Palau

Humans arrived in the Palauan archipelago from Southeast Asia around 1000 B.C. 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. The 18th and 19th centuries saw occasional visits of whalers and traders as Spain gained some influence in the islands and administered it from the Philippines. Spain sold Palau to Germany in 1899 after losing the Philippines in the Spanish-American War.<br><br>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 was one of the bloodiest island fights of the Pacific War. After the war, Palau became part of the US-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.<br><br>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.<br><br>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.

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

7 30 N, 134 30 E

Oceania

slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.

1,519 km

tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November

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

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

0 sq km (2022)

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

typhoons (June to December)

westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes world-famous Rock Islands

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

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.)

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.)

0.38% (2025 est.)

11.53 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

8.52 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

0.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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

277 NGERULMUD (capital) (2018)

89 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

1.7 children born/woman (2025 est.)

0.83 (2025 est.)

1.81 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

55.3% (2016)

48.3% (2020 est.)

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

tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November

7.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

presidential republic in free association with the US

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

mixed system of civil, common, and customary law

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

18 years of age; universal

although not expressly forbidden by law, Palau does not have political parties or coalitions

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, WIPO

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

Constitution Day, 9 July (1981); Independence Day, 1 October (1994)

<strong>description:</strong> light blue with a large yellow disk to the left side<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> blue stands for the ocean, and the disk for the moon, which is considered a symbol of peace, love, and tranquility

bai (native meeting house)

blue, yellow

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

$281.849 million (2023 est.)

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

tourism, fishing, subsistence agriculture

-19.5% (2023 est.)

18.1% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

India 41%, Turkey 26%, Taiwan 10%, USA 9%, Japan 5% (2023)

ships, refined petroleum (2023)

Italy 32%, China 25%, USA 11%, Turkey 10%, Japan 6% (2023)

ships, refined petroleum, additive manufacturing machines, cars, plastic products (2023)

<p>the US dollar is used</p>

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)

.pw

T8

3 (2025)

no regular military forces; the Bureau of Public Safety (Ministry of Justice) has divisions for police functions and maritime security (2025)

under the Compact of Free Association between Palau and the US, the US is responsible for the defense of Palau, and the US military is granted access to the islands; the COFA also allows citizens of Palau to serve in the US armed forces<br><br>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 (2025)