Careers, Jobs and Education Resources for: Palau

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. the compact of free association with the us, entered into after the end of the un trusteeship on 1 october 1994, provided palau with up to $700 million in us aid for the following 15 years in return for furnishing military facilities. business and tourist arrivals numbered 63,000 in 2003. the population enjoys a per capita income roughly 50% higher than 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.

Environmental Issues

Inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing practices, and overfishing

Government Type

Constitutional government in free association with the us; the compact of free association entered into force 1 october 1994

Population

21,093 (july 2008 est.)

Location

Oceania, group of islands in the north pacific ocean, southeast of the philippines

Area

Total: 458 sq km land: 458 sq km water: 0 sq km

Slightly more than 2.5 times the size of washington, dc

Country Aliases

Conventional long form: republic of palau conventional short form: palau local long form: beluu er a belau local short form: belau former: trust territory of the pacific islands, palau district

Capital

Name: melekeok geographic coordinates: 7 29 n, 134 38 e time difference: utc+9 (14 hours ahead of washington, dc during standard time)

International Disputes

Maritime delineation negotiations continue with philippines, indonesia