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Republic of Palau
National name: Beluu er a Belau
President: Tommy Remengesau (2001)
Total area: 177 sq mi (458 sq km)
Population (2006 est.): 20,579 (growth rate: 1.3%); birth rate: 18.0/1000;
infant mortality rate: 14.5/1000; life expectancy: 70.4; density per sq mi: 116
Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Koror, 11,100
Monetary unit: U.S. dollar used
Languages: Palauan 64.7%, English 9.4%, Sonsoralese, Tobi, Angaur (each official
on some islands), Filipino 13.5%, Chinese 5.7%, Carolinian 1.5%, Japanese 1.5%,
other Asian 2.3%, other languages 1.5% (2000)
Ethnicity/race: 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)
Religions: Roman Catholic 42%, Protestant 23%, Modekngei 9% (indigenous),
Seventh-Day Adventist 5%, Jehovah's Witness 1%, Latter-Day Saints 1%, other
religion 3%, unspecified or none 16% (2000)
Literacy rate: 92% (1980 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2001 est.): $174 million; note: includes U.S.
subsidy; per capita $9,000. Real growth rate: 1%. Inflation: 3.4% (2000 est.).
Unemployment: 2.3% (2000 est.). Arable land: 9%. Agriculture: coconuts, copra,
cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish. Labor force: 9,845 (2000); agriculture
20%, industry n.a., services n.a. (1990). Industries: tourism, craft items (from
shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making. Natural resources: forests,
minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals. Exports: $18
million (f.o.b., 2001 est.): shellfish, tuna, copra, garments. Imports: $99
million (f.o.b., 2001 est.): machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs.
Major trading partners: U.S., Japan, Singapore, Guam, South Korea (2004).
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 6,700 (2002); mobile cellular:
1,000 (2002). Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002). Radios:
12,000 (1997). Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997). Televisions: 11,000
(1997). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002). Internet users: n.a.
Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 61 km; paved: 36 km; unpaved:
25 km. Ports and harbors: Koror. Airports: 3 (2002).
International disputes: none.
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