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Palau | Introduction | Along with other Pacific Islands, Palau was made a part of the United States-governed Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands in 1947. Having voted against joining the Federated States of Micronesia in 1979, the islands gained full sovereignty in 1994 under a Compact of Free Association with the United States. Politically, Palau is a presidential republic in free association with the United States, which provides defense, funding, and access to social services. Legislative power is concentrated in the bicameral Palau National Congress. Palau's economy is based mainly on tourism, subsistence agriculture and fishing, with a significant portion of gross national product (GNP) derived from foreign aid. | wiki:25699401 |
Palau | Introduction | The country uses the United States dollar as its currency. The islands' culture mixes Micronesian, Melanesian, Asian, and Western elements. Ethnic Palauans, the majority of the population, are of mixed Micronesian, Melanesian, and Austronesian descent. A smaller proportion of the population is of Japanese descent. The country's two official languages are Palauan (a member of the Austronesian language family) and English, with Japanese, Sonsorolese, and Tobian recognized as regional languages. | wiki:25699402 |
Palau | Etymology | The name for the islands in the Palauan language, "Belau", likely derives from either the Palauan word for "village", "beluu", or from "aibebelau" ("indirect replies"), relating to a creation myth. The name "Palau" entered the English language from the Spanish "Los Palaos", via the German "Palau". An archaic name for the islands in English was the "Pelew Islands". "Palau" is unrelated to "Pulau", which is a Malay word meaning "island" found in a number of place names in the region. | wiki:25699403 |
Palau | Early history | Palau was originally settled between the 3rd and 2nd millennia BCE, most likely from the Philippines or Indonesia. Sonsorol, part of the Southwest Islands, an island chain approximately from the main island chain of Palau, was sighted by the Spanish as early as 1522, when the Spanish mission of the "Trinidad", the flagship of Ferdinand Magellan's voyage of circumnavigation, sighted two small islands around the 5th parallel north, naming them "San Juan". After the conquest of the Philippines in 1565 by the Spanish Empire, the archipelago of Palau became part of the territory of the Captaincy General of the Philippines, established in 1574 as part of the Spanish East Indies with the capital based in the colonial centre in Manila. | wiki:25699404 |
Palau | Early history | However, the Spanish presence only began to express with evangelization, began at the end of the 17th century, and its dominance began to take shape in the 18th century. | wiki:25699405 |
Palau | After the 16th century | The next recording of the existence of Palau by Europeans came a century later in 1697 when a group of Palauans were shipwrecked on the Philippine island of Samar to the northwest. They were interviewed by the Czech missionary Paul Klein on 28 December 1696. Klein was able to draw the first map of Palau based on the Palauans' representation of their home islands that they made with an arrangement of 87 pebbles on the beach . Klein reported his findings to the Jesuit Superior General in a letter sent in June 1697 . | wiki:25699406 |
Palau | Spanish era | This map and the letter caused a vast interest in the new islands. Another letter written by Fr. Andrés Serrano was sent to Europe in 1705, essentially copying the information given by Klein. The letters resulted in three unsuccessful Jesuit attempts to travel to Palau from Spanish Philippines in 1700, 1708 and 1709. The islands were first visited by the Jesuit expedition led by Francisco Padilla on 30 November 1710. The expedition ended with the stranding of the two priests, Jacques Du Beron and Joseph Cortyl, on the coast of Sonsorol, because the mother ship "Santísima Trinidad" was driven to Mindanao by a storm. | wiki:25699407 |
Palau | Spanish era | Another ship was sent from Guam in 1711 to save them only to capsize, causing the death of three more Jesuit priests. The failure of these missions gave Palau the original Spanish name "Islas Encantadas" (Enchanted Islands). Despite these early misfortunes, the Spanish Empire later came to dominate the islands. | wiki:25699408 |
Palau | Transitions era | British traders became regular visitors to Palau in the 18th century, followed by expanding Spanish influence in the 19th century. Palau, under the name "Palaos", was included in the Malolos Congress, the first revolutionary congress in the Philippines, which wanted full independence from colonialists. Palau, at the time, was part of the Philippines. Palau had one appointed member to the Congress, becoming the only group of islands in the entire Caroline Islands granted high representation in a non-colonial Philippine Congress. The Congress also supported the right of Palau to self-determination if ever it wishes to pursue such a path. During World War I, the Japanese Empire annexed the islands after seizing them from Germany in 1914. | wiki:25699409 |
Palau | Transitions era | Following World War I, the League of Nations formally placed the islands under Japanese administration as part of the South Seas Mandate. In World War II, Palau was used by Japan to support its 1941 invasion of the Philippines, which succeeded in 1942. The invasion overthrew the American-installed Commonwealth government in the Philippines and installed the Japanese-backed Second Philippine Republic in 1943. | wiki:25699410 |
Palau | United States era | During World War II, the United States captured Palau from Japan in 1944 after the costly Battle of Peleliu, when more than 2,000 Americans and 10,000 Japanese were killed. In 1945–1946, the United States re-established control on the Philippines, and managed Palau through the Philippine capital of Manila. By the later half of 1946, however, the Philippines was granted full independence with the formation of the Third Republic of the Philippines, shifting the US Far West Pacific capital to Guam. Palau passed formally to the United States under United Nations auspices in 1947 as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands established pursuant to Security Council Resolution 21. | wiki:25699411 |
Palau | Independence | Four of the Trust Territory districts joined together and formed the Federated States of Micronesia in 1979, but the districts of Palau and the Marshall Islands declined to participate. Palau, the westernmost cluster of the Carolines, instead opted for independent status in 1978, which was widely supported by the Philippines, Taiwan, and Japan. It approved a new constitution and became the Republic of Palau on 1 January 1981. It signed a Compact of Free Association with the United States in 1982. In the same year, Palau became one of the founding members of the Nauru Agreement. After eight referenda and an amendment to the Palauan constitution, the Compact was ratified in 1993. | wiki:25699412 |
Palau | Independence | The Compact went into effect on 1 October 1994, making Palau "de jure" independent, although it had been "de facto" independent since 25 May 1994, when the trusteeship ended. Formal diplomatic relations with the Philippines was re-established in the same year, although the two nations already had diplomatic back channels prior to 1994. Palau also became a member of the Pacific Islands Forum. Legislation making Palau an "offshore" financial center was passed by the Senate in 1998. In 2001, Palau passed its first bank regulation and anti-money laundering laws. In 2005, Palau led the Micronesia challenge, which would conserve 30% of near-shore coastal waters and 20% of forest land of participating countries by 2020. | wiki:25699413 |
Palau | Independence | In 2011, Palau created the world's first shark sanctuary, banning commercial shark fishing within its waters. In 2012, the Rock Islands of Palau was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2015, Palau became a member of the Climate Vulnerable Forum under the chairmanship of the Philippines, and at the same time, the country officially protected 80% of its water resources, becoming the first country to do so. The protection of its water resources made significant increases in the country's economy in less than two years. In 2017, the nation became the first to establish an eco-promise, known as the "Palau Pledge", which are stamped on local and foreign passports. | wiki:25699414 |
Palau | Independence | In 2018, Palau and the Philippines began re-connecting their economic and diplomatic relations. The Philippines supported Palau to become an observer state in ASEAN, as Palau also has Southeast Asian ethnic origins. | wiki:25699415 |
Palau | Politics and government | Palau is a democratic republic. The President of Palau is both head of state and head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government, while legislative power is vested in both the government and the Palau National Congress. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Palau adopted a constitution in 1981. The governments of the United States and Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association in 1986, similar to compacts that the United States had entered into with the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The compact entered into force on 1 October 1994, concluding Palau's transition from trusteeship to independence as the last portion of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands to secure its independence pursuant to Security Council Resolution 956. | wiki:25699416 |
Palau | Politics and government | The Compact of Free Association between the United States and Palau sets forth the free and voluntary association of their governments. It primarily focuses on the issues of government, economic, security and defense relations. Palau has no independent military, relying on the United States for its defense. Under the compact, the American military was granted access to the islands for 50 years. The U.S. Navy role is minimal, limited to a handful of Navy Seabees (construction engineers). The U.S. Coast Guard patrols in national waters. | wiki:25699417 |
Palau | Foreign relations | As a sovereign nation, Palau conducts its own foreign relations. Since independence, Palau has established diplomatic relations with a number of nations, including many of its Pacific neighbors, like Micronesia and the Philippines. On 29 November 1994, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 963 recommending Palau's admission to the United Nations. The United Nations General Assembly approved admission for Palau pursuant to Resolution 49/63 on 15 December 1994. Palau has since joined several other international organizations. In September 2006, Palau hosted the first Taiwan-Pacific Allies Summit. Its President has made official visits to other Pacific countries, including Japan. The United States maintains a diplomatic delegation and an embassy in Palau, but most aspects of the countries' relationship have to do with Compact-funded projects, which are the responsibility of the U.S. | wiki:25699418 |
Palau | Foreign relations | Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs. For example, as part of this Compact, Palau was granted zip codes 96939 and 96940, along with regular US Mail delivery. In international politics, Palau often votes with the United States on United Nations General Assembly resolutions. | wiki:25699419 |
Palau | Administrative divisions | Palau is divided into sixteen States (until 1984 called municipalities). These are listed below with their areas (in square kilometres) and 2012 estimated and 2015 Census populations: Historically, Palau's Rock Islands have been part of the State of Koror. The Southwestern islands (Sonsorol and Hatohobei States) do not speak Palauan, but the distantly related Sonsorolese-Tobian (related to Woleai Atoll's Yapese) | wiki:25699420 |
Palau | Maritime law enforcement | Palau's Division of Marine Law Enforcement patrols the nation's exclusive economic zone. They operate two long range patrol boats, the "Remeliik" and the "Kedam", to hunt for poachers and unlicensed fishermen. Smaller boats are used for littoral operations. They are based on Koror. | wiki:25699421 |
Palau | Geography | Palau's territory consists of an archipelago located in the Pacific Ocean. Its 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 kilometers to the south. About two-thirds of the population lives on Koror. The coral atoll of Kayangel is north of these islands, while the uninhabited Rock Islands (about 200) are west of the main island group. A remote group of six islands, known as the Southwest Islands, some from the main islands, make up the states of Hatohobei and Sonsorol. | wiki:25699422 |
Palau | Climate | Palau has a tropical rainforest climate with an annual mean temperature of . Rainfall is heavy throughout the year, averaging . The average humidity is 82% and, although rain falls more frequently between July and October, there is still much sunshine. Palau lies on the edge of the typhoon belt. Tropical disturbances frequently develop near Palau every year, but significant tropical cyclones are quite rare. Mike, Bopha and Haiyan are the only systems that struck Palau as typhoons on record. | wiki:25699423 |
Palau | Environment | Palau has a history of strong environment conservation. For example, Ngerukewid islands and the surrounding area are protected under the Ngerukewid Islands Wildlife Preserve, which was established in 1956. While much of Palau remains free of environmental degradation, areas of concern include illegal dynamite fishing, inadequate solid waste disposal facilities in Koror and extensive sand and coral dredging in the Palau lagoon. As with other Pacific island nations, rising sea level presents a major environmental threat. However according to the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research average carbon dioxide emissions per person were 58 tonnes in 2018, the highest in the world and mostly from transport. | wiki:25699424 |
Palau | Environment | Inundation of low-lying areas threatens coastal vegetation, agriculture, and an already insufficient water supply. Wastewater treatment is a problem, along with the handling of toxic waste from fertilizers and biocides. Saltwater crocodiles are also indigenous to Palau and occur in varying numbers throughout the various mangroves and in parts of the rock islands. Although this species is generally considered extremely dangerous, there has only been one fatal human attack in Palau within modern history, and that was in the 1960s. In Palau, the largest crocodile measured . | wiki:25699425 |
Palau | Sanctuary | On 25 September 2009, Palau announced that it would create the world's first shark sanctuary. Palau banned all commercial shark fishing within the waters of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The sanctuary protects about of ocean, a similar size to France. President Johnson Toribiong announced the sanctuary at a meeting of the United Nations. President Toribiong proposed a worldwide ban on fishing for sharks. In 2012, Palau received the Future Policy Award from World Future Council, because "Palau is a global leader in protecting marine ecosystems". | wiki:25699426 |
Palau | Economy | Palau's economy 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 largest employer, relying heavily on U.S. financial assistance. Business and tourist arrivals numbered some 50,000 in fiscal year 2000–2001. The population enjoys a per capita income twice that of Micronesia as a whole. 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. | wiki:25699427 |
Palau | Economy | Air service has at times been spotty. Palau Micronesia Air, Asian Spirit and Pacific Flier provided service to the Philippines and other destinations at various times during the 2000s, but all suspended service. United Airlines now provides near-daily service to and from Guam, and once-weekly service to Yap. Also, Korean Air provides service three times per week to Incheon. | wiki:25699428 |
Palau | Transportation | Palau International Airport provides scheduled direct flights with Guam, Manila, Seoul and Taipei. Palau Pacific Airways also has charter flights to and from Hong Kong and Macau. In addition, the states of Angaur and Peleliu have regular service to domestic destinations. Freight, military and cruise ships often call at Malakal Harbor, on Malakal Island outside Koror. The country has no railways, and of the of highways, only are paved. Driving is on the right and the speed limit is . Taxis are available in Koror. They are not metered and fares are negotiable. Transportation between islands mostly relies on private boats and domestic air services. | wiki:25699429 |
Palau | Transportation | However, there are some state run boats between islands as a cheaper alternative. | wiki:25699430 |
Palau | Demographics | The population of Palau is approximately , of whom 73% are native Palauans of mixed Melanesian, and Austronesian descent. There are many Asian communities within Palau. Filipinos form the largest Asian group and second largest ethnic group in the country, dating back to the Spanish colonial period. There are significant numbers of Chinese and Koreans. There are also smaller numbers of Palauans of mixed or full Japanese ancestry. Smaller numbers of Bangladeshi and Nepalese migrant workers and their descendants who came to the islands during the late 1900s can also be found. Most Palauans of Asian origin came during the late 1900s with many Chinese, Bangladeshis and Nepalese coming to Palau as unskilled workers and professionals. | wiki:25699431 |
Palau | Demographics | There are also small numbers of Europeans and Americans. | wiki:25699432 |
Palau | Languages | The official languages of Palau are Palauan and English, except in two states (Sonsorol and Hatohobei) where the local languages, Sonsorolese and Tobian, respectively, along with Palauan, are official. Japanese is spoken by some older Palauans and is an official language in the State of Angaur. Including second-language speakers, more people speak English than Palauan in Palau. Additionally, a significant portion of the population speak the Filipino language. | wiki:25699433 |
Palau | Religion | According to 2015 estimates 45.3% of the population is Roman Catholic (due to its shared colonial heritage with the Philippines), 6.9% Seventh-day Adventist, 34.9% other Protestant (due to American colonial rule), 5.7% Modekngei and 3.0% Muslim (due to its shared Islamic heritage with southern Philippines). In 2009, the small Jewish community sent two cyclists to the 18th Maccabiah Games. The German and Japanese occupations of Palau both subsidized missionaries to follow the Spanish. Germans sent Roman Catholic and Protestant, Japanese sent Shinto and Buddhist, and Spaniards sent Roman Catholic missionaries as they controlled Palau. Three quarters of the population are Christians (mainly Roman Catholics and Protestants), while Modekngei (a combination of Christianity, traditional Palauan religion and fortune telling) and the ancient Palauan religion are commonly observed. | wiki:25699434 |
Palau | Religion | Japanese rule brought Mahayana Buddhism and Shinto to Palau, which were the majority religions among Japanese settlers. However, following Japan's World War II defeat, the remaining Japanese largely converted to Christianity, while the remainder continued to observe Buddhism, but stopped practicing Shinto rites. There are also approximately 400 Bengali Muslims in Palau, and recently a few Uyghurs detained in Guantanamo Bay were allowed to settle in the island nation. | wiki:25699435 |
Palau | Culture | Palauan society follows a very strict matrilineal system. Matrilineal practices are seen in nearly every aspect of Palauan traditions, especially in funeral, marriage, inheritance and the passing of traditional titles. The system probably had its origins from the Philippine archipelago, which had a similar system until the archipelago was colonized by Spain. The cuisine includes local foods such as cassava, taro, yam, potato, fish and pork. Western cuisine is favored among young Palauans and the locals are joined by foreign tourists. The rest of Micronesia is similar with much less tourism, leading to fewer restaurants. Tourists eat mainly at their hotels on such islands. | wiki:25699436 |
Palau | Culture | Some local foods include an alcoholic drink made from coconut on the tree; the drink made from the roots of the kava; and the chewing of betel nuts. The traditional government system still influences the nation's affairs, leading the federal government to repeatedly attempt to limit its power. Many of these attempts took the form of amendments to the constitution that were supported by the corporate sector to protect what they deemed should be free economic zones. One such example occurred in early 2010, where the Idid clan, the ruling clan of the Southern Federation, under the leadership of Bilung, the Southern Federation's queen, raised a civil suit against the Koror State Public Lands Authority (KSPLA). | wiki:25699437 |
Palau | Culture | The Idid clan laid claim over Malakal Island, a major economic zone and Palau's most important port, citing documents from the German Era. The verdict held that the Island belonged to the KSPLA. | wiki:25699438 |
Palau | Traditional government | The present-day "traditional" government of Palau is a continuation of its predecessors. Traditionally, Palau was hierarchically organized. The lowest level is the village or hamlet, then the chiefdom (now politically referred to as a state) and finally alliances of chiefdoms. In ancient times, numerous federations divided power, but upon the 17th century introduction of firearms by the British, an imbalance of power occurred. Palau became divided into northern and southern federations. The Northern Federation is headed by the high chief and chiefess of the ruling clan Uudes of Melekeok state, the Reklai and Ebilreklai. They are commonly referred to as the king and queen of the Northern Federation. | wiki:25699439 |
Palau | Traditional government | This northern federation comprises the states of Kayangel, Ngerchelong, Ngardmau, Ngiwal, Ngaraard, Ngatpang, Ngeremlengui, Melekok, Aimeliik, Ngchesar and Airai. The Southern Federation is likewise represented by the high chief and chiefess of the ruling Idid of Koror state. The Southern Federation comprises the states of Koror, Peleliu and Angaur. However, fewer and fewer Palauans have knowledge of the concept of federations, and the term is slowly dying out. Federations were established as a way of safeguarding states and hamlets who shared economic, social, and political interests, but with the advent a federal government, safeguards are less meaningful. However, in international relations, the king of Palau is synonymous with the Ibedul of Koror. | wiki:25699440 |
Palau | Traditional government | This is because Koror is the industrial capital of the nation, elevating his position over the Reklai of Melekeok. | wiki:25699441 |
Palau | Sports | Baseball is a popular sport in Palau after its introduction by the Japanese in the 1920s. The Palau national baseball team won the gold medal at the 1990, 1998 and 2010 Micronesian Games, as well as at the 2007 Pacific Games. Palau also has a national football team, organized by the Palau Football Association, but is not a member of FIFA. The Association also organizes the Palau Soccer League. | wiki:25699442 |
Palau | Education | Primary education is required until the age of 16. Schools include both public and private institutions as well as some fields of study available at Palau Community College. For further undergraduate, graduate and professional programs, students travel abroad to attend tertiary institutions. Popular choices among Palauan scholars include the San Diego State University, University of the Philippines, Mindanao State University, and the University of the South Pacific. | wiki:25699443 |
Palau | Cuisine | Palau has its own cuisine, for instance, a dessert called "tama". Palauan cuisine includes local foods such as cassava, taro, yam, potato, fish and pork. It is also influenced by neighboring Philippines' cuisine, notably on its Asian-Latin dishes. Fruit bat soup is a commonly referenced Palauan delicacy. | wiki:25699444 |
History of Palau | Introduction | Palau was initially settled around 1000 BC. For the first time, Palau was probably sighted by Europeans early as 1522, when the Spanish mission of the Trinidad, the flagship of Ferdinand Magellan's voyage of circumnavigation, sighted two small islands around the 5th parallel north, naming them "San Juan" without visiting them. Palau was truly discovered by the Europeans on 28 December 1696 when the first map of Palau was drawn by the Czech missionary Paul Klein based on a description given by a group of Palauans shipwrecked on the Philippine coast on Samar. This map and a letter sent to Europe by Klein in June 1697 had a vast impact on the surge of interest in Palau. | wiki:25699445 |
History of Palau | Introduction | It resulted in the first and failed the Jesuit attempts to travel to the islands from the Philippines in 1700, 1708 and 1709. The islands were first visited by the Jesuit expedition led by Francisco Padilla on 30 November 1710, only to leave 2 stranded priests Jacques Du Beron and Joseph Cortyl on the coast of Sonsorol, while the mother ship Santissima Trinidad was being swept away by a storm. Subsequent attempts to save Du Beron and Cortyl learned that they were killed and eaten by the locals. | wiki:25699446 |
History of Palau | Archaeology | Carbon dating of cave burials show a pygmy population, presumably the result of insular dwarfism, from at least 3,000, and perhaps as long as 4,500 years ago until about 900 years ago (1000–2500 BCE until ca. 1100 CE). | wiki:25699447 |
History of Palau | Pre-contact | The Palauan language is an outlier among the Austronesian languages, and so does not shed much light on the origins of the modern population. However, there are some indications that it may derive from the Sunda Islands (modern Indonesia). For thousands of years, Palauans have had a well established matrilineal society, believed to have descended from Javanese precedents. Traditionally land, money, and titles passed through the female line. Only High Ranking Women (Queens) hand picked the High Chiefs. Clan lands continue to be passed through titled women and first daughters but there is also a modern patrilineal sentiment introduced by imperial Japan. | wiki:25699448 |
History of Palau | Pre-contact | The Japanese government attempted to confiscate and redistribute tribal land into personal ownership during World War II, and there has been little attempt to restore the old order. Legal entanglements continue amongst the various clans. | wiki:25699449 |
History of Palau | European contact and discovery in 1696 | There still is a debate whether the islands were or were not seen by some of the early European discoverers in the 16th century. Historians take note of the early navigational routes of European explorers in the Pacific. There is disagreement as to whether Spaniard Ruy López de Villalobos, who landed in several Caroline Islands, spotted the Palau archipelago in 1543. No conclusive evidence exists, but some believe he could have seen the tip of a southernmost island in the group.Nevertheless, the true and conscious discovery of Palau came a century later in December 1696, when a group of islanders shipwrecked on the Philippines island of Samar. | wiki:25699450 |
History of Palau | European contact and discovery in 1696 | They were interviewed by the Czech missionary Paul Klein on 28 December 1696. Klein was not only able to draw the first map of Palau based on a drawing and a set of pebbles on the beach but also to send an important letter in June 1697 to Europe. This map and the letter caused a vast interest in the new islands and resulted in the first and failed Jesuit attempts to travel to Palau from the Philippines in 1700, 1708 and 1709. The islands were first visited by the Jesuit expedition led by Francisco Padilla on 30 November 1710, only to leave two stranded priests Jacques Du Beron and Joseph Cortyl on the coast of Sonsorol, while the mother ship "Santissima Trinidad" was being swept away by a storm. | wiki:25699451 |
History of Palau | European contact and discovery in 1696 | Spain later started to dominate the islands. Palau had also limited relations with the exterior before the 18th century, mainly with Yap and Java. Had it not been for shipwrecked islanders who took refuge in the Philippines in 1696, Europeans likely would not have found Palau until much later. | wiki:25699452 |
History of Palau | Spanish rule | In the late 19th century, possession of the islands was claimed by Britain, Spain, and Imperial Germany. In 1885, the matter was brought to Pope Leo XIII for a decision. The Pope recognized the Spanish claim, but granted economic concessions to Britain and Germany. Palau then became part of the Spanish East Indies, along with the Mariana Islands, the Marshall Islands. and the rest of the Caroline Islands. They were all administered from the Philippines. After being defeated in 1898 in the Spanish–American War and losing possession of the Philippine Islands, Spain sold the Palau archipelago to Imperial Germany in the 1899 German–Spanish Treaty. | wiki:25699453 |
History of Palau | German era | Palau was administered from German New Guinea, and a period of economic development began. German engineers began exploiting the islands' deposits of bauxite and phosphate, and a rich harvest in copra was made. | wiki:25699454 |
History of Palau | Japanese mandate | Under the terms of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, the Empire of Japan declared war on the German Empire in 1914 and invaded German colonial empire in the Pacific Ocean. Palau was seized by ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy. After the war, the League of Nations awarded Palau to Japan as a Class C League of Nations Mandate. Japan incorporated the islands as an integral part of its empire, establishing the Nanyo-cho government with Koror Island as the capital. From 1914 to 1922, the Japanese Imperial Navy had been in control. Civilian control was introduced from 1922, and Palau was one of six administrative districts within the Mandate. | wiki:25699455 |
History of Palau | Japanese mandate | Japan mounted an aggressive economic development program and promoted large scale immigration by Japanese, Okinawans and Koreans. Native Palauans soon became a small minority in their own homeland. The Japanese continued the German mining activities, and also established bonito (skipjack tuna) canning and copra processing plants in Palau. | wiki:25699456 |
History of Palau | World War II | The Japanese presence made Palau a major target for the Allied forces in World War II. Peleliu was a scene of intense fighting between American and Japanese forces in 1944. The battle ended in an Allied victory, but at a high cost for both sides. Indeed, the world history recognizes the high cost of dead soldiers from both countries but totally ignored the numbers of dead innocent islanders who never asked to have countries come fight on their small island disrupting the peaceful life they enjoyed for centuries before history books states that these islands were discovered (It would be great acknowledgement to note that Palau was never lost as it was always there in the first place). | wiki:25699457 |
History of Palau | World War II | At the end of the Pacific War, less than five thousand Palauans were left alive with many Palauan families adopting Japanese children into their midst (those refused passage back to Japan as they were too young and dangerous to travel). All surviving Japanese were repatriated after the end of the war. There are still about 100 American servicemen listed as Missing In Action in Palau. Starting in 1993, a small group of American volunteers called The BentProp Project has searched the waters and jungles of Palau for information that could lead to the identification and recovery of these remains. The Palauan people, in recognition of the basic human hospitality that is unique to all people of the islands all over the planet, allowed the Japanese and US governments to search for their missing soldiers as well as bringing back their remains. | wiki:25699458 |
History of Palau | Post-war development | In 1947, the United Nations decided the United States would administer Palau as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. In 1979, Palauans voted against joining the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and the Marianas (except Guam) because of language and cultural differences. A long period of transition occurred between 1979 and 1994, specifically in the capital, Koror, on the topic of relations with the United States. After a long period of transition, including the violent deaths of two presidents (Haruo Remeliik in 1985 and Lazarus Salii in 1988), Palau voted in 1994 to freely associate with the United States while retaining independence under the Compact of Free Association. | wiki:25699459 |
Geography of Palau | Introduction | The Republic of Palau consists of eight principal islands and more than 250 smaller ones lying roughly 500 miles southeast of the Philippines, in Oceania. The islands of Palau constitute the westernmost part of the Caroline Islands chain. The country includes the World War II battleground of Peleliu and world-famous rock islands. The total land area is . It has the 42nd largest Exclusive Economic Zone of . | wiki:25699460 |
Geography of Palau | Statistics | The area of Palau is slightly more than 2.5 times the size of the US city of Washington, DC. Maritime claims: "territorial sea:" 3 nautical miles "exclusive economic zone:" Elevation extremes: "lowest point:" Pacific Ocean 0 m "highest point:" Mount Ngerchelchauus (on Babeldaob) | wiki:25699461 |
Geography of Palau | Climate | Climate is tropical; hot and humid. The country has a Köppen Climate Classification of "Af" (Tropical Rainforest Climate). The wet season lasts from May to November and typhoons can occur from June to December. | wiki:25699462 |
Geography of Palau | Relief | The relief of the country varies from the hilly main island of Babeldaw to the low, coral islands, usually bordered by large barrier reefs. Average altitude - no data available; the lowest point is the water level of the Pacific Ocean (0 m); The highest point is Mount Ngerchelchuus (242 m). | wiki:25699463 |
Geography of Palau | Extreme points | This is a list of the extreme points of Palau, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location. | wiki:25699464 |
Demographics of Palau | Introduction | This article is about the demographic features of the population of Palau, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. About 70% of the Palauan population lives in the city of Koror on Koror Island. Koror is the former capital and the present capital is Ngerulmud, in Melekeok State on the bigger but less developed island of Babeldaob—the second-largest island in Micronesia after Guam. | wiki:25699465 |
Demographics of Palau | CIA World Factbook demographic statistics | The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook (2020 est), unless otherwise indicated. | wiki:25699466 |
Demographics of Palau | Sex ratio | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female | wiki:25699467 |
Politics of Palau | Introduction | The politics of Palau take place in a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Palau is both head of state and head of government. Palau currently has no political parties and is a "de facto" non-partisan democracy although there is no law preventing the formation of political parties. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Palau National Congress. The judiciary of Palau is independent of the executive and the legislature. | wiki:25699468 |
Politics of Palau | History | Palau adopted a constitution on January 1, 1981. While calm in recent years, Palau witnessed several instances of political violence in the 1980s. The republic's first president, Haruo I. Remeliik, was assassinated in 1985; the Minister of State was found to be complicit in the crime. Palau's third president, Lazarus Salii, committed suicide in August 1988 amid bribery allegations. Salii's personal assistant had been imprisoned several months earlier after being convicted of firing shots into the home of the Speaker of the House of Delegates. Palau gained independence from the United Nations trusteeship administered by the United States on 1 October 1994 and entered a Compact of Free Association with the United States. | wiki:25699469 |
Politics of Palau | Executive branch | Presidential elections take place every four years, when the president and vice president run on separate tickets. The president, who is the head of state and head of government, is currently Thomas Remengesau Jr.. | wiki:25699470 |
Politics of Palau | Cabinet | The President is advised and assisted in governing by his/her Cabinet, composed of the Vice President and ministers responsible for the eight government ministries. | wiki:25699471 |
Politics of Palau | Legislature | The Palau National Congress ("Olbiil era Kelulau") is a bicameral legislature consisting of the House of Delegates and the Senate of Palau, which both sit at the Capitol Complex in Ngerulmud, Melekeok State. In the last elections, held on 1 November 2016, only non-partisans were elected; no political parties exist. | wiki:25699472 |
Politics of Palau | Judiciary | The judiciary of Palau interprets and applies the laws of Palau, as modified by custom and tradition, to ensure equal justice under law, and to provide a mechanism for dispute resolution. The judiciary comprises a four-member Supreme Court, a Court of Common Pleas, and a Land Court. The Supreme Court has a trial division and an appellate division and is presided over by the Chief Justice, assisted by three Associate Justices and a number of "ad hoc" part-time Associate Justices. | wiki:25699473 |
Politics of Palau | Council of Chiefs | The Council of Chiefs consists of one traditional leader from each of the sixteen States of Palau. It exists to ensure that traditional ways of life are preserved in Palau. The Council has an official advisory role to the President, specifically on issues relating to the tradition laws and customs and how they relate to Palau's Constitution and laws. The sixteen members each have a unique title. The current Chairman of the Council is Yutaka Gibbons of Koror. | wiki:25699474 |
Politics of Palau | Agencies | The executive branch also has some independent agencies, including the Environmental Quality Protection Board, created in 1981 and tasked with protecting the "unique and aesthetically beautiful environment while promoting sustainable economic and social development". | wiki:25699475 |
Politics of Palau | COFA Trust Fund Board | To manage the funds appropriate to Palau from the United State through the Compact of Free Association (COFA), the COFA Trust Fund Board was reestablished in 2014. The Board meets monthly to review the trust fund's performance and meets annually with the investment advisor (currently Raymond James & Associates' Asia-Pacific Group, based in Guam). | wiki:25699476 |
Economy of Palau | Introduction | The economy of Palau consists primarily of subsistence agriculture and fishing. The government is the major employer of the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the United States. The population enjoys a per capita income of more than twice that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-term prospects for the tourist sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific and the rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries. Palau's per capita GDP of $8,900 makes it one of the wealthier Pacific Island states. Nominal GDP increased by an annual average of nearly 14% from 1983 to 1990, and by an annual rate of over 10% from 1991 to 1997. | wiki:25699477 |
Economy of Palau | Introduction | Growth turned sharply negative in 1998 and 1999 as a result of the 1997 Asian financial crisis. | wiki:25699478 |
Economy of Palau | Industries | Dominant industries include tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, and garment making. Industrial production growth rate: N/A | wiki:25699479 |
Economy of Palau | Economic challenges | The main economic challenge confronting Palau is to ensure the long-term viability of its economy by reducing its reliance on foreign assistance. Palau has created a trust fund to be drawn upon after the cessation of Compact grants, the value of which had grown to $140 million by the beginning of 2009. Also, in the late 1990s, Palau was affected by the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, and their economy suffered. | wiki:25699480 |
Economy of Palau | Tourism challenges | In order to tackle mass tourism, the Palau Legacy Project, a sustainable tourism body, created a visa policy for the island of Palau to protect the nation from environmental damage. The "Palau Pledge" was the most awarded campaign of 2018 according to the WARC Creative 100 index. | wiki:25699481 |
Economy of Palau | Income | Gross Domestic Product (GDP): purchasing power parity - $132 million (2009 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2009 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8 500 (2009 est.) | wiki:25699482 |
Economy of Palau | Inflation | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4% (2000 est.) | wiki:25699483 |
Economy of Palau | Workforce | Labor force: 10 200 (2000) Labor force - by occupation (1990) Unemployment rate: 4.2% (2000 est.) | wiki:25699484 |
Economy of Palau | Electricity | Electricity - production: 200 MWh (1996) Electricity - production by source (1996) Electricity - consumption: 200 MWh (1996) | wiki:25699485 |
Economy of Palau | Trade | Agriculture - products: coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes Exports: $18 million (f.o.b., 2001) Exports - commodities: trochus (type of shellfish), tuna, copra, handicrafts | wiki:25699486 |
Economy of Palau | Debt and aid | Debt - external: $57 million (FY08/09) Economic aid - recipient: $155.8 million. Note: the Compact of Free Association with the U.S., entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994, provides Palau with up to $700 million in U.S. aid over 15 years in return for furnishing military facilities. | wiki:25699487 |
Economy of Palau | Currency | 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents Exchange rates: U.S. currency is used | wiki:25699488 |
Telecommunications in Palau | Telephones | Telephones - main lines in use: 7,300 (2012) Telephones - mobile cellular: 17,150 (2012) Telephone system: "domestic:" Palau National Communications Company "international:" satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) | wiki:25699489 |
Telecommunications in Palau | Radio and television | Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 1 (2002) Radios: 12,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: None, cable and satellite networks provide television service. | wiki:25699490 |
Telecommunications in Palau | Internet | Internet Service Providers (ISPs): PNCC (Formally PalauNet) Country code (Top level domain): PW | wiki:25699491 |
Palmyra Atoll | Introduction | Palmyra Atoll () is one of the Northern Line Islands (southeast of Kingman Reef and north of Kiribati. It is located almost due south of the Hawaiian Islands, roughly one-third of the way between Hawaii and American Samoa. The nearest continent is almost to the northeast. The atoll is , lying in the equatorial Northern Pacific Ocean. Its 9 miles (14 km) of coastline has one anchorage known as West Lagoon. It is the northernmost of the Line Islands, and one of three American islands in the archipelago, along with Jarvis Island and Kingman Reef. Palmyra Atoll is part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, the world's largest marine protected area. | wiki:25699492 |
Palmyra Atoll | Introduction | The atoll is made up of submerged sand flats along with dry land and reefs. It consists of three lagoons separated by coral reefs. The western reef terrace is one of the biggest shelf-reefs, with dimensions of . Over 150 species of coral inhabit Palmyra Atoll, double the number recorded in Hawaii. Palmyra Atoll is unoccupied. It is administered as an incorporated unorganized territory, presently the only one of its kind, by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior. The territory hosts a variable transient population of 4–25 staff and scientists employed by various departments of the U.S. | wiki:25699493 |
Palmyra Atoll | Introduction | government and by The Nature Conservancy, as well as a rotating mix of Palmyra Atoll Research Consortium scholars. Submerged portions of the atoll are administered by the Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs. | wiki:25699494 |
Palmyra Atoll | Geography | The atoll consists of an extensive reef, two shallow lagoons, and a number of sand and reef-rock islets and bars covered with vegetation—mostly coconut palms, "scaevola", and tall "pisonia" trees. The islets are mostly connected. Sand Island and the two Home Islets in the west and Barren Island in the east are not. The largest island is Cooper Island in the north, followed by Kaula Island in the south. The northern arch of islets is formed by Strawn Island, Cooper Island (or Cooper-Meng Island since the original Cooper and Meng Islands were joined in 1940), Aviation Island, Quail Island, Whippoorwill Island, followed in the east by Eastern Island, Papala Island and Pelican Island, and in the south by Bird Island, Holei Island, Engineer Island, Tanager Island, Marine Island, Kaula Island, Paradise Island, the Home Islets, and Sand Island (clockwise). | wiki:25699495 |
Palmyra Atoll | Geography | Palmyra Atoll is in the Samoa Time Zone (UTC−11:00), the same time zone as American Samoa, Midway Atoll, Kingman Reef and Jarvis Island. | wiki:25699496 |
Palmyra Atoll | Incorporated in the United States | In "The Insular Cases", the Supreme Court held incorporated territories to be integral parts of the United States, as opposed to mere possessions. The incorporated Palmyra Atoll is the southernmost point of the incorporated United States, with its southernmost shore at 5°52'15" N latitude. U.S.-controlled territories such as American Samoa (and the southernmost place, Rose Atoll) are farther south, but they are not incorporated territories. | wiki:25699497 |
Palmyra Atoll | Climate | Average annual rainfall is approximately per year. Temperatures average year round. The atoll has the highest oceanicity index and lowest diurnal and annual temperature variation of any place on earth. | wiki:25699498 |
Palmyra Atoll | Official names | Although Palmyra is a coral atoll with several islets, not a single island, it has been called Palmyra Island since the first visit in 1802. More recently it is for some purposes called Palmyra Atoll. The name of the federal territory retained by Congress since 1959 is Palmyra Island, but the official name of the National Wildlife Refuge within the territory is Palmyra Atoll, as is the corresponding division of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument"." Formal deeds, leases and federal orders for land there call it Palmyra Island. Further, the islets on the atoll are also named Island, such as Kaula Island, Cooper Island, etc. | wiki:25699499 |
Palmyra Atoll | Political status | Palmyra is an incorporated territory of the United States (the only such territory since 1959), meaning that it is subject to all provisions of the U.S. Constitution and is permanently under American sovereignty. However, since Palmyra remains an unorganized territory, an Act of Congress should specify how Palmyra is to be governed. Palmyra has no permanent residents; however, in 2004 accommodations were built to support a small number of temporary inhabitants. The only relevant federal law simply gives the president the authority to administer Palmyra as directed, or via the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii (Hawaii Omnibus Act, Pub. | wiki:25699500 |