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Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 458 sq km

land: 458 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,519 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm

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:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m

Natural resources:

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

Land use:

arable land: 8.7%

permanent crops: 4.35%

other: 86.95% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

typhoons (June to December)

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

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

People Palau

Population:

21,093 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.8% (male 2,797/female 2,637)

15-64 years: 69.4% (male 7,864/female 6,779)

65 years and over: 4.8% (male 482/female 534) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 32.3 years

male: 33.3 years

female: 31.3 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.157% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

17.4 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

6.73 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 13.69 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 15.37 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71 years

male: 67.82 years

female: 74.36 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.45 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Palauan(s)

adjective: Palauan

Ethnic groups:

Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 69.9%, Filipino 15.3%, Chinese 4.9%, other Asian 2.4%, white 1.9%, Carolinian 1.4%, other Micronesian 1.1%, other or unspecified 3.2% (2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 41.6%, Protestant 23.3%, Modekngei 8.8% (indigenous to Palau), Seventh-Day Adventist 5.3%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, Latter-Day Saints 0.6%, other 3.1%, unspecified or none 16.4% (2000 census)

Languages:

Palauan 64.7% official in all islands except Sonsoral (Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official), Filipino 13.5%, English 9.4%, Chinese 5.7%, Carolinian 1.5%, Japanese 1.5%, other Asian 2.3%, other languages 1.5% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92%

male: 93%

female: 90% (1980 est.)

Government Palau

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

Government type:

constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Capital:

name: Melekeok

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:

1 January 1981

Legal system:

based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001); Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001); Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005)

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 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008)

election results: Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. reelected president; percent of vote - Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. 64%, Polycarp BASILIUS 33%; Elias Camsek CHIN elected vice president; percent of vote - Elias Camsek CHIN 70%, Sandra PIERANTOZZI 29%

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 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008); House of Delegates - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008)

election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9; House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 16

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Common Pleas; Land Court

Political parties and leaders:

none

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, ADB, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA

chancery: 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20006

telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814

FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281

consulate(s) general: Honolulu

consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Mark BEZNER

embassy: Koror (no street address)

mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940

telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990

FAX: [680] 488-2911

Flag description:

light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side

Economy Palau

Economy - overview:

The economy consists primarily of tourism, 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 US, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994, provided Palau with up to $700 million in US aid for the following 15 years in return for furnishing military facilities. Business and tourist arrivals numbered 63,000 in 2003. The population enjoys a per capita income roughly 50% higher than that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-run 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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$124.5 million

note: GDP estimates includes US subsidy (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$145 million (2005)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$7,600 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 6.2%

industry: 12%

services: 81.8% (2003)

Labor force:

9,777 (2005)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 20%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

4.2% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.7% (2005 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $72.07 million

expenditures: $72.43 million (FY04/05 est.)

Agriculture - products:

coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production by source:

NA

Current account balance:

$15.09 million (FY03/04)

Exports:

$5.882 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

shellfish, tuna, copra, garments

Exports - partners:

US, Japan, Singapore (2006)

Imports:

$107.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

US, Singapore, Japan, South Korea (2006)

Economic aid - recipient:

$23.46 million (2005)

Debt - external:

$0 (FY99/00)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Currency (code):

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:

1 October - 30 September

Communications Palau

Telephones - main lines in use:

6,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

1,000 (2002)

Telephone system:

general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:

12,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (cable) (2005)

Televisions:

11,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.pw

Internet hosts:

1 (2007)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

1 (2002)

Transportation Palau

Airports:

3 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)

Roadways:

total: 60 km

Ports and terminals:

Koror

Military Palau

Military branches:

no regular military forces; Palau National Police (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,973 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 4,397 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

males age 16-49: 179 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

NA

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of Free Association between Palau and the US, the US military is granted access to the islands for 50 years, but it has not stationed any military forces there (2008)

Transnational Issues Palau

Disputes - international:

maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia

This page was last updated on 15 July, 2008

The World Factbook

Panama

Introduction Panama

Background:

Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela - named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the latter dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colombia. With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. In 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the subsequent decades. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the Canal, and remaining US military bases were transferred to Panama by the end of 1999. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambitious plan to expand the Canal. The project, which began in 2007 and could double the Canal's capacity, is expected to be completed in 2014-15.

Geography Panama

Location:

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

Geographic coordinates:

9 00 N, 80 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 78,200 sq km

land: 75,990 sq km

water: 2,210 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:

total: 555 km

border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km

Coastline:

2,490 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin

Climate:

tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)

Terrain:

interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Volcan Baru 3,475 m

Natural resources:

copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 7.26%

permanent crops: 1.95%

other: 90.79% (2005)

Irrigated land:

430 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

148 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic / industrial / agricultural):

total: 0.82 cu km/yr (67%/5%/28%)

per capita: 254 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area

Environment - current issues: