NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Geography of Palau

The Republic of Palau consists of eight principal islands and more than 250 smaller ones lying roughly 500 miles southeast of the Philippines. The islands of Palau constitute part of the Caroline Islands chain.

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines

Geographic coordinates: 7 30 N, 134 30 E

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total: 458 sq km
land: 458 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,519 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
extended fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: wet season May to November; hot and humid

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

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Ngerchelchauus 242 m (on Baeldaob)

Natural resources: forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals

Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: NA%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues: 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:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: includes World War II battleground of Peleliu and world-famous rock islands; archipelago of six island groups totaling over 200 islands in the Caroline chain

See also : Palau

External links

Map of main island chain of Palau (http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/australia/palau_island.jpg)

Categories: Palau | Geography by country

Results from FactBites:

Palau - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (837 words)
	The president of Palau, who is both head of state and head of government, is elected by the Palauans every four years.
	Palau enjoys a tropical climate all year round with an annual mean temperature of 82 °F (27 °C).
	The official languages of Palau are Palauan and English, except for three states (Sonsorol, Hatohobei, and Anguar) where the local language is official instead of Palauan.

ABOUT PALAU (1974 words)
	Palau is the western most island group of a region called the West Caroline Islands, which is part of a larger region called Micronesia.
	Palau still exists under the Compact of Free Association with the United States, where both Palauans and US citizens are given special privileges in each other's land and the US gives the Palauan government money so that the US may keep the strategically located islands away from any rival foreign power's hands.
	Palau is one of the last places in the world to spot a legendary and nearly extinct dugong (sea cow), a sea mammal, and seven of the nine species of endangered tridacna giant clams--larger than yourself and up to 100 years old!

More results at FactBites »

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