Palau:
Geography

Click to enlarge

Pages for other countries and territories

Other pages in this profile of Palau:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.


Background	Definition 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.

Location	Definition Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines
Geographic coordinates	Definition 7 30 N, 134 30 E
Map references	Definition Oceania
Area	Definition - World rank and map total: 458 sq km land: 458 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	Definition slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries	Definition 0 km
Coastline	Definition 1,519 km
Maritime claims	Definition territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate	Definition tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November
Terrain	Definition varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs
Elevation extremes	Definition lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m
Natural resources	Definition forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals
Land use	Definition - World rank and map arable land: 8.7% permanent crops: 4.35% other: 86.95% (2005)
Irrigated land	Definition NA
Natural hazards	Definition typhoons (June to December)
Environment - current issues	Definition inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing practices, and overfishing
Environment - international agreements	Definition party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note	Definition 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