Palau
Republic of Palau
- Background
- 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.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.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.
- Location
- Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines
- Geographic coordinates
- 7 30 N, 134 30 E
- Map references
- Oceania
- 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, D.C.
- Land boundaries
- total: 0 km
- Coastline
- 1,519 km
- Maritime claims
- territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm - Climate
- tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November
- Terrain
- varying topography from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs
- Elevation
- highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m - Natural resources
- forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals
- Land use
- agricultural land: 9.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 4.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 4.3% (2023 est.)
forest: 90.6% (2023 est.)
other: 0% (2023 est.) - Irrigated land
- 0 sq km (2022)
- Population distribution
- most of the population is located on the southern end of the main island of Babelthuap
- Natural hazards
- typhoons (June to December)
- Geography - note
- westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes world-famous Rock Islands
- Population
- total: 21,947 (2025 est.)
male: 11,257
female: 10,690 - Nationality
- noun: Palauan(s)
adjective: Palauan - Ethnic groups
- Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 70.6%, Carolinian 1.2%, Asian 26.5%, other 1.7% (2020 est.)
- 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.)
- 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.)
- Age structure
- 0-14 years: 17.5% (male 1,976/female 1,849)
15-64 years: 71.3% (male 8,647/female 6,935)
65 years and over: 11.2% (2024 est.) (male 612/female 1,845) - Dependency ratios
- total dependency ratio: 41.6 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 24.9 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 16.7 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 6 (2025 est.) - Median age
- total: 35.5 years (2025 est.)
male: 34.1 years
female: 37.4 years - Population growth rate
- 0.38% (2025 est.)
- Birth rate
- 11.53 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 8.52 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Net migration rate
- 0.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Population distribution
- most of the population is located on the southern end of the main island of Babelthuap
- Urbanization
- urban population: 82.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) - Major urban areas - population
- 277 NGERULMUD (capital) (2018)
- Sex ratio
- at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.25 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.33 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2024 est.) - Maternal mortality ratio
- 89 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
- Infant mortality rate
- total: 10.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births - Life expectancy at birth
- total population: 75.2 years (2024 est.)
male: 72 years
female: 78.5 years - Total fertility rate
- 1.7 children born/woman (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 0.83 (2025 est.)
- Drinking water source
- improved: urban: urban: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 99.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 0.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.) - Health expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 16.4% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 9.5% of national budget (2022 est.) - Physician density
- 1.81 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
- Sanitation facility access
- improved: urban: urban: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 99% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 1% of population (2022 est.) - Obesity - adult prevalence rate
- 55.3% (2016)
- Tobacco use
- total: 16.3% (2025 est.)
male: 25.2% (2025 est.)
female: 6.8% (2025 est.) - Currently married women (ages 15-49)
- 48.3% (2020 est.)
- Education expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP): 3.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 9.8% national budget (2023 est.) - Literacy
- total population: 100% (2020 est.)
male: 100% (2020 est.)
female: 100% (2020 est.) - School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
- total: 15 years (2023 est.)
male: 14 years (2023 est.)
female: 16 years (2023 est.)
- Environmental issues
- 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
- International environmental 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 - Climate
- tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November
- Land use
- agricultural land: 9.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 4.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 4.3% (2023 est.)
forest: 90.6% (2023 est.)
other: 0% (2023 est.) - Urbanization
- urban population: 82.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) - Particulate matter emissions
- 7.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Waste and recycling
- municipal solid waste generated annually: 9,400 tons (2024 est.)
- 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" - Government type
- presidential republic in free association with the US
- 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 name comes from a Palauan term meaning "place of fermented angelfish;" the site of the capital was the traditional location for women to gather and offer fermented angelfish to the gods - Administrative divisions
- 16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol
- Legal system
- mixed system of civil, common, and customary law
- Constitution
- history: ratified 9 July 1980, effective 1 January 1981
amendment process: 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 - International law organization participation
- has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
- 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 - Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
- Executive branch
- chief of state: President Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. (since 21 January 2021)
head of government: President Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. (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
election/appointment process: 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)
most recent election date: 5 November 2024
election results: 2024: Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. elected president in second round; percent of vote - Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. (independent) 57.7%, Tommy REMENGESAU (independent) 42.1%, other 0.2% 2020: Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. elected president in second round; percent of vote - Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. (independent) 56.7%, Raynold OILUCH (independent) 43.3%
expected date of next election: November 2028 - Legislative branch
- legislature name: National Congress (Olbiil Era Kelulau)
legislative structure: bicameral - Legislative branch - lower chamber
- chamber name: House of Delegates
number of seats: 16 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 11/5/2024
percentage of women in chamber: 25%
expected date of next election: November 2028 - Legislative branch - upper chamber
- chamber name: Senate
number of seats: 15 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 11/5/2024
percentage of women in chamber: 13.3%
expected date of next election: November 2028 - 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 - Political parties
- although not expressly forbidden by law, Palau does not have political parties or coalitions
- 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.orghttps://www.palauembassy.org/
consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam) - Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission: Ambassador Joel EHRENDREICH (since 29 September 2023)
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.govhttps://pw.usembassy.gov/ - 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, WIPO
- Independence
- 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
- National holiday
- Constitution Day, 9 July (1981); Independence Day, 1 October (1994)
- Flag
- description: light blue with a large yellow disk to the left sidemeaning: blue stands for the ocean, and the disk for the moon, which is considered a symbol of peace, love, and tranquility
- National symbol(s)
- bai (native meeting house)
- National color(s)
- blue, yellow
- National anthem(s)
- title: "Belau rekid" (Our Palau)
lyrics/music: multiple/Ymesei O. EZEKIEL
history: adopted 1980 - National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites: 1 (mixed)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Rock Islands Southern Lagoon
- 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
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $280.025 million (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $274.866 million (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021: $278.538 million (2021 est.) - Real GDP growth rate
- Real GDP growth rate 2023: 1.9% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: -1.3% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2021: -13.8% (2021 est.) - Real GDP per capita
- Real GDP per capita 2023: $15,800 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $15,500 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2021: $15,700 (2021 est.) - GDP (official exchange rate)
- $281.849 million (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 2.2% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 12.8% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 12.4% (2022 est.) - GDP - composition, by sector of origin
- agriculture: 3% (2023 est.)
industry: 9.9% (2023 est.)
services: 76.7% (2023 est.) - GDP - composition, by end use
- household consumption: 77.8% (2022 est.)
government consumption: 36.3% (2022 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 36.6% (2022 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.8% (2022 est.)
exports of goods and services: 13.5% (2022 est.)
imports of goods and services: -74.3% (2022 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
- Industries
- tourism, fishing, subsistence agriculture
- Industrial production growth rate
- -19.5% (2023 est.)
- Remittances
- Remittances 2023: 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.) - Budget
- revenues: $127.757 million (2020 est.)
expenditures: $152.398 million (2020 est.) - Public debt
- Public debt 2019: 85.2% of GDP (2019 est.)
- Taxes and other revenues
- 18.1% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
- Current account balance
- Current account balance 2022: -$135.428 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2021: -$115.739 million (2021 est.)
Current account balance 2020: -$115.61 million (2020 est.) - Exports
- Exports 2022: $24.48 million (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $10.566 million (2021 est.)
Exports 2020: $52.897 million (2020 est.) - Exports - partners
- India 41%, Turkey 26%, Taiwan 10%, USA 9%, Japan 5% (2023)
- Exports - commodities
- ships, refined petroleum (2023)
- Imports
- Imports 2022: $216.681 million (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $169.938 million (2021 est.)
Imports 2020: $207.224 million (2020 est.) - Imports - partners
- Italy 32%, China 25%, USA 11%, Turkey 10%, Japan 6% (2023)
- Imports - commodities
- ships, refined petroleum, additive manufacturing machines, cars, plastic products (2023)
- Exchange rates
- the US dollar is used
- Electricity access
- electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 99.9%
electrification - rural areas: 100%
- Telephones - fixed lines
- total subscriptions: 8,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 45 (2023 est.) - Telephones - mobile cellular
- total subscriptions: 24,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 135 (2023 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
- percent of population: 27% (2004 est.)
- Broadband - fixed subscriptions
- total: 1,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.)
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- T8
- Airports
- 3 (2025)
- Merchant marine
- total: 427 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 49, container ship 8, general cargo 200, oil tanker 52, other 118 - Ports
- total ports: 1 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 0
very small: 1
ports with oil terminals: 1
key ports: Malakal Harbor
- Military and security forces
- no regular military forces; the Bureau of Public Safety (Ministry of Justice) has divisions for police functions and maritime security (2025)
- Military - note
- 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 forcesPalau 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)
- Refugees and internally displaced persons
- refugees: 5 (2024 est.)