Palau

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Republic of Palau Beluu er a Belau
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: Belau loba klisiich er a kelulul
Orthographic projection centred over Palau.
Capital		Melekeok1 7°21′N 134°28′E / 7.35°N 134.467°E / 7.35; 134.467
Largest city		Koror
Official languages		English, Palauan
Recognised regional languages		Japanese Angaur (in Angaur) Sonsorolese (in Sonsoral) Tobian (in Hatohobei) Carolinian, Filipino, Chinese
Demonym		Palauan
Government		Democratic presidential republic
-	President	Johnson Toribiong
-	Vice President	Kerai Mariur
Independence from UN Trust Territory status
-	Date	October 1, 1994
Area
-	Total	459 km2 (195th) 177 sq mi
-	Water (%)	negligible
Population
-	July 2007 estimate	20,842 (211th)
-	Density	43/km2 (155th) 111/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2006 estimate
-	Total	$157.7 million2 (not ranked)
-	Per capita	$10,000 (not ranked)
HDI (2003)		0.864 (unranked) (n/a)
Currency		US dollar (USD)
Time zone		(UTC+9)
Drives on the		right
Internet TLD		.pw
Calling code		680
1	On 7 October 2006, government officials moved their offices in the former capital of Koror to Melekeok, located 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Koror on Babelthaup Island.
2	GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2004 estimate).

Wikinews has related news: Bones of "small-bodied humans" found in cave

Palau /pəˈlaʊ/ (help·info), officially the Republic of Palau (Palauan: Beluu er a Belau), is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, some 500 miles (800 km) east of the Philippines and 2,000 miles (3,200 km) south of Tokyo. Having emerged from United Nations trusteeship (administered by the United States) in 1994, it is one of the world's youngest and smallest sovereign states. In English, the name is sometimes spelled Belau in accordance with the native pronunciation. It was formerly also spelled Pelew.^[1]

History

Archaeology

Early Palauans may have come from Australia, Polynesia and Asia. Depending on the thread of the family, Palauans may represent many parts of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. However, they are traditionally not considered to be Micronesian. According to geneticists, there are two distinctive strains of Melanesian bloodlines: one is associated with indigenous Australians/Papua New Guineans and the other is known to have originated in Asia. There has not been any link established between the two.

In the European and Australian world Belau/Pelew is better known by the name of "The Black Islands". Vintage maps and village drawings can be found at the Australian library online, as well as photos of the tattooed and pierced Ibedul of Koror and Ludee.

Carbon dating and recent archaeological discoveries have brought new attention to the archipelago. Cemeteries uncovered on the islands have shown Palau has the oldest burial ceremony known to Oceania. Prior to this there was dispute as to whether Palau was established around 2500 BC or 1000 BC. New studies seem to dispute both of these theories. Moreover, Palau's ancient trading partner, Java, has also come under close scrutiny since Homo floresiensis was found. Like Flores, remains of small-bodied humans have been found in Palau.^[2]

For thousands of years, Palauans have had a well established matrilineal society, believed to have descended from Javanese precedents. Traditionally land, money, and titles passed through the female line. Clan lands continue to be passed through titled women and first daughters^[3] but there is also a modern patrilineal sentiment introduced by imperial Japan. The Japanese government attempted to confiscate and redistribute tribal land into personal ownership during World War II, and there has been little attempt to restore the old order. Legal entanglements continue amongst the various clans.^[4]

European contact

Historians take interest in the early navigational routes of European explorers in the Pacific. There is controversy as to whether Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos, who landed in several Caroline Islands, spotted the Palau archipelago in 1543. No conclusive evidence exists, but some think he could have seen the tip of a southernmost island in the group.

Palau had limited relations, mainly with Yap and Java. Had it not been for ship-wrecked islanders who took refuge in the Philippines, Europeans likely would not have found a route to Palau until much later. English Captain Henry Wilson, Captain of the East India Company's packet Antelope, was also shipwrecked off the island of Ulong in 1783.^[5] The King of Palau allowed captain Wilson to take his son, prince Le Boo, to England, where he arrived in 1784, and died soon after of smallpox. The East India Company erected a monument over his grave in St Mary's Churchyard,^[6] Rotherhithe. Wilson dubbed Palau the “Pelew Islands”.

Spanish rule

Like the Mariana Islands, the Caroline Islands and the Marshall Islands, Palau was part of the Spanish East Indies, and was administered from the Spanish Philippines until the Spanish-American War of 1898.

In 1885, after Germany occupied some of the islands, a dispute was brought to Pope Leo XIII, who made an attempt to legitimize the Spanish claim to the islands (but with economic concessions for Britain and Germany). Spain, after defeat during the Spanish-American War, sold the islands to Germany in the 1899 German-Spanish Treaty.^[7][8]

German era

After the Spanish sold the islands to Germany, the Germans began an economic transformation in Micronesia. The Germans began mining bauxite (an aluminum ore), phosphate, and other resources. The islands were also administered by German New Guinea. Mining continued throughout Micronesia even after the Germans lost the islands to Japan under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, after World War I. The Japanese continued and expanded the mining operations.

Japanese rule

Koror in the Japanese Period

During World War I, under the terms of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, the Empire of Japan declared war on the German Empire and invaded German overseas territories in the Pacific Ocean, including the Palau Islands. Following Germany's defeat, the League of Nations formally awarded Palau to Japan as a Class C League of Nations Mandate.^[9]

Under the terms of a “Class C Mandate” Japan incorporated the islands as an integral part of its empire, establishing the Nanyo-cho government with Koror being the capital.^[10] Initially under Imperial Japanese Navy administration, civilian control was introduced from 1922, and Palau was one of six administrative districts within the Mandate. Japan mounted an aggressive economic development program and promoted immigration by Japanese, Okinawans and Koreans. During this period, the Japanese established bonito (skipjack tuna) production and copra processing plants in Palau.

World War II

Peleliu was the scene of intense fighting between American and Japanese forces beginning September 1944 resulting in an Allied victory, though the cost in human terms was high for both sides. After WWII, the United Nations played a role in deciding the U.S. would administer Palau as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. In 1979, Palauans voted against joining the Federated States of Micronesia based on language and cultural differences. After a long period of transition, including the violent deaths of two presidents (Haruo Remeliik in 1985 and Lazarus Salii in 1988), Palau voted to freely associate with the United States in 1994 while opting to retain independence under the Compact of Free Association.

There are still roughly 100 American service members listed as Missing In Action (MIA) in Palau since WWII. Since 1993, a small group of American volunteers called The BentProp Project have searched the waters and jungles of Palau to attempt to gather information that can lead to the identification and recovery of remains of these American MIAs.

Politics and government

The New Capitol in Palau.

Palau's politics takes place in a multi-party framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Palau is both head of state and head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government, while legislative power is vested in both the government and the Palau National Congress. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

Tombs of Haruo Remeliik and Mamoru Nakamura.

Palau adopted its own constitution in 1981, and the governments of the United States and Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association in 1986, similar to compacts that the United States had entered into with the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.^[11] The compact entered into force on October 1, 1994, concluding Palau’s transition from trusteeship to independence^[11] as the last portion of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands to gain its independence.^{[citation needed]}

Free association

The Compact of Free Association between the United States and Palau sets forth the free and voluntary association of their Governments,^[12] and is primarily focused on the issues of government relations, economic relations, and security and defense relations.^[13]

Foreign relations

As a sovereign nation, Palau conducts its own foreign relations.^[11] Since independence, Palau has established diplomatic relations with a number of nations, including many of its Pacific neighbors. Palau was admitted to the United Nations on December 15, 1994, and has since joined several other international organizations. In September 2006, Palau hosted the first Taiwan-Pacific Allies Summit, and its President has gone on several official visits to other Pacific countries, including the Republic of China (Taiwan).

The United States maintains the usual diplomatic delegation and an embassy in Palau, but most aspects of the two countries' relationship have to do with Compact-funded projects, which are the responsibility of the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs.^[14] This has led to some ambiguity in the official status of Palau,^{[citation needed]} though regarded as de jure independent.

Since 2004, Palau has joined the United States and Israel as the only nations voting consistently against an annual U.N. resolution condemning the United States embargo against Cuba which has been in place since 1962.

Nuclear-free constitution

In 1981, Palau voted for the world's first nuclear-free constitution. However, this delayed Palau's independence as it also wanted a Compact of Free Association with the United States, which the U.S. would not agree to as long as the anti-nuclear clause was in place;^{[citation needed]} thus the United Nations delayed terminating the U.S. trusteeship.^{[citation needed]} Palauan independence was finally achieved after the anti-nuclear clause was repealed.^{[citation needed]}

Asylum for former Guantanamo prisoners

On June 10, 2009 Palau announced that it would accept up to all 17 of the remaining Uyghurs held in extrajudicial detention in Guantanamo "as a humanitarian gesture".^{[15][16][17][18][19][20]} Five Uyghurs captives were cleared of all suspicion in 2004, and transferred to Albania in 2006. The remaining seventeen were cleared of all suspicion in 2008.

Stuart Beck, Palau's representative to the United Nations, published an op-ed in the New York Times disputing the widely distributed report that Palau's agreement to accept the Uyghurs was tied to Palau's receipt of $200 million in foreign aid.^{[15][16][17][18][19][20][21]} Beck asserted that Palau was receiving funds from the USA connected with accepting the Uyghurs -- but it was $90,000 per Uyghur, not "$12 million". Beck asserted that the $90,000 was to compensate Palau for its "relocation costs" and was "to cover transportation, food, housing and medical help until the men can get oriented and get jobs."

ABC News confirmed that the United States would be paying Palau for each captive who was resettled.^[22] They quoted a senior official who described the amount as "not very substantial".

William Cleary, writing in the Pacific Daily News, reported that Palau was in a poor bargaining position to decline the American request.^[23] He wrote:

"The detainee transfer deal comes at a time when generous U.S. financial aid and economic development grants to Palau under a 15 year old treaty of free association between the two nations have expired. Palauan leaders apparently wanted to demonstrate their commitment to sharing mutual interests and burdens with the USA , as they make the case for renewal of U.S. grant assistance."

However Cleary also described the assertions that the captive resettlement was a straight quid pro quo as "misleading".^[23] He listed the USA's desire to continue to be able to base DoD personnel on Palau, to balance the growing military force of China as one complicating factor. He also listed Palau's desire to have exemption from growing pressure within the USA to restrict immigration from former protectorates like Palau as another complicating factor.

An official "technical working group" from Palau traveled to Guantanamo to meet with the Uyghurs in mid-June.^[24][25] The Palau government published a press release on June 23 2009 which said only eight of the thirteen Uyghurs agreed to meet with the delegation. The delegation included Stevenson J. Kuartei, the Minister of Health, and Patrick Tellei, President of the Palau Community College. The report stated: "The team advised President Toribiong that in their opinion only a few of the detainees that were interviewed had any real interest in being relocated to Palau."

On June 30 2009 Radio New Zealand International reported only one Uyghur agreed to be temporarily resettled in Palau.^[26] According to its report Palau President Johnson Toribiong had been part of the delegation to Guantanamo.

States

The sixteen states of Palau.

Palau is divided into sixteen states (until 1984 called municipalities). These are listed below with their areas (in square kilometres) and 2005 Census populations:

Historically, Palau's uninhabited Rock Islands have been part of the State of Koror.

Geography

Koror-Babeldaob Bridge.

Republic of Palau.

Palau's most populous islands are Angaur, Babeldaob, Koror, and Peleliu. The latter three lie together within the same barrier reef, while Angaur is an oceanic island several miles to the south. About two-thirds of the population live on Koror. The coral atoll of Kayangel is situated north of these islands, while the uninhabited Rock Islands (about 200) are situated to the west of the main island group. A remote group of six islands, known as the Southwest Islands, some 375 miles (600 km) from the main islands, are also part of the country and make up the states of Hatohobei and Sonsorol.

Climate

Palau enjoys a tropical climate all year round with an annual mean temperature of 82 °F (28 °C). Rainfall can occur throughout the year, averaging a total of 150 inches (3,800 mm). The average humidity over the course of the year is 82%, and although rain falls more frequently between July and October, there is still much sunshine. Typhoons are rare, as Palau is outside the main typhoon zone.

Environment

Rock Islands in Palau.

While much of Palau's natural environment remains free of environmental degradation, there are several areas of concern, including illegal fishing with the use of dynamite, inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste in Koror, and extensive sand and coral dredging in the Palau lagoon. Like the other Pacific island nations, a potential major environmental threat is global warming and the related rising of sea level. Water coverage of low-lying areas is a threat to coastal vegetation, agriculture, and the purity of the nation's water supply. Palau also has a problem with inadequate water supply and limited agricultural areas to support the size of the population. The nation is also vulnerable to earthquakes, volcanic activity, and tropical storms. Sewage treatment is a problem, along with the handling of toxic waste from fertilizers and biocides.

On November 5, 2005, President of Palau, Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr. took the lead on a regional environmental initiative called the Micronesia challenge, which would conserve 30 percent of near shore coastal waters and 20 percent of forest land by 2020. In addition to Palau, the initiative was joined by the Federated States of Micronesia and Marshall Islands, and the U.S. territories of Guam and Northern Mariana Islands. Together, this combined region represents nearly 5 percent of the marine area of the Pacific Ocean and 7 percent of its coastlines.

Economy

Consists primarily of tourism, subsistence agriculture, and fishing. Tourist activity focuses on scuba diving and snorkeling in the islands' rich marine environment, including the Floating Garden Islands to the west of Koror and the Rock Islands to the south. The government is the major employer of the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. Business and tourist arrivals numbered 50,000 in the financial year 2000/2001. The population enjoys a per capita income twice that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-term 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.

In July 2004, Palau Micronesia Air was launched with service from Palau to Yap, Guam, Micronesia, Saipan, Australia, and the Philippines. By offering low fares it was planned to be a competitor of Continental Micronesia, however it ceased operations in December of the same year, mainly because of rising fuel prices. Palau Micronesia Air has not restarted operations since but has made a codeshare alliance with Asian Spirit, a carrier that operates flights between Palau and the Philippines (Davao, Cebu, and Manila). There are two flights weekly from Manila via Cebu to Palau and one flight weekly from Davao. Just after few months of service, Asian Spirit ceased its Philippines to Palau route.

Taxes are moderate, the income tax has 3 brackets with medium rates (9.3%, 15% and 19.6%), corporate tax is 14% and general sales tax is 7.5%. There are no property taxes.

Demographics

The population of Palau is approximately 21,000, of whom 70% are native Palauans, who are of mixed Melanesian, Micronesian, and Malayan descent. Filipinos form the second largest ethnic group. Other Asians in South East Asia account for the minority groups.

Three quarters of the population are Christians (mainly Roman Catholics and Protestants), while Modekngei (a combination of Christianity, traditional Palauan religion and fortune telling) and the ancient Palauan religion are commonly observed. According to the 2005 census^[27] 49.4% of the population are Roman Catholics, 21.3% Protestants, 8.7% Modekngei and 5.3% Seventh-day Adventists.

The official languages of Palau are Palauan and English, except for two states (Sonsorol and Hatohobei) where the local language, along with Palauan, is official. Japanese is also spoken widely amongst older Palauans, and, indeed, retains official status in the State of Angaur. Tagalog is not official in Palau, but it is the fourth largest spoken language.

Culture

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Libraries and museums

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There are several libraries in Koror, including a public library with a collection comprising about 17,000 books. The Belau National Museum, established in 1973, is also located in Koror and has an affiliated Research Library. Palau Community College also houses a library. In addition to the National Museum, the Etpison family has also opened the Etpison Museum in Koror, which contains many culturally important artifacts.

Transport

Palau International Airport provides scheduled direct flights to Guam and Manila. In addition, the states of Angaur and Peleliu have regularly served airports. Freight and cruise ships call at Malakal Harbor, on Malakal Island outside Koror. The country has no railways, and almost half of the roads are unpaved (of the 61 km/38 mi of highways, only 36 km/22 mi are paved). Driving is on the right and the speed limit is 40 km/h (25 mph). Taxis are available in Koror. They are not metered and fares are negotiable. Only Koror maintains a bus service. Transportation between islands mostly relies on private boats.

In the media

Logo for the tenth season of "Survivor." The U.S. media exposure helped to boost tourism in Palau.

• The 1968 World War II movie Hell in the Pacific starring Lee Marvin and Toshirō Mifune was filmed on Palau's Rock Islands.
• Palau was also the site for the American reality television program Survivor: Palau, which aired from February 17 to May 15, 2005, the tenth edition of the Survivor franchise. It was also the location of Survivor: Micronesia, the sixteenth edition, which aired from February 7 to May 11, 2008.
• The islands are also mentioned in the song "Orinoco Flow" performed by the Irish singer Enya.
• Palau was featured in an episode of the children's TV show Toot and Puddle, which was based on the book series by American children's author Holly Hobbie.
• In June of 2009, it was reported that Palau agreed to "temporarily resettle" the Uyghur detainees held at the United States' Guantanamo Detention Facility.^[19] This generated a great deal of media interest in Palau and the agreements associated with the possible move. The president of Palau later stated that an agreement had not been reached yet.^[28]

See also

Micronesia portal

• Index of Palau-related articles
• List of Islands in Palau

References

External links

Find more about Palau on Wikipedia's sister projects: Definitions from Wiktionary

Textbooks from Wikibooks
Quotations from Wikiquote
Source texts from Wikisource
Images and media from Commons
News stories from Wikinews

Learning resources from Wikiversity

Government

• Official Site of the Republic of Palau
• Palau National Congress - Olbiil Era Kelulau, Senate
• Chief of State and Cabinet Members

General information

• Palau entry at The World Factbook
• Palau from UCB Libraries GovPubs
• Palau at the Open Directory Project
• Wikimedia Atlas of Palau
• Palau travel guide from Wikitravel
• Palau, an external wiki
• Diving Palau

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Coordinates: 7°20′59″N 134°30′35″E / 7.34972°N 134.50972°E / 7.34972; 134.50972