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Background: After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the Caroline Islands opted for independence in 1978 rather than join the Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with the US was approved in 1986, but not ratified until 1993. It entered into force the following year, when the islands gained independence.
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Common Name: Palau
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Local Official Name: Belau
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Abbreviated Name: Republic of Palau
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Official Name: Beluu er a Belau
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Official Script Name: Palau
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Local Common Name: Palau
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Former Name: Palau District (Trust Territory of the Pacifi
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Territory of: NA
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Head of State: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU
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Government Type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994
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Independence: 1994 October 1 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship
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Constitution: 1981 January 1
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National Holiday: Constitution Day, 9 July
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International Organization Participation: ACP, AsDB, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
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Administrative Divisions: 16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatobohei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsoral
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Dependent Areas: NA
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Legal System: based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
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Suffrage: 18 years
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Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches: Executive Branch:
chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005)
cabinet: NA
elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
election results: Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. reelected president; percent of vote - Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. 64%, Polycarp BASILIUS 33%; Elias Camsek CHIN elected vice president; percent of vote - Elias Camsek CHIN 70%, Sandra PIERANTOZZI 29%
Legislative Branch:
bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of the Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote on a population basis to serve four-year terms) and the House of Delegates (16 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); House of Delegates - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 (four new members elected); House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 16 (one new member elected)
Judicial Branch:
Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas
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Party Leaders: none
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International Disputes: border delineation disputes being negotiated with Philippines, Indonesia
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Illicit Drugs: NA
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Location of Palau: Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines
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Continent: Australia
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Land Area Total: 458 sq km
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Region: South Pacific Oceania |
Land Area Land: 458 sq km
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Capitol City: Melekeok
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Land Area Water: 0 sq km
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Current: +9
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Latitude: 007 30 N
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Border Boundary Land: 0 km
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Longitude: 134 30 E
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Border Boundary Coastline: 1,519 km
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Arable Land: 8.70 %
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Pastures: 0.00 %
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Crops: 4.35 %
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Woodlands and Forests: 0.00
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Highest Elevation: 242 m
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Location: Mount Ngerchelchuus
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Lowest Elevation: 0 m
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Location: Pacific Ocean
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Largest City in Palau: Koror
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Koror Largest City Population: 14,000
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Threatened Species: 21
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Environmental Issues: inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing practices, and overfishing
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Environmental Agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Irrigated Land: 0
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Bordering Countries: NA
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Natural Resources: forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals
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Geographical Terrain: varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs
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Comparative Area of Palau: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
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Palau's Geography: westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War II battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands
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Click Here for detailed information about the weather conditions in Palau.
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General Climate: tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November
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Natural Hazards: typhoons (June to December)
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Economic Overview: The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence agriculture, and fishing. The government is the major employer of the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. Business and tourist arrivals numbered 63,000 in 2003. The population enjoys a per capita income twice that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the key tourist sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific, the rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries, and the willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure development.
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GDP: $124,500,000 USD
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Currency: US dollar
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GDP per Capita: $7,600 USD
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Currency Code: USD
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GDP Growth Rate: 5.50 %
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One $USD Equals: %fincurrencyequals% USD
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Currency Exchange Rate History: the US dollar is used
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GDP of Agriculture: 6.20 %
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GDP of Industry: 12.00 %
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GDP of Services: 81.80 % |
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Inflation Rate: 2.70 % |
Population in Poverty: 0.00 %
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Unemployment Rate: 4.20 %
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Tourism: 55,000.00 visitors each year
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Consumption by lowest 10%: 0.00 %
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Budget Revenue in USD: $72,070,000 USD
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Consumption by upper 10%: 0.00 %
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Budget Expenditures in USD: $72,430,000 USD
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Electricity Production: 0 kWh
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Electricity Exports: 0 kWh
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Electricity Consumption: 0 kWh
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Electricity Imports: 0 kWh
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Electricity Production by Source:
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Fossil Fuel Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Nuclear Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Hydro Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Other Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Oil Production: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Production: 0 cu m
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Oil Consumption: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Consumption: 0 cu m
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Oil Exports: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Exports: 0 cu m
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Oil Imports: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Imports: 0 cu m
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Proven Oil Reserves: 0 barrels
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Proven Natural Gas Reserves: 0 cu m
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External Debt: $0 USD |
Received in economic aid: $155,800,000 USD
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Donated in economic aid: $0 USD
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Agricultural Products: coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes
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Primary Industries: tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, garment making
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Industrial Growth Rate: 0.00 %
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Import Amount in USD: $107,300,000 USD - machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs
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Import Partners: US, Singapore, Japan, South Korea
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Export Amount in USD: $5,882,000 USD - shellfish, tuna, copra, garments
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Export Partners: US, Japan, Singapore
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GINI Index: 0.00%
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Labor Force Number of People: 9,777
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Labor Force by Occupations: agriculture 20%, industry NA%, services NA%
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Radio Broadcast Stations: 6 |
Number of People with Radios: 12,000 |
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Television Broadcast Stations: 1 |
Number of People with Televisions: 11,000 |
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Number of People with Mainline Telephones: 6,700 |
Number of People with Mobile Phones: 1,000 |
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Internet Service Providers: 3 |
Internet Users: 0 |
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Internet Country Code: .pw |
Newspapers: 0 |
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Two Letter Country Code: PS |
Weights and Measures: |
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Phone Country Code: 680 |
Electricity Voltage: Volts |
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Telephone Systems: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
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Highways: 36 km |
Railways: 0 km
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Gas And Oil Pipelines: 0 km |
Waterways: 0 km
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Airports: 1 |
Heliports: 0
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Motor Vehicles: 0 per 1,000 people |
CO2 Emissions: 234,000 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Per capita CO2 emissions: 0.00 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Merchant Marines: NA
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Ports and Harbors: Koror
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Population: 20,579 people type - nationality |
Birth Rate: 18.03 births per 1,000 people |
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Population Density: 45.00 people per sq km |
Death Rate: 6.80 deaths per 1,000 people |
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Population Growth: 1.31% per year |
Fertility Rate per Women: 2.46 babies born per woman |
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Population Male 0-14: 2,789 |
Population Female 0-14: 2,622 |
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Population Male 15-64: 7,664 |
Population Female 15-64: 6,549 |
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Population Male 65+: 453 |
Population Female 65+: 502 |
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Population 0-14: 26.30% |
Literacy Rate: 92.00% |
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Population 15-64: 69.10% |
Literacy rate of Males: 93.00% |
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Population 65+: 4.60% |
Literacy rate of Females: 90.00% |
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Population that is Male: 53.00
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Population that is Female: 47.00% |
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Life expectancy at birth in years: 70.42 years |
Infant mortality rate - baby deaths per 1000 births: 14.46 Babies die per 1,000 births |
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Life expectancy at birth for Males: 67.26 years |
Life expectancy at birth for Females: 73.77 years |
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Rate of AIDS/HIV infection: 0.00%
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Number of people living with AIDS or HIV: 0
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Number of people who died of AIDS: 0 |
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Disease Risk:
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Diseases:
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Net Migration Rate per 1,000 people: 1.85
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Nationality: PALAUAN
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Ethnic Groups: 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
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Primary Language: English
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Other 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%, Japan
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Primary Religion: Christian
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Other 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 religion 3.1%, unspecified or none 16.4%
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Branches: no regular military forces; Palau National Police
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of Free Association between Palau and the US, the US military is granted access to the islands for 50 years, but it has not stationed any military forces there
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Manpower Fit to Serve: NA years
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Manpower Available: 5,694 People
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Manpower Fit to Serve: 4,087 People
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Amount of Manpower Available each Year: 142 People per year
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Expenditures: $0 USD per year
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Expenditures as a Percentage of GDP: 0.00
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Note: Phrasebase uses a variety of sources when compiling the facts and information presented above. This information is continually updated throughout the year.
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Palau Spa and Resort Directory
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Palau Home Exchanges and Home Swaps
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Palau Vacation Rentals And Holiday Villas
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Palau City Information Game Earn Real Money
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