constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994
parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Independence date
4 October 1966 (from UK)
Religions
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)
Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Languages
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)
Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
Exports
manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)
External Debt
$729,900,000 US
Exchange Rate
maloti (LSL) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines
Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Area
459 km sq
30,355 km sq
Coastline
1,519 km
0 km
Climate
tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November
temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
