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Republic of Palau
National name: Beluu er a Belau
President: Johnson Toribiong (2008)
Current government officials
Total area: 177 sq mi (458 sq km)
Population (2008 est.): 21,093 (growth
rate: 1.1%); birth rate: 17.4/1000; infant mortality rate:
13.6/1000; life expectancy: 71; density per sq mi: 46
Capital and largest city (2003 est.):
Melekeok
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)
National Holiday:
Constitution Day, July 9
Literacy rate: 92% (1980 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2004
est.): $124.5 million note: includes US subsidy; per capita $7,600
(2005 est.). Real growth rate: 5.5% (2005 est.).
Inflation: 2.7% (2005 est.). Unemployment: 4.2% (2005
est.). Arable land: 9%. Agriculture: coconuts, copra,
cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish. Labor force: 9,777
(2005); 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: $5.882 million f.o.b. (2004 est.): shellfish, tuna,
copra, garments. Imports: $107.3 million f.o.b. (2004 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 (cable) (2005). Televisions: 11,000 (1997). Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2007). Internet users:
n.a.
Transportation: Railways: 0 km.
Highways: total: 61 km; paved: 36 km; unpaved: 25 km.
Ports and harbors: Koror. Airports: 3 (2007).
International disputes: none.
Major sources and definitions
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