constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994
Independence date
1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
Religions
Catholic 26.4%, Anglican 20.5%, other Christian 20.5%, Buddhist 1.9%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 12.7%, none 15.3% (2001 Census)
Roman Catholic 41.6%, Protestant 23.3%, Modekngei 8.8% (indigenous to Palau), Seventh-Day Adventist 5.3%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, Latter-Day Saints 0.6%, other 3.1%, unspecified or none 16.4% (2000 census)
Languages
English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%, unspecified 5.8% (2001 Census)
Palauan 64.7% official in all islands except Sonsoral (Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official), Filipino 13.5%, English 9.4%, Chinese 5.7%, Carolinian 1.5%, Japanese 1.5%, other Asian 2.3%, other languages 1.5% (2000 census)
Exports
coal, iron ore, gold, meat, wool, alumina, wheat, machinery and transport equipment
External Debt
$1,466,000,000,000 $
Exchange Rate
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2059 (2008 est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
3.000%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
46
0
Location
Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines
Area
7,741,220 km sq
459 km sq
Coastline
25,760 km
1,519 km
Climate
generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November
