Palau

At a glance Land People Economy Achievements and challenges Links with Australia   Palau at a glance Did you know? Palau's famed 'Rock Islands' consist of hundreds of mushroom-shaped islets covered with plants. They seem to float above the surface of the water as their rocky bases are severely undercut at the waterline. Region Oceana, Pacific Population 21,093 (July 2008 estimate) Land Geography: High mountainous areas and low coral islands and reefs Climate: Tropical People Religion: Christian (64.9%), Modekngei (8.8%) Language: Palauan, English Economy GDP per person (PPP): $7,600 (2005 est.) GDP by sector: agriculture (6.2%), industry ( 12%), services ( 81.8%) Government Democratic Republic   Land Physical geography Palau (also known as Belau) is an archipelago of 343 islands, divided into six island groups in the Pacific Ocean, south-east of the Philippines. The total land area is 550 square kilometres. The islands vary in terrain from high mountains to low coral islands, usually fringed by large barrier reefs. The highest point on Palau is Mount Ngerchelchuus, which stands at an elevation of 242 metres. Climate The climate of Palau is tropical and the weather is hot and humid. It has a wet season from May to November. Cyclones are common from June to December. Environment Palau 's spectacular 'Rock Islands' are protected in a marine reserve. Whales, dolphins, manta rays, sharks, turtles, 1,400 species of reef fish and 350 coral species are found in the sea surrounding Palau. Disposal of solid waste, threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing practices, and the depletion of fish-stocks from overfishing are some of the current environmental concerns. People Palau 's most populated islands are Angaur, Babeldaob, Koror and Peleliu. About two-thirds of the population live on Koror.   People Culture and identity The population consists of Palauan, Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian mixtures, (69.9%), Filipino people (15.3%), Chinese people (4.9%), other Asian people (2.4%), European people (1.9%), Carolinian people (1.4%) and other Micronesian people (1.1%) (2000 census). The majority of the population speak Palauan (64.7%), which is the official language on most of the islands. Local languages are spoken on the islands of Sonsoral, Tobi and Angaur. English, Filipino and Japanese are also widely spoken. Though embracing some Western trappings, many Palauans identify with their traditional culture. Dances with slow fluid movement accompanied by chants are used to tell stories. Health Life expectancy for the total population is 71 years of age, with men averaging 68 years of age and women 74 years of age. The infant mortality rate is 11.9 deaths for every 1,000 live births. Religion and beliefs Palau is largely Christian (41.6% Roman Catholic and 23.3% Protestant). Some 8.8% of people are Modekngei (indigenous to Palau ), 5.3% are Seventh-Day Adventist, 0.9% are Jehovah's Witness and 0.6% are Latter-Day Saints. Some 16.4% of the population do not follow a religion (2000 census). Food and shelter Taro, sweet potato, tapioca, bananas and breadfruit are an important part of the Palauan diet. It also includes locally grown mango, coconut, pandanus and papaya and seafood, fish and crabs are plentiful. Imported chicken, canned meats and rice are eaten as well. Economy Wealth and poverty Palau has one of the highest standards of living of the Pacific island countries but wealth and development are unevenly spread throughout the country and it is heavily reliant on aid from the United States . Education and work Education is compulsory for 6-14 year olds and 92% of the population aged over 15 can read and write. Most people are involved in subsistence agriculture and fishing. The Government employs the majority of the workforce. There is a developing eco-tourism industry. Industries and products Agricultural products include coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes and fish. Industries are primarily tourism, construction, garment making and the crafting of items from shell, wood and pearls. Trade Export commodities include shellfish, tuna, copra and garments. Export partners are the United States of America, Japan and Singapore. Import commodities are machinery and equipment, fuels, metals and foodstuffs. Main import partners for 2006 were the United States of America, Singapore, Japan and South Korea . Achievements and challenges The main economic challenge confronting Palau is to ensure the long-term viability of its economy by reducing its reliance on foreign assistance. Links with Australia Australian development assistance to Palau was estimated as $436,000 in 2007-08. Education is a priority of the program, which concentrates on scholarships and a small grants scheme supporting community organisations. Australia donated a Pacific Patrol boat to Palau, and it continues to fund technical support estimated to be $1.07 million in 2007-08. Australian trade relations with Palau are limited, as their main trading partner is the United States of America. Australian goods exports to Palau totalled A$1.39 million in 2006-07 (mainly meat, paints and varnishes, milk and cream). Exports from Palau to Australia totalled $30,000 (mainly musical instruments and shipping equipment). Main sources: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html http://www20.sbs.com.au/worldguide/index.php http://hdr.undp.org/ http://www.dfat.gov.au/

An aerial view of limestone islands gives a sense of the tiny, steep-sided and densely forested islands that make up Palau. Photolibrary.com/Digital Vision