Palau
Palau, officially the Republic of Palau (Palauan: Beluu er a Belau, English: Republic of Palau), is an island country, one of the four that make up Micronesia and one of the fourteen that make up Oceania. Its capital is Ngerulmud and its most populous city is Koror.
The Republic is made up of approximately 340 islands of volcanic and coral origin in the Philippine Sea. The country is located in the extreme southwest of Micronesia, bordered to the northeast by the Northern Mariana Islands, to the east by the Federated States of Micronesia, to the south by Indonesia, and to the west by the Philippines. It forms, together with the Federated States of Micronesia, the archipelago of the Caroline Islands.
Colonial powers that controlled or occupied the archipelago included the Spanish, German, Japanese, and United States empires. It gained independence from the United States in 1981 and is one of the newest and least populated countries in the world, with around 20,000 inhabitants.
Etymology
The name of the islands in the Palauan language, Belau, is probably derived from the Palauan word "beluu" meaning "village", or from the word "aibebelau" which means "indirect response", alluding to a creation myth.
The name «Palau» entered the English language derived from the Spanish «Las Palaos», to designate the German Palau. The archaic name in English for those islands was "Pellew Islands" (Pellew Islands).
History
First inhabitants
Its first inhabitants belonged to the important Austronesian migratory wave. This began around 5000 B.C. C. from East Asia and the Philippine Islands to New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago. It is assumed that from there they traveled to the Palau Islands between 4000 and 3000 BC. C.
The archipelago is considered to have been inhabited from a date between the 4th and 5th millennium BC. C. The oldest archaeological remains are fragments of pottery and remains of funeral rites belonging to the Lapita culture, whose dating does not exceed 1000 BC. C. The construction of the large terraces in the interior of the islands would not exceed the period between 100 and 200 BC. Within its footprints are several stone ruins and monoliths at Ngarchelong.
Evidence of early occupation in Palau comes from various locations throughout the archipelago. Unfortunately, the earliest radiocarbon dates do not come from clear contexts and therefore provide little data on early occupation. The earliest acceptable dates for Palau are I century and II d. C. The dates of the I century and the V come from garbage dumps in Kayangel. The earliest date is from a tridacna shell from a deposit that may lie below the lowest cultural deposit. The shell is not associated with other artifacts and it is not clear if the nearby artifacts are from a permanent occupation of the atoll. The V century date is associated with other artifacts, but it remains unclear whether this part of the dump stems from permanent occupation. In another study, Osborne obtained a date of AD 161. C. from the excavations at the Badrulchau site. The date comes from a charcoal sample composed at a level below the stone pillar structure and apparently underlying the terracing of the hillside.
Terracing and maintenance on volcanic islands appears to predate the formation of the formal, nucleated settlements observed at the time of European contact in 1783. In addition, there is evidence of an intensification of early terracing of the second millennium. At about the same time as the intensification of terracing on volcanic islands, evidence from rocky islands suggests increasing settlement nucleation.
Although many terrace systems are found on the hills surrounding volcanic islands, and possibly even some terraces on rocky islands, it has proven difficult to obtain solid chronological data on them. The variety of terrace shapes and special features associated with the terraces, such as 'crown and rim' elaborations, suggest that the terraces functioned in different ways. The location and organizational characteristics of the settlements associated with the terraces seem to have been, to some extent, different from the historical pattern of the traditional towns of the coastal areas. Information on associations between terraces and former habitation sites is currently lacking. Radiocarbon dates associated with the terraces range from 491 to 1810. Most of the dates associated with the terraces are between 895 and 1165. The most recent date, 1810, comes from a shell dump eroding into the face of a terrace; the spillway was apparently buried as construction of the terrace continued.
The earliest date associated with rock island cultural material is the 620s for the Uchu larois cave site, followed by three dates in the 630s for the Mariar site on Ngeruktabel Island and the site from Ngidech beach on the island of Ulebsechel. Some of these middens, notably the Uchularois cave, contain large amounts of artifacts, suggesting that they are the result of intensive exploitation of marine resources, particularly shellfish.
Subsequent data from rock island sites suggest important changes in the settlement system with the development of nucleated villages. Evidence from legends and the close grouping of radiocarbon dates suggest that the villages were abruptly abandoned in the early 15th century. However, there is evidence that the resources of the rocky islands continued to be exploited after the settlements were abandoned. There are five rock island site dates in clear association with structures, and these dates range from 1200 to 1420. These dates, together with the size and complexity of the rock island village sites, suggest that these villages were permanently busy during this time. It is likely that permanently occupied villages developed before 1200. There are four dates for middens at rock island sites ranging from 1345 to 1950. However, these last four dates are not associated with structures.
The formation of historically observed village systems seems to reflect a major transformation of Palauan society. The archaeological settlements on the volcanic islands are organized in the same way as the settlements recorded historically by Keate (1789), Semper (1873), Kubary (1889) and Krämer (1919). The registered villages consist of groups of elements that indicate the integration of household and community activities. The large stone items recorded in the villages have specific historical references in Palauan oral tradition. These facts suggest that the organization of the villages we see today evolved in the 14th and 15th centuries. By the end of the 16th century, the social system we see reflected in modern villages was largely in place.
Palauan is an atypical language among Austronesians, so it does not shed much light on the origins of the modern population. However, there are some indications that it may derive from the Sunda Islands (present-day Indonesia).
Migration and colonization of the islands took place about 2,000 years ago, but not later than the first centuries AD. C. In the year 600 d. C. there were already settlements throughout the archipelago.
For thousands of years, Palauans have had a well-established matrilineal society, believed to be descended from Javanese precedents. Traditionally, land, money, and titles passed through the female line. The high chiefs were chosen only by the queens (high-ranking women). Clan lands continue to pass through titled women and first daughters, but there is also a modern patrilineal sentiment introduced by imperial Japan. The Japanese government tried to confiscate and redistribute tribal land into personal property during World War II, and little has been done to restore the old order. Legal entanglements continue between the various clans.
Spanish domain
It is believed that the first European explorer to sight the islands was the Spaniard Gonzalo Gómez de Espinosa in 1522, aboard the ship Trinidad, during the Magellan-Elcano expedition. In this expedition the islands were called ''San Juan''. Later it would be visited by Ruy López de Villalobos in 1543.
After the conquest of the Philippines in 1565 by the Spanish Empire, the Palau archipelago belonged to the Captaincy General of the Philippines, created in 1574, which administered the Spanish Empire in Asia and Oceania.
However, the Spanish presence only began to express itself with evangelization, which began at the end of the 17th century, and its dominance began to take shape in the 18th century.
The first unsuccessful attempts by Jesuits to travel to the islands from the Philippines occurred in 1700, 1708, and 1709. The islands were first visited by the Jesuit expedition led by the Spanish Francisco Padilla on November 30, 1710, only to strand 2 priests Jacques Du Beron and Joseph Cortyl on the coast of Sonsorol, while the mother ship Santisima Trinidad was swept away in a storm. In subsequent attempts to save Du Beron and Cortyl, it was learned that they were killed and eaten by the locals.
After further attempts, the Palau Islands formally became part of the Spanish East Indies in 1885.
The first encounters were with whalers and traders, who used the islands as stopovers on their voyages. Since those first contacts, but especially from the 19th century, diseases brought on ships from Europe, particularly smallpox, influenza and leprosy, decimated the island's population, as did the use of firearms. to resolve tribal differences. It is estimated that the indigenous population grew from 50,000 before coming into contact with Europeans, to a total of no more than 3700 in the early 20th century.
German dominance
European attempts to establish regular and commercial contact with the islands did not begin until the 18th century, when the British through the East India Company they exerted influence in the area. The contacts go back to the year of the landing of his Antelope, in 1783.
In 1885 the German Empire occupied some of the islands. This triggered a dispute with Spain, in which Pope Leo XIII mediated in favor of the latter with some commercial concessions to the Germans.
However, after the defeat in the Spanish-American War of 1898, in 1899 Spain sold them to the German Empire along with the rest of the Caroline Islands for 25 million pesetas. By way of historical testimony From the German occupation of Palau, a circular punch was used in 1899 that was stamped on coins of 5 marks, Philippine pesos of King Alfonso XIII and thalers of María Teresa I of Austria. That countermark contained a legend referring to King Wilhelm II of Germany: (Kaiser Wilhelm II) and dated 1899.
During German rule, minerals such as bauxite, phosphate and other resources began to be extracted. The islands were part of the protectorate of German New Guinea.
The German Administration created and operated several mining companies and several copra plantations. In addition, perhaps as important as economic development, the German Administration began to push for social reforms that included the relocation of the population to larger towns and a large number of public works projects, such as the construction of docks and navigation beacons. The youths were forced to work in the phosphate mines on Angaur and Beliliou islands, copra plantations and an unfinished ditch that ran through the narrowest part of Babeldaob island, in what is now Ngaraard state..
Japanese domain
In 1914, at the start of World War I, as stipulated in the Anglo-Japanese alliance, the Empire of Japan occupied the islands as a military movement in support of its ally, the British Empire.
After the end of the conflict, Japan obtained a mandate over the archipelago after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, which lasted until World War II. Palau was one of the six districts of the Mandate of the South Pacific, whose administration was commissioned by the League of Nations to the Japanese Empire.
The presence of the Asian country was characterized by an intense program of economic development, immigration of Koreans and Japanese from the Ryukyu Islands, as well as sardinian fishing and copra extraction. They also built transportation infrastructure, completing the passages between the islands of Koror (where they also developed the archipelago's first urban town) and Pescadores and Ngerekebesang. They were also the pioneers of aviation in the archipelago, establishing the first air routes and building the first airports, in Peleliu and Angaur. From a religious point of view, Buddhism and Shinto were brought to Palau. The Nan'yō Shrine dates from this period.
During those decades, however, the original population was quickly and dramatically outnumbered by the ethnic Japanese. Indeed, if in 1920 there were 5,700 Palauans and 600 Japanese, in 1940 the proportions had been reversed, because while the indigenous population was 7,000 people, the Japanese numbered 23,000.
Japan incorporated the islands as an integral part of its empire, establishing the government of Nanyo-cho with the island of Koror as its capital. Civilian control was introduced from 1922, and Palau was one of the six administrative districts of the Mandate. Japan launched an aggressive large-scale immigration program of Japanese, Okinawans, and Koreans. The natives of Palau soon became a small minority in their own land. The Japanese continued German mining activities, and also established bonito (skipjack tuna) canning and copra processing plants in Palau.
Japanese trading companies were quick to set up operations to exploit the economic potential of the islands, especially the abundant fishing resources and pearl harvesting. The Japanese established a trading center at Koror and began to develop a series of agricultural plantations on the island of Babeldaob. After World War I, the civilian government instituted a series of important changes in life in Palau. Changes included the creation of primary schools for Palauans and the construction of modern water and electricity systems. Older informants remember the Japanese administration as a time of order in which things ran smoothly. Despite significant improvements in social services for Palauans, the Japanese were very clear about the role and status of native peoples in Micronesia. The native peoples were to be second-class citizens and serve as a source of cheap labor for the various agricultural and mercantile enterprises.
US domain
On September 20, 1944, US troops invaded the territory. In the fall of that year, the islands witnessed the Battle of Peleliu between the forces of the Empire of Japan and the United States, killing 11,000 Japanese soldiers and 1,700 Americans.
The Allied victory put an end to the mandate that the Japanese Empire had had over the archipelago since the end of World War I, after which the then considerable Japanese presence in the territory diminished—to almost disappearing.
The population suffered the rigors of the war, whose fighting took place on the archipelago for nearly two and a half years. Although few Palauans died as a direct result of an explosion or gunshot, many died from malnutrition and disease resulting from warfare.
The last months of the war were grim. American aviation flew through the skies in search of targets to bomb and machine-gun. The large garrison of Japanese soldiers ran out of food and became desperate. Locals remember the terror of air raids and Japanese soldiers taking already scarce food supplies. Famine and disease began to take their toll before the surrender and repatriation of the Japanese forces.
By the end of the Pacific War, fewer than 5,000 Palauans were left alive, and many Palauan families adopted Japanese children into their midst (who were denied passage back to Japan as they were too young to make the perilous journey). All surviving Japanese were evicted at the end of the war. There are still about 100 US servicemen listed as missing in action in Palau. Since 1993, a small group of American volunteers called The BentProp Project have searched the waters and jungles of Palau for information that could lead to the identification and recovery of these remains. The people of Palau, in recognition of the basic human hospitality that characterizes all island peoples across the globe, allowed the Japanese and American governments to search for their missing soldiers and bring back their remains.
Since 1947, Palau and the Carolinas were placed under the guardianship of the UN, which, in turn, entrusted their administration to the United States as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, where it was integrated in 1951.
In 1967 the country was severely affected, particularly Koror, by Category 2 Typhoon Sally.
In the late 1960s, an official commission to define the status of Micronesia was organized in the region, with Lazarus Salii as president. In 1975, as president of the counterpart commission for Palau, Roman Tmetuchl became the first political figure to advocate full independence.
Palauans voted in 1979 not to join the Federated States of Micronesia, as did the Marshall Islands, and chose independence in 1981, with Haruo Remeliik as its first president. That year, the country approved its first political constitution, supported by the positive vote of 70% of the voters, and negotiations began to establish the type of union that Palau and the United States would maintain, in which it was from a very controversial principle whether or not US military ships with nuclear weapons could dock in Palauan ports. Palauans also expressed fear that the archipelago would be used as a military practice ground.
The assassination of Remeliik in 1985 by an unknown person and the subsequent suicide in 1988 of fellow president Lazarus Salii were two events that traumatized the political life of the country during that period.
Independence
Independence was officially declared on October 1, 1994, with Kuniwo Nakamura as president. That year the nation was accepted into the United Nations. Since then it has acceded to many other international organizations, and has established diplomatic relations with various countries in the region. The Republic of China is one of its most important partners, both for the volume of the exchange and for the political significance of Palauan recognition.
That same year, when the United States Department of the Interior ceased to be the government entity of the archipelago, the governments of both countries agreed to sign a Treaty of Free Association (COFA) similar to the one already established between the American country with the Federated States of Micronesia and with the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Its text focuses on government, economic and defense affairs. In 1986 the treaty was not signed because the Constitution of Palau prohibits the presence of nuclear ships on the islands, and the United States did not accept this clause. In the referendum held in 1993 the Treaty was finally approved.
In September 1996, the Koror-Babeldaob Bridge collapsed in an accident in which two people lost their lives. The event terribly weakened the national economy, as the capital was cut off from the international airport at Babeldaob, as well as from the rest of the country. Most of the population was affected by deficiencies or the absence of water, energy and telecommunications services. For the construction of the new suspension-type bridge, the Japanese government contributed 25 million dollars.
In 2003 Palau signed the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
On October 7, 2006, the national government moved from the old capital Koror to the new seat of government, Ngerulmud, a purpose-built site to serve as the seat of government, located 20 kilometers to the northwest in Babeldaob and 2 kilometers northwest of the town of Melekeok proper. To this end, he built a set of government buildings, among which the Capitol stands out, at a cost of 23 million dollars.
On October 4, the official handover of the coastal highway, called Compact Road because its resources come from the Free Association Treaty with the United States, took place.
Government and politics
The country has a type of constitutional government, in free association with the United States, through the Treaty of Free Association. Said treaty entered into force on October 1, 1994, and implies financial assistance from the United States for periods of 15 years, in exchange for certain defense rights.
Palau National Congress
The country's legislative power resides in the National Congress of Palau, a bicameral body directly elected by the people, which is made up of the 16-member House of Delegates and the 13-member Senate.
It has a judicial system based on a Supreme Court.
Despite not being banned, there is no established political party in the country.
President
The President of Palau, who is the head of state and government. The executive of the Republic of Palau consists of a President, a Vice President and the Council of Chiefs, made up of 16 members. These have the Ministers of Administration to assist them in their duties. The Council of Chiefs is made up of the heads of the sixteen administrative units. This body advises the President on customs related to the Constitution and laws. The chiefs of Eoueldaob (Koror) and Babeldaob (Melekeok) have a traditionally prominent position in this regard.
The president is elected for a four-year term; after two consecutive terms, the incumbent must pause for one term before running again.
The current president, as of January 21, 2021, is Surangel Whipps Jr.
Judicial Branch
The judiciary is currently made up of a court of first instance, a court of appeal (the National Court), and a Supreme Court, which also acts as a court of appeal and a constitutional court.
The so-called "Krämer" of the Hamburg South Seas Expedition (1908-1910) of the German naval doctor, anthropologist and ethnologist Augustin Krämer (1864-1941) are still recognized today by the Palau courts as the only authentic source on territorial disputes and tribal. The records contained in five volumes are, in the absence of their own or others' written records, the encoded memory of Palauan culture and identity threatened by modern ways of life. The German Foreign Office sponsored an English translation of these records (Krämer Translation Project) with the participation of the Etpison Museum and the National Museum of Palau. The German ambassador (in the Philippines, who is in charge of diplomatic contacts) presented the first volumes to the president in May 2014.
International relations
As a sovereign nation, Palau directs its international relations. It has been a member of the United Nations since 1994 and in 1997 it acceded to the IMF. In 2006 it hosted the first Summit between the Republic of China and its Pacific allies. In addition, since the period between 1994 and 2006, Palau has established official diplomatic relations with 40 countries, mainly from Oceania, Europe and America.
Palau is in Associated State relationship, as are the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands (as former members of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands). This agreement does not make the inhabitants of these countries citizens of the United States, but it would allow them to obtain indefinite work permits. Palau is also an important ally of the United States in the Pacific: since 2004, together with the United States and Israel, it has voted against United Nations resolutions condemning the US embargo against Cuba, although since 2011 began to change this negative vote for abstention. In addition, Palau expressed its support for the invasion of Iraq in 2003 by the US military and in June 2009 they accepted seventeen prisoners of the Uyghur ethnic group who were in the Detention Center Guantánamo. Economically, most diplomatic relations revolve around the funds provided by the American country, through the Office of Insular Affairs of the United States Department of the Interior.
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Palau has maintained close ties with Japan, which has financed infrastructure projects such as the Koror-Babeldaob bridge. In 2015, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited Peleliu to commemorate the 70th anniversary of World War II.
Palau is a member of the Nauru Agreement for the Management of Fisheries.
The Philippines, Palau's neighboring ally to the west, has expressed its intention to back Palau if it ever wishes to join ASEAN.
In June 2009, Palau announced that it would accept up to seventeen Uyghurs who had been detained by the US military at Guantanamo Bay,[48] with some US compensation for the cost of their upkeep.
Only one of the Uyghurs initially accepted resettlement, but by the end of October six of the seventeen had been transferred to Palau. An aid deal with the United States, finalized in January 2010, was reportedly not it was related to the agreement with the Uyghurs.
In 2017, Palau signed the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Human Rights
In terms of human rights, regarding membership of the seven bodies of the International Bill of Human Rights, which include the Human Rights Committee (HRC), Palau has signed or ratified:
 Palaes | International treaties | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CESCR | CCPR | CERD | CED | CEDAW | CAT | CRC | MWC | CRPD | |||||||||
| CESCR | CESCR-OP | CCPR | CCPR-OP1 | CCPR-OP2-DP | CEDAW | CEDAW-OP | CAT | CAT-OP | CRC | CRC-OP-AC | CRC-OP-SC | CRPD | CRPD-OP | ||||
| Pertenence |  |  | | | | | | | | | |   | | | | | |
 Signed and ratified,  signed, but not ratified,  neither signed nor ratified,  without information,  it has agreed to sign and ratify the body concerned, but also recognizes the competence to receive and process individual communications from the competent bodies. | |||||||||||||||||
Status of major international human rights instruments
Territorial organization
Palau is divided into sixteen administrative regions, which are defined in its constitution as states. Each state has its own constitution, which defines the roles of traditional leaders, such as chiefs, elders, and/or major clans. They are the following:
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Geography
Palau is located in the Pacific Ocean, at the western end of the Caroline Islands (Micronesia region), near the border between Asia and Oceania, belonging to the latter continent. It is located 650 km north of Papua New Guinea, 890 km east of the Philippines, 1,330 km southwest of Guam, and about 3,200 km south of Tokyo.
This island state is washed by the Philippine Sea to the west, and is bordered by the Mariana Islands to the northeast, the Federated States of Micronesia to the east, Indonesia to the south, and the Philippines to the west. The only true city in Palau is Koror, although its capital is Ngerulmud. Other relevant localities are Airai, Kloulklubed, Meyungs and Melekeok. The highest point in the country is located on the island of Koror and is located at 628 m s. no. m.. For its part, the lowest in Babeldaob is 242 m s. no. m.
Islands
Palau is an archipelago with an area of 459 km², made up of 340 islands of volcanic and limestone origin, only 9 of which are inhabited. As a whole, the Palauan coastline is 1,519 km long. The most important They are Angaur, Babeldaob, Koror and Peleliu, which are very close to each other on the same barrier reef. Babeldaob is the largest and most important of the islands. It is made up mainly of andesite and by itself accounts for 80% of the country's total area. Ten of the country's sixteen states, the Roman Tmetuchl International Airport, and the capital Ngerulmud are located there. It is connected by the Koror-Babeldaob bridge with the island of Koror. The island of Koror together with the Chelbacheb islands, make up the State of Koror, where the homonymous city and former capital of the country is located.
To the north of these islands is the Kayangel coral atoll, while the uninhabited Rock Islands (about 70 islands) lie to the west of the main group of islands.
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A remote group of six islands, called the Southwestern Islands, which lie 600 km from the main islands, are also part of the country.
Climate
Palau enjoys a tropical climate year-round with an average annual temperature of 27°C. Humidity is quite stable and sits between 77% and 84%. The rains can occur throughout the year, although there is a rainy season that runs from May to November. The annual average is almost 3800 mm. From December to March, northwesterly winds prevail, and from June to October, the monsoon. Typhoons are rare, as the country is outside their zone of influence.
From a geological point of view, the country is located on the Philippine Plate, just 30 km from the Pacific Plate. However, it is very rare for the country to experience earthquakes.
Due to climate change, it is expected that in the following years the surface air temperature and the sea surface temperature are increasing, the average annual and seasonal precipitations show an increase in precipitations and it is expected that the intensity and the frequency of extremely hot days to increase.
Palau has five operational weather observation stations. Multiple observations are made in a 24-hour period at Koror
hours are taken in Koror and at the Palau International Airport. Weather observations are made once a day at Kayangel, Nekken, and Peleliu. Data are available for Koror since 1948 for rainfall and since 1953 for air temperature.
The interannual variability of rainfall in Koror is high and is mainly influenced by El Niño and the Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Generally, El Niño years are drier than average and La Niña years are wetter.
 Average climate parameters of the Palae Islands (1961–1990) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Ene. | Feb. | Mar. | Open up. | May. | Jun. | Jul. | Ago. | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Annual |
| Average temperature (°C) | 30.6 | 30.6 | 30.9 | 31.3 | 31.4 | 31.0 | 30.6 | 30.7 | 30.9 | 31.1 | 31.4 | 31.1 | 31 |
| Average temperature (°C) | 27.3 | 27.2 | 27.5 | 27.9 | 28.0 | 27.6 | 27.4 | 27.5 | 27.7 | 27.7 | 27.9 | 27.7 | 27.6 |
| Temp. medium (°C) | 23.9 | 23.9 | 24.1 | 24.4 | 24.5 | 24.2 | 24.1 | 24.3 | 24.5 | 24.4 | 24.4 | 24.2 | 24.2 |
| Total precipitation (mm) | 271.8 | 231.6 | 208.3 | 220.2 | 304.5 | 438.7 | 458.2 | 379.7 | 301.2 | 352.3 | 287.5 | 304.3 | 3758.3 |
| Precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 19.0 | 15.9 | 16.7 | 14.8 | 20.0 | 21.9 | 21.0 | 19.8 | 16.8 | 20.1 | 18.7 | 19.9 | 224.6 |
| Hours of sun | 198.4 | 194.9 | 244.9 | 234.0 | 210.8 | 168.0 | 186.0 | 176.7 | 198.0 | 179.8 | 183.0 | 182.9 | 2357.4 |
| Source: Hong Kong Observatory, | |||||||||||||
Fauna and flora
Palau has the largest number of animal and plant species in Micronesia. The volcanic islands are fertile and covered by thick forests. These are the largest and are characterized by a jungle with large terraces and grasslands, while the small ones are made of limestone and with little or no vegetation. The southern islands are made up of coral reefs. The archipelago has a rich biological diversity, especially in relation to the marine environment.
Like many other oceanic islands, it is home to numerous endemic species, some of which are seriously threatened. The constant arrival of invasive species, in addition to habitat destruction, are the main threats to Palauan wildlife.
The marine life presents a very rich and balanced fauna, which has been favored by its proximity to the different biological systems of Indonesia, New Guinea and the Philippines. In its waters there are a large number of corals, fish, snails, clams, squid, cucumbers, starfish, urchins and sea anemones, as well as different types of annelids and even Bobbit worms.
On September 25, 2009, President Johnson Toribiong announced at the United Nations General Assembly the creation of the first "shark sanctuary" whereby Palau has banned commercial shark fishing in an area of 600,000 square kilometers of ocean, including its Exclusive Economic Zone. Toribiong also called for international protection measures against shark fishing. Two species of jellyfish inhabiting the famous and picturesque Jellyfish Lake on the island of Eil Malk: Mastigias papua and Aurelia aurita
Among the terrestrial fauna, there are 5 species of terrestrial mollusks of the genus Aaaonta that are endemic to Palau: A. kinlochi, A. irregularis, A. fuscozonata, A. constricta and A. pelewana.
In terms of flora, there are some 1,260 species and varieties of plants in Palau, 830 of which are native, such as the beach vine, the Australian pine, the pandanus as well as several species of palms and ferns.
Environment
Most of the territory does not present environmental hazards. However, serious threats and damage are concentrated in some areas, such as dynamite fishing, poor garbage disposal systems in Koror, and extensive dredging of corals and sand in the lagoon of the Chelbacheb islands.
As in other Pacific island nations, a major potential threat is global warming and the consequent rise in sea levels.
The country also has problems due to the scarcity of fresh water and arable land. It is also located in a risk zone for earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tropical storms. Sewage treatment, toxic waste and biocides are also major problems.
Due to burning and heavy rainfall (3800 mm per year), erosion is also a major problem.
Geology and Geomorphology
The Palau Islands are composed mainly of volcanic rock in the center and limestone in the ring around them. They are part of the long chain of volcanic islands that formed along the great tectonic boundary where the Pacific Plate dips under the Philippine Plate, forming the Mariana Trench with the lowest point on Earth. In the course of this tectonic movement, magma reached the earth's surface and formed volcanoes.
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One of these volcanoes was centered in the area now called Karamado, on Palau's main island, Babeldaob. The breccia and the tuff embedded in it can still be found on the surface there today. Weathered material from the higher island areas accumulated on the flat southeastern coasts in the form of lateritic clay, which can be more than 45 meters thick. This volcanic core is formed by the islands of Babeldaob, Meiuns, Malakal and part of Koror. These are dissected on the surface in valleys and mountains up to 270 meters high.
After the extinction of the volcano, corals settled in the shallow coastal waters of the volcanic island, growing up to 2 cm per year and forming a coral reef in the Miocene and Pleistocene. Due to the drop in sea level caused by ice ages, as well as continuous continental movements, these reefs have risen by about 2 m in the last 4,000 years and have therefore been partially lifted out of the water. As a result, most of the islands to the north and south or around the volcanic zone are coralline limestone atolls, lying a few meters above sea level and enclosed by a barrier reef. The steep cliffs of the "Rock Islands" in the south, interrupted by some calcareous sand beaches. The base of many of the islands has been hollowed out, mainly by the tides, giving rise to the typical mushroom shape of today.
Economy
The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence farming, and fishing. The government is the main employer of the labor force, supplying 30% of the jobs in the country. The official currency is the US dollar and, in general, its economy is highly dependent on financial aid from the United States. In fact, the country lacks a central bank.
The issuance of postage stamps, mainly for philatelic collecting, is also an important source of income for its economy.
Under the Treaty of Free Association with the United States, Palau has received more than 450 million dollars since 1994, when it entered into force, in exchange for allowing the installation of military posts on its territory. The treaty has been renewed several times, most recently in 2004. Its validity expires on October 1, 2009.
The population enjoys a per capita income twice that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. In fact, its per capita GDP of $5,800 is one of the highest in the region. Between 1998 and 1999 the economic results were negative due to the Asian financial crisis of 1997.
Business and tourism visits reached 50,000 in financial year 2000/2001. The main activities are diving and snorkeling, which allow you to appreciate the rich seabed of the archipelago. In 1997 the number of visitors was 67,000 people, coming mainly from Japan, Taiwan and the United States.
Some long-term proposals in the public tourism sector have been helped by the expansion of air transport in the Pacific, the growing prosperity of the leading countries of East Asia, and the willingness of foreigners to finance the development of the infrastructure.
Construction is the main industrial activity, contributing to 9% of GDP. Various infrastructure projects. Among the projects that promoted growth in the 1990s, the reconstruction of the bridge that connects the islands of Koror and Babeldaob after its collapse in 1996 and the construction of a ring road in Babeldaob stand out.
Agriculture and Fisheries
Agriculture is the most common form of economy in Palau and is largely self-sufficient; the most important crops are cassava, copra, plantains and sweet potatoes, and coconut palms.
The fishing industry is of great importance to the economy of Palau and an important source of income. In 2007, there were three large fishing companies in Palau[49]. In 2007, 1,003 tons of fish were caught, 461 tons were imported, and 332 tons were exported. With 460 employees, the fishing industry had revenue of $24.1 million. Problems facing the fishing industry are fish migration, hurricanes, and overfishing.
Trade
Its volume of imports is 99,000,000 dollars per year, its main suppliers being the United States, Guam, Japan, Singapore and South Korea; countries from which it mainly purchases machinery, beverages and food. Its export volume is 18,000,000 dollars per year, the main recipients are the United States, Japan and Singapore, its main products being tuna, copra, shellfish and coconuts. The largest trading partners are the United States, Guam, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and Korea. The most important import goods are machinery, oil, tobacco, animals, metal, and food and alcoholic beverages.
Tourism
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Tourism in Palau is not yet very developed. Most of the approximately 100,000 (as of 2011) tourists a year come from the United States, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines. There are only small bungalow and apartment complexes, as well as small hotels on Koror and other islands. Diving and snorkelling are frequent sporting opportunities for tourists in Palau. Diving magazine Forbes Traveler chose Blue Corner in Palau as the "Best Dive Spot in the World". However, due to currents, especially on the outer reef, diving in Palau requires knowledge. advanced.
Until the 1990s, the Hotel Nikko Palau, run by a Japan Airlines subsidiary, existed, but it closed in 2002 due to aging and damage from typhoons. The Palau Royal Resort, operated by the same JAL Hotels (now Okura Nikko Hotel Management), opened in 2005 (owned by a Taiwanese company). Pacific Islands Development Corporation, a subsidiary of Tokyo Land Corporation, operates the Palau Pacific Resort (opened in 1984).
In addition to the beauty of the sea and coral reefs, diving is also popular, with sunken ships and planes during World War II being displayed, and there are many dive shops and diving tours are organized from Japan and other countries. There are also a number of outlying islands close to the main island, including Inoki Island, commonly known as "Inoki Island," whose honorary owner is former professional wrestler Antonio Inoki, and which is home to a large number of large protected giant mantis shells.
Demographics
Palau has a population of approximately 19,000, making it one of the least populated countries in the world. The largest ethnic group in the archipelago is made up of native Palauans, of Melanesian origin, representing more than 70% of the total population. There are immigrants from Micronesia, Polynesia, the Philippines and Europe. The only minority is that made up of the inhabitants of the Southwestern Islands, whose language and culture are different from those of the rest of the country, dating back to migrants from Sonsorol to Ulithi, northeast of Yap.
An important change in recent decades is the sharp increase in foreigners, from 4% in 1973 to 25.5% in 1995. The largest community is made up of Filipinos (2,654 workers and their relatives), followed by other Asians (738), Americans (535), and other Micronesians (467). By 1999, however, the number of Asian workers had increased to 5,250. According to the 2000 census, Palau's population was divided into these nationalities:
| Nationality | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Palauans (melanes) | 69.9% |
| Filipinos | 15.3% |
| Japanese | 4.9% |
| Other Asian | 2.4% |
| Whites | 1.9% |
| Micronesians (carolinos) | 1.4% |
| Other microns | 1.1% |
| Other groups | 3.2% |
In 1970, the population was estimated at more than 10,000 people, with more than 2,500 emigrants abroad, and since that year there have been hundreds of migrations abroad. Large-scale foreign migration began especially after 1972.
Education
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In Palau, the illiteracy rate is 8.1% for people aged 15 and over. According to the United Nations, the Palauan government spends 9.8% of GDP on Education. Education is compulsory for ages 6-14, or until the student passes eighth grade.[citation required]
There are both public and private elementary and secondary schools, where classes are taught in Palauan and English. As for higher education, the Palau Community College, founded in 1969, offers some degrees that meet the demand for professionals in Palauan society. For the rest of the studies, the government offers scholarships to young people who are going to study careers of high interest to the country outside of it, such as Law, Engineering or Medicine.
Languages
The official languages are Palauan (also spoken in certain parts of Guam) and English. Palauan is a West Polynesian Malayo-Polynesian language that presents great difficulty due to the complexity of its grammatical and syntactic rules.
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The exceptions are the islands of Sonsorol, Hatohobei and Angaur, where the local languages Sonsorol, Tobiano and Angaur respectively replace Palauan as official languages. In Angaur, Japanese is also recognized as such.
The most widely spoken language in Palau is Palauan (64.7%), one of the official languages. It is followed by Tagalog or Filipino (13.5%), which has no official recognition, English another official language (9.4%), Mandarin Chinese (5.7%), Caroline (1.5%) and Japanese (1.5%).
Some Palauans who were educated during the Japanese occupation period have reached a level where they can communicate in Japanese without difficulty. You can also find many local words of Japanese origin, such as 'sempuuki' for fan, 'denwa' for phone, 'chichi band' for bra, 'tukarenaos' to drink beer, 'aji daijobu' for delicious, 'atamaguruguru' for confusion, 'hyakumetre' for track and field (e.g. 50m sprint → '50m hyakumetre"), airfield is 'sukoojou', rock-paper-scissors is 'aikodesho' and hangar is 'emonkake'.
Religion
Over 75% of Palauans are Christian. According to the 2005 census, among them 49.94% are Catholics, 26.56% Protestants. Among the indigenous religions, the modekngei cult stands out, which brings together 8.8% of the population.
Both the German and Japanese occupation of Palau subsidized missionaries who followed the Spanish. The Germans sent Roman Catholic and Protestant (Lutheran) missionaries, the Japanese sent Shinto and Buddhists, and the Spanish sent only Roman Catholic missionaries while in control of Palau. Three quarters of the population are Christians (mainly Romans and Protestants), while modekngei (a combination of Christianity, traditional Palauan religion, and fortune telling) and Old Palauan religion are commonly observed. Japanese rule brought Mahayana Buddhism and Shintoism to Palau, the majority religions among Japanese settlers. However, after Japan's defeat in World War II, the remaining Japanese mostly converted to Christianity, while the rest continued to observe Buddhism but stopped practicing Shinto rites. There are also some 400 Bengali Muslims. in Palau, and recently a few Uyghur detainees at Guantánamo were allowed to settle in the island country.
The Roman presence in Palau began on April 28, 1891, when missionaries first arrived from the island of Yap. They were two Spanish Capuchins: the priest Daniel Arbacegui and his lay brother Antolín Orihuela. Thus began the permanent Roman mission in the country.
Since 1886, two Apostolic Vicariates had been established for the Caroline Islands, which were united in 1905 to form the Apostolic Prefecture of the Caroline Islands. The Catholics of Palau depend on this ecclesiastical circumscription: it was established by Pope John Paul II as a diocese in 1979, with the name of the Diocese of the Caroline Islands, a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Agana (Guam). The Catholics of the Federated States of Micronesia also depend on the Diocese of the Caroline Islands.
The most important Catholic temple in the Islands is the Church of the Sacred Heart (Church of the Sacred Heart). The current structure has its antecedents in the old church of the Sacred Heart, founded in the time of Spanish colonization in 1892. A new structure was built in 1935, which took 8 years to complete, until the inauguration attended by local parishioners and Japanese authorities. Today most of the religious services at the temple are offered in the Palauan language with a few others in English.
Transportation
Koror has a network of paved roads. There are paved areas in Babeldaob, and in the mid-1990s construction began on the 85 km long Compact highway, which was completed in 2007.
Roads built in the 1940s by the US Army at Peleliu and Angaur are still usable. Transport between the islands is usually done by ship or plane.
The country is connected to the world by the Roman Tmetuchl International Airport, named after the businessman and politician Roman Tmetuchl. United Airlines operates regular flights between Guam and Manila, China Airlines from Taipei, and Asiana Airlines from Seoul.
There are one or two daily direct flights to and from Guam. Japan Airlines and other airlines also operate between a dozen and several dozen direct charter flights per year from Tokyo/Narita, Nagoya/Chubu and Osaka/Kansai international airports in Japan's three major metropolitan areas. Regular international flights from Narita operate year-round, but during the tourist season there are sometimes up to four flights a week, attracting more than 30,000 Japanese tourists a year.
In July 2004 the national airline Palau Micronesia Air was launched with flights to Yap, Guam, Micronesia, Saipan, Australia, and the Philippines. However, the activities of this sector have also been very sensitive to changes in international conditions, such as the rise in the price of oil, which that same year led the company to suspend its activities. Currently, the company Zest Airways carries out flights to the cities of Davao, Cebu, and Manila, in the Philippines.
Transportation to and from the islands is by boat, and several companies operate regular daily flights from Babeldaob Island to Peleliu and Angaur Island by small planes and helicopters. There is no railway or public bus service, but there are a small number of taxis.
The completion in 2007 of the so-called "compact road" around the main island of Babeldaob, the convenience of transportation within the island has increased. Babeldaob Island is connected to Koror Island to the south, where the former capital of Palau's largest city Koror is located, by a bridge called Koror-Babeldaob Bridge (officially known as Japan-Palau Friendship Bridge).). The old KB bridge was built by a South Korean company. The old KB Bridge, built by a Korean company, suddenly collapsed in 1996, simultaneously causing the loss of electricity, water and other vital lines, paralyzing the capital and causing Palau to declare a state of emergency. The current bridge was built at the request of Palau and opened in 2002 with a Japanese grant.
It is also possible to get around the island in a rental car using the Compact Road. Most of the roads in the center of the island are paved, but keep in mind that the roads leading away from the center and outlying islands are not paved and can get muddy during storms.
Culture
Music
The music of Palau falls within the same musical tradition as the rest of the Melanesian islands. Its popular music can be considered as an evolution of its traditional music. Starting in the 1980s, the music industry began to develop and the music underwent changes with the use of new instruments, such as the synthesizer. Palauan music, both traditional and modern, incorporates elements of music from other parts of the world, such as Japan or the United States, under whose influence culture has been in the country at some point.
Art
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As in the rest of the eastern Carolinas, the main objects of decoration were buildings and canoes, reflecting their social importance. In fact, the shape of these boats inspired the architecture of temples in Palau, Truk, and other small islands.
The traditional houses of Palauan men, or in Palauan bai, bring together a wealth of Micronesian artistic elements. The upper part of the façade is decorated with horizontal planks carved and painted with representations of mythical scenes.
The dilukai are also characteristic of Palau, sculptures of anthropomorphic female representation with open legs, showing a triangular area explicitly representing the genitals. They have been associated with the taboo against siblings not being seen naked as well as with the Sun and the planting of taro.
The National Museum of Palau Koror opened in 1955. It is the oldest in Micronesia. It has collections of natural history, photography, anthropology and art, as well as a specialized library open to the general public.
Parties
In addition to some international holidays such as Christmas, New Year, or Thanksgiving Day, Palau celebrates government holidays such as President's Day (June 1), Constitution Day (July 9), United Nations (October 24), of the Citizen (May 5), or of the Youth (March 15).
October 1 is the national holiday of Independence Day.
Symbols
The main national symbols are the Belau rekid (anthem), the national seal and the flag, adopted in October 1980 after a design contest.
In addition to the bai and its façade, the traditional symbols are a circle divided into four, representing health, and one of the shells of a giant clam, representing the founding of Palau and the creation of humanity from the sea.
Traditional Government
The current "traditional" of Palau is a continuation of its predecessors. Traditionally, Palau was organized in a hierarchical fashion. The lowest level is the village or hamlet, then the cacicazgo (which is now politically called the State), and finally the cacicazgo alliances. In ancient times, numerous federations divided power, but after the introduction of firearms by Europeans in the 17th century, an imbalance of power occurred.
Palau was divided into northern and southern federations. The Northern Federation is headed by the high chief and female head of the ruling Uudes clan of Melekeok state, the Reklai and Ebilreklai. They are commonly known as the King and Queen of the Northern Federation. This northern federation comprises the states of Kayangel, Ngerchelong, Ngardmau, Ngiwal, Ngaraard, Ngatpang, Ngeremlengui, Melekok, Aimeliik, Ngchesar and Airai. The Southern Federation is equally represented by the high chief and the head of the ruling Idid of the state of Koror.
The Southern Federation comprises the states of Koror, Peleliu and Angaur. However, fewer and fewer Palauans are aware of the concept of federations, and the term is slowly dying out. Federations were established as a way to safeguard states and villages that shared economic, social, and political interests, but with the advent of a federal government, safeguards make less sense. However, in international relations, the King of Palau is synonymous with the Ibedul of Koror. This is because Koror is the industrial capital of the nation, which elevates its position above the Reklai of Melekeok.
It is a mistake to think that the king and queen of Palau, or any chief and his female counterpart, are married. Traditional leaders and their female counterparts have always been related and never married (marrying relatives was a traditional taboo). Usually, a chief and his female counterpart are siblings, or close cousins, and have their own spouses.
Sports
One of the most popular sports in Palau is baseball, introduced by the Japanese during the occupation period. The highest level league in the country is the Palau Major League (PML), which is overseen by the Palau Baseball Federation. The PML is held at Asahi Field in Koror during a season spanning from January to April. The attendance to the games is free. Another of the popular sports in the archipelago is soccer and although it is not a member of FIFA, the Palau soccer team has played multiple matches with other countries in Oceania. The Palau Soccer League is the highest soccer division in the country, and since 2004 five teams have competed annually for the title. Palau made its debut at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and has competed in every summer edition since, without medaling.
The main sports facility in the country is the Palau National Stadium, also called PCC Track & Field which has the capacity to receive about 4000 people and is used regularly by the Palau soccer team, in Palau League games and in Belau games an additional soccer competition. Another important structure is the Palau National Gymnasium where you can practice various indoor team or team sports.