Palau Flag

Local name: Belau

Capital: Koror

Population: 20,579

Government: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Land size: 458 sq km

Topography: varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs

Typical foods:

Major exports: shellfish, tuna, copra, garments

Official language: Palauan, Tobi, English

Other languages spoken: Angaur, Filipino, Chinese, Carolinian, Japanese, other Asian, other languages

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%

Literacy rate: 92%

Male/Female Ratio: 1.13 male(s) to every 1 female

Life expectancy: 70.42 years

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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