

typhoons (June to December)

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

most of the population is located on the southern end of the main island of Babelthuap

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol

Capital

name: Ngerulmud geographic coordinates: 7 30 N, 134 37 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the Palauan meaning is "place of fermented 'mud'" ('mud' being the native name for the keyhole angelfish); the site of the new capitol (established in 2006) had been a large hill overlooking the ocean, Ngerulmud, on which women would communally gather to offer fermented angelfish to the gods note: Ngerulmud, on Babeldaob Island, is the smallest national capital on earth by population, with only a few hundred people; the name is pronounced en-jer-al-mud; Koror, on Koror Island, with over 11,000 residents is by far the largest settlement in Palau; it served as the country's capital from independence in 1994 to 2006

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Palau dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: note - no procedure for naturalization

Constitution

history: ratified 9 July 1980, effective 1 January 1981 amendments: proposed by a constitutional convention (held at least once every 15 years with voter approval), by public petition of at least 25% of eligible voters, or by a resolution adopted by at least three fourths of National Congress members; passage requires approval by a majority of votes in at least three fourths of the states in the next regular general election; amended several times, last in 2020

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Palau conventional short form: Palau local long form: Beluu er a Belau local short form: Belau former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Palau District etymology: from the Palauan name for the islands, Belau, which likely derives from the Palauan word "beluu" meaning "village"

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charg d'Affaires James BOUGHNER (since 9 September 2022) embassy: Omsangel/Beklelachieb, Airai 96940 mailing address: 4260 Koror Place, Washington, DC 20521-4260 telephone: [680] 587-2920 FAX: [680] 587-2911 email address and website: ConsularKoror@state.gov https://pw.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA (since 12 November 1997) chancery: 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 349-8598 FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281 email address and website: info@palauembassy.org https://www.palauembassy.org/ consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Surangel WHIPPS Jr. (since 21 January 2021); Vice President Jerrlyn Uduch Sengebau SENIOR (since 21 January 2021); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Surangel WHIPPS Jr. (since 21 January 2021); Vice President Jerrlyn Uduch Sengebau SENIOR (since 21 January 2021) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate; also includes the vice president; the Council of Chiefs consists of chiefs from each of the states who advise the president on issues concerning traditional laws, customs, and their relationship to the constitution and laws of Palau elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on separate ballots by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 3 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2024) election results: 2020: Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. elected president in second round; percent of vote - Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. (independent) 56.7%, Raynold OILUCH (independent) 43.3% 2016: Tommy REMENGESAU reelected president; percent of vote - Tommy REMENGESAU (independent) 51.3%, Surangel WHIPPS, Jr.(independent) 48.7%; Antonio BELLS elected vice president

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

Government type

presidential republic in free association with the US

Independence

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

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 3 associate justices organized into appellate trial divisions; the Supreme Court organization also includes the Common Pleas and Land Courts) 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 can serve until mandatory retirement at age 65 subordinate courts: National Court and other 'inferior' courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of civil, common, and customary law

Legislative branch

description: bicameral National Congress or Olbiil Era Kelulau consists of: Senate (13 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by majority vote to serve 4-year terms) House of Delegates (16 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 3 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2024) House of Delegates - last held on 3 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2024) election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 13; composition - men 12, women 1; percent of women 7.7% House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 16; composition - men 15, women 1; percent of women 6.3%; note - overall percent of women in National Congress 6.9%

National anthem

name: "Belau rekid" (Our Palau) lyrics/music: multiple/Ymesei O. EZEKIEL note: adopted 1980

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Rock Islands Southern Lagoon

National holiday

Constitution Day, 9 July (1981), day of a national referendum to pass the new constitution; Independence Day, 1 October (1994)

National symbol(s)

bai (native meeting house); national colors: blue, yellow

Political parties and leaders

none

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Humans arrived in the Palauan archipelago around 1000 B.C. from Southeast Asia and developed a complex, highly organized matrilineal society where high-ranking women picked the chiefs. The islands were the westernmost part of the widely scattered Pacific islands north of New Guinea that Spanish explorers named the Caroline Islands in the 17th century. There were several failed attempts by Spanish Jesuit missionaries to visit the islands in the early 1700s. Spain gained some influence in the islands and administered it from the Philippines but sold Palau to Germany in 1899 after it lost the Philippines in the Spanish-American War. Japan seized Palau in 1914, was granted a League of Nations mandate to administer the islands in 1920, and made Koror the capital of its South Seas Mandate in 1922. By the outbreak of World War II, there were four times as many Japanese living in Koror as Palauans. In 1944, the US invasion of the island of Peleliu in 1944 was one of the bloodiest island fights of the Pacific War. Following the war, Palau became part of the US-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Palau voted against joining the Federated States of Micronesia in 1978 and adopted its own constitution in 1981, which stated that Palau was a nuclear-free country. In 1982, Palau signed a Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the US, which granted Palau financial assistance and access to many US domestic programs in exchange for exclusive US military access and defense responsibilities. However, many Palauans saw the COFA as incompatible with the Palauan Constitution because of the US military s nuclear arsenal, and seven referenda failed to achieve ratification. Following a constitutional amendment and eighth referendum in 1993, the COFA was ratified and entered into force in 1994 when the islands gained their independence. Its funding was renewed in 2010. Palau has been on the frontlines of combatting climate change and protecting marine resources. In 2011, Palau banned commercial shark fishing and created the world s first shark sanctuary. In 2017, Palau began stamping the Palau Pledge into passports, reminding visitors to act in ecologically and culturally responsible ways. In 2020, Palau banned coral reef-toxic sunscreens and expanded its fishing prohibition to include 80% of its exclusive economic zone.

Military - note

under the Compact of Free Association (COFA) between Palau and the US, the US is responsible for the defense of Palau and the US military is granted access to the islands, but it has not stationed any military forces there; the COFA also allows citizens of Palau to serve in the US armed forces Palau has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Palau's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2023)

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; the Ministry of Justice includes divisions/bureaus for public security, police functions, and maritime law enforcement (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

since 2018, Australia and Japan have provided patrol boats to Palau's Division of Marine Law Enforcement (2023)

Age structure

0-14 years: 17.49% (male 1,966/female 1,844) 15-64 years: 71.82% (male 8,665/female 6,976) 65 years and over: 10.69% (2023 est.) (male 581/female 1,747)

Birth rate

11.6 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

18.4% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

45.6% (2023 est.)

Death rate

8.3 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 43.8 youth dependency ratio: 30.2 elderly dependency ratio: 13.7 potential support ratio: 7.3 (2021)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 99.6% of population rural: 99.8% of population total: 99.7% of population unimproved: urban: 0.4% of population rural: 0.2% of population total: 0.3% of population (2020 est.)

Education expenditures

6.8% of GDP (2019)

Ethnic groups

Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 70.6%, Carolinian 1.2%, Asian 26.5%, other 1.7% (2020 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.82 (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 11 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.) male: 13 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Palauan (official on most islands) 65.2%, other Micronesian 1.9%, English (official) 19.1%, Filipino 9.9%, Chinese 1.2%, other 2.8% (2015 est.) note: Sonsoralese is official in Sonsoral; Tobian is official in Tobi; Angaur and Japanese are official in Angaur

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.9 years (2023 est.) male: 71.8 years female: 78.2 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.6% male: 96.8% female: 96.3% (2015)

Major urban areas - population

277 NGERULMUD (capital) (2018)

Median age

total: 35 years (2023 est.) male: 33.9 years female: 37 years

Nationality

noun: Palauan(s) adjective: Palauan

Net migration rate

0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

55.3% (2016)

Physicians density

1.77 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

21,779 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

most of the population is located on the southern end of the main island of Babelthuap

Population growth rate

0.39% (2023 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 46.9%, Protestant 30.9% (Evangelical 24.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 5%, other Protestant 1.4%), Modekngei 5.1% (indigenous to Palau), Muslim 4.9%, other 12.3% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 99.8% of population rural: 99% of population total: 99.6% of population unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population rural: 1% of population total: 0.4% of population (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 17 years male: 16 years female: 17 years (2013)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.24 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.33 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 17.6% (2020 est.) male: 27.3% (2020 est.) female: 7.9% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.7 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 82.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 5.6% (2014) male: NA female: NA

Disputes - international

Palau-Indonesia : maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia Palau-Philippines : maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia

Airports

3 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

1 note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the typical length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

2 note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

T8

Merchant marine

total: 304 (2022) by type: bulk carrier 29, container ship 6, general cargo 137, oil tanker 43, other 89

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Koror

Roadways

total: 125 km (2018) paved: 89 km (2018) unpaved: 36 km (2018)