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palaumore about palau

palau


  1  definition  found 
 
  From  The  CIA  World  Factbook  (1995)  [world95]: 
 
  Palau 
 
  Palau:Geography 
 
  Location:  Oceania,  group  of  islands  in  the  North  Pacific  Ocean, 
  southeast  of  the  Philippines 
 
  Map  references:  Oceania 
 
  Area: 
  total  area:  458  sq  km 
  land  area:  458  sq  km 
  comparative  area:  slightly  more  than  2.5  times  the  size  of  Washington, 
  DC 
 
  Land  boundaries:  0  km 
 
  Coastline:  1,519  km 
 
  Maritime  claims: 
  continental  shelf:  200-m  depth  or  to  depth  of  exploitation 
  exclusive  fishing  zone:  200  nm 
  territorial  sea:  3  nm 
 
  International  disputes:  none 
 
  Climate:  wet  season  May  to  November;  hot  and  humid 
 
  Terrain:  about  200  islands  varying  geologically  from  the  high, 
  mountainous  main  island  of  Babelthuap  to  low  coral  islands  usually 
  fringed  by  large  barrier  reefs 
 
  Natural  resources:  forests,  minerals  (especially  gold),  marine 
  products,  deep-seabed  minerals 
 
  Land  use: 
  arable  land:  NA% 
  permanent  crops:  NA% 
  meadows  and  pastures:  NA% 
  forest  and  woodland:  NA% 
  other:  NA% 
 
  Irrigated  land:  NA  sq  km 
 
  Environment: 
  current  issues:  inadequate  facilities  for  disposal  of  solid  waste; 
  threats  to  the  marine  ecosystem  from  sand  and  coral  dredging  and 
  illegal  fishing  practices  that  involve  the  use  of  dynamite 
  natural  hazards:  typhoons  (June  to  December) 
  international  agreements:  NA 
 
  Note:  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 
 
  Palau:People 
 
  Population:  16,661  (July  1995  est.) 
 
  Age  structure: 
  0-14  years:  NA 
  15-64  years:  NA 
  65  years  and  over:  NA 
 
  Population  growth  rate:  1.76%  (1995  est.) 
 
  Birth  rate:  22.11  births/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Death  rate:  6.61  deaths/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Net  migration  rate:  2.12  migrant(s)/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Infant  mortality  rate:  25.07  deaths/1,000  live  births  (1995  est.) 
 
  Life  expectancy  at  birth: 
  total  population:  71.01  years 
  male:  69.14  years 
  female:  73.02  years  (1995  est.) 
 
  Total  fertility  rate:  2.85  children  born/woman  (1995  est.) 
 
  Nationality: 
  noun:  Palauan(s) 
  adjective:  Palauan 
 
  Ethnic  divisions:  Palauans  are  a  composite  of  Polynesian,  Malayan,  and 
  Melanesian  races 
 
  Religions:  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) 
 
  Languages:  English  (official  in  all  of  Palau's  16  states),  Sonsorolese 
  (official  in  the  state  of  Sonsoral),  Angaur  and  Japanese  (in  the  state 
  of  Anguar),  Tobi  (in  the  state  of  Tobi),  Palauan  (in  the  other  13 
  states) 
 
  Literacy:  age  15  and  over  can  read  and  write  (1980) 
  total  population:  92% 
  male:  93% 
  female:  90% 
 
  Labor  force:  NA 
  by  occupation:  NA 
 
  Palau:Government 
 
  Names: 
  conventional  long  form:  Republic  of  Palau 
  conventional  short  form:  Palau 
  former:  Trust  Territory  of  the  Pacific  Islands 
 
  Digraph:  PS 
 
  Type:  self-governing  territory  in  free  association  with  the  US 
  pursuant  to  Compact  of  Free  Association  which  entered  into  force  1 
  October  1994;  Palau  is  fully  responsible  for  internal  affairs;  US 
  retains  responsibility  for  external  affairs 
 
  Capital:  Koror 
  note:  a  new  capital  is  being  built  about  20  km  northeast  in  eastern 
  Babelthuap 
 
  Administrative  divisions:  there  are  no  first-order  administrative 
  divisions  as  defined  by  the  US  Government,  but  there  are  16  states: 
  Aimeliik  Airai,  Angaur  Kayangel  Koror,  Melekeok  Ngaraard 
  Ngardmau  Ngaremlengui  Ngatpang  Ngchesar  Ngerchelong  Ngiwal 
  Peleliu  Sonsorol  Tobi 
 
  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  and  head  of  government:  President  Kuniwo  NAKAMURA 
  (since  1  January  1993),  Vice-President  Tommy  E.  REMENGESAU  Jr  (since 
  1  January  1993);  election  last  held  4  November  1992  (next  to  be  held 
  NA  November  1996);  results  -  Kuniwo  NAKAMURA  50.7%,  Johnson  TORIBIONG 
  49.3% 
 
  Legislative  branch:  bicameral  Parliament  (Olbiil  Era  Kelulau  or  OEK) 
  Senate:  elections  last  held  4  November  1992  (next  to  be  held  NA 
  November  1996);  results  -  percent  of  vote  by  party  NA  seats  -  (14 
  total)  number  of  seats  by  party  NA 
  House  of  Delegates:  elections  last  held  4  November  1992  (next  to  be 
  held  NA  November  1996);  results  -  percent  of  vote  by  party  NA  seats  - 
  (16  total)  number  of  seats  by  party  NA 
 
  Judicial  branch:  Supreme  Court,  National  Court,  Court  of  Common  Pleas 
 
  Member  of:  ESCAP  (associate),  SPC,  SPF  (observer),  UN 
 
  Diplomatic  representation  in  US: 
  chief  of  mission:  Liaison  Officer  NA 
  liaison  office:  444  North  Capital  Street  NW  Washington,  DC  20036 
  telephone:  (202)  624-7793 
  FAX:  NA 
  note:  relationship  of  free  association  with  the  US  pursuant  to  compact 
  of  free  association  which  entered  into  force  1  October  1994 
 
  US  diplomatic  representation: 
  chief  of  mission:  Liaison  Officer  Lloyd  W.  MOSS 
  liaison  office:  Erenguul  Street,  Koror,  Republic  of  Palau 
  mailing  address:  P.O.  Box  6028,  Republic  of  Palau  96940 
  telephone:  [680]  488-2920 
  FAX:  [680]  488-2911 
  note:  relationship  of  free  association  with  the  US  pursuant  to  compact 
  of  free  association  which  entered  into  force  1  October  1994 
 
  Flag:  light  blue  with  a  large  yellow  disk  (representing  the  moon) 
  shifted  slightly  to  the  hoist  side 
 
  Economy 
 
  Overview:  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  compact  of 
  "free  association"  with  the  United  States,  entered  into  after  the  end 
  of  the  UN  trusteeship  on  1  October  1994,  provides  Palau  with  $500 
  million  in  US  aid  over  15  years  in  return  for  furnishing  some  military 
  facilities.  The  population,  in  effect,  enjoys  a  per  capita  income  of 
  $5,000,  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  rapidly  rising 
  prosperity  of  leading  East  Asian  countries. 
 
  National  product:  GDP  -  purchasing  power  parity  -  $81.8  million  (1994 
  est.) 
  note:  GDP  numbers  reflect  US  spending 
 
  National  product  real  growth  rate:  NA% 
 
  National  product  per  capita:  $5,000  (1994  est.) 
 
  Inflation  rate  (consumer  prices):  NA% 
 
  Unemployment  rate:  20%  (1986) 
 
  Budget: 
  revenues:  $6  million 
  expenditures:  $NA,  including  capital  expenditures  of  $NA  (1986  est.) 
 
  Exports:  $600,000  (f.o.b.,  1989) 
  commodities:  trochus  (type  of  shellfish),  tuna,  copra,  handicrafts 
  partners:  US  Japan 
 
  Imports:  $24.6  million  (c.i.f.,  1989) 
  commodities:  NA 
  partners:  US 
 
  External  debt:  about  $100  million  (1989) 
 
  Industrial  production:  growth  rate  NA% 
 
  Electricity: 
  capacity:  16,000  kW 
  production:  22  million  kWh 
  consumption  per  capita:  1,540  kWh  (1990) 
 
  Industries:  tourism,  craft  items  (shell,  wood,  pearl),  some  commercial 
  fishing  and  agriculture 
 
  Agriculture:  subsistence-level  production  of  coconut,  copra,  cassava, 
  sweet  potatoes 
 
  Economic  aid: 
  recipient:  US  commitments,  including  Ex-Im  (FY70-89),  $2.56  billion; 
  Western  (non-US)  countries,  ODA  and  OOF  bilateral  commitments 
  (1970-89),  $92  million 
 
  Currency:  1  United  States  dollar  (US$)  =  100  cents 
 
  Exchange  rates:  US  currency  is  used 
 
  Fiscal  year:  1  October  -  30  September 
 
  Palau:Transportation 
 
  Railroads:  0  km 
 
  Highways: 
  total:  61  km 
  paved:  36  km 
  unpaved:  gravel  25  km 
 
  Ports:  Koror 
 
  Merchant  marine:  none 
 
  Airports: 
  total:  3 
  with  paved  runways  1,524  to  2,437  m:  1 
  with  unpaved  runways  1,524  to  2,438  m:  2 
 
  Palau:Communications 
 
  Telephone  system:  NA  telephones 
  local:  NA 
  intercity:  NA 
  international:  1  INTELSAT  (Pacific  Ocean)  earth  station 
 
  Radio: 
  broadcast  stations:  AM  1,  FM  1,  shortwave  0 
  radios:  NA 
 
  Television: 
  broadcast  stations:  2 
  televisions:  NA 
 
  Palau:Defense  Forces 
 
  Branches:  NA 
 
  Defense  expenditures:  $NA,  NA%  of  GDP 
 
  Note:  defense  is  the  responsibility  of  the  US  pursuant  to  Compact  of 
  Free  Association  which  entered  into  force  1  October  1994 
 
 
 




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