Palau

Palau

Palau / is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean located 800 km east of the Philippines. In 1978, three decades after she subscribed to the United Nations Trusteeship Program, Palau opted for independence rather than becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia and concluded a free cooperation treaty in 1986 but did not ratify until 1993

The Republic of Palau consists of six groups of islands in the Pacific Ocean. It is approximately 800 kilometers from the eastern coast of the Philippines. It is located in the islands called "Micronesia". It consists of: Palau Islands (which in turn are part of the Caroline Islands) in addition to some of the islands located in the southwestern side; The number of islands in this country ranges between 250 and 350 islands - varying according to the size classification of the islands - while only nine of them are inhabited islands, the largest of which is "Balabaldop" also known as "Bhattabawab". Most islands are atolls (rather annular reefs) that are a few meters above the water level

Its climate is tropical and the rainy season is between May and November, when the humidity in these months increases to 80%. Due to its large number of islands, the length of its beaches (collecting the circumference of all its islands) reaches about 1500 km. Its average annual temperature is around 27 degrees Celsius. Average precipitation ranges between 1500 and 2500 mm. Its weather is generally known to fluctuate

Palau is a small country made up of a group of islands located in the western Pacific Ocean. Palau (also written by Pilau) is part of the Carolynian Islands group in an area called Micronesia. Palau is located about 800 km east of the Philippines, and has a population of about 20,000 people

The United States extended its hegemony over the Palau Islands under the tutelage of the United Nations between 1947 and 1994. In October 1994, Palau gained independence. The capital of the country Koror is located on the island of Koror

Palau is made up of a chain of islands with about 200 islands. The chain extends about 160 km from north to south, and about 32 km from east to west. Coral reefs surround the Palau Islands. Other scattered islands belong to the State of Palau. Together, the islands cover about 459 km2, the largest of which is Bab Adlwab

The northern Palau islands are of volcanic origin, and because of the fertility of its lands, many trees grow. The islands consist of coral reefs that are prominent from the surface of the water to the point that most of them are more rugged than taking a place for urbanization, but it is considered a tourist attraction because of its picturesque nature. The climate of Palau is tropical, and the average daytime temperature is about 27 degrees Celsius, while the average annual rainfall is about 380 cm

Most of the Palauans work in government departments, and the United States funds most of the work carried out by the Palau government. The country imports consumer goods and most of the food needed for the people of Palau. Tuna is the country's most important export, and Japan buys most of it. Coconut is the country's main cash crop, and tourism is becoming an important industry

The importance of these small islands with limited resources stems from being one of the important sites in the export of the compost that is composed of glaucoma left by marine birds known as "Guano" and whose quantities are declining. And from the presence of some mineral ores in it, especially phosphates, which are limited in quantity, and from being a supply station on long sea and air navigation routes in the Pacific Ocean. The Palau Islands are losing their importance with the improvement of air and maritime transcontinental and ocean transport

Before the arrival of Europeans to it, the indigenous people worked in marine fishing and primitive mobile farming. Although they used simple tools in their businesses, they succeeded in constructing village clusters that depended on their local products

In addition to the food crops that account for the largest part of agricultural activity (such as kumazza, yam, sago and tarot). The coconut palm is of great importance in the economic life of the population. Dried coconut (cobra) is the most important export of these islands. Liquid in coconut is also the only drink of the population due to the scarcity of fresh water in their atolls. Coconut oil is used for a variety of purposes, the most important of which is cooking. Its outer shell uses cooking tools

Palm fibers are also used in making ropes, bags, nets and caps, and in the manufacture of some clothing. Thus, the coconut palm forms the nerve of life in these atolls, where the other economic factors of production remain very limited due to the poverty of limestone of origin, due to the lack of fresh water and its low surface exposure to high sea waves. And the animal wealth does not constitute a significant economic facility in it, so its residents have no choice but to go to work in marine fishing on board merchant ships besides gathering fruits and primitive mobile agriculture

The parameters of economic production have changed after the arrival of Europeans and Americans to these islands, so scientific agriculture has been introduced and rice and cocoa trees have grown, and attention has been given to raising some animals. The exploitation of minerals has improved, and the raw materials, although limited and their quantities declining, are being exploited under the supervision of expatriates, economically exploiting to export, especially natural fertilizers (guano) and phosphates. These activities were accompanied by a trend of a small number of the population, recently, to work in some food, textile and wood industries such as sugar and vegetable oils, canning and cutting wood

In addition to the aforementioned, the transformation of places from these islands to supply stations on important sea and air navigation routes, and to military bases that provide their tenants with protection and control over large areas of the ocean and its outskirts. But Palau relies heavily on US aid (about 90% of its needs). Its imports far exceed its exports and tourism is of great importance in the economy of Palau

The people of Palau come from ancestors who came to them thousands of years ago, and about two thirds of them live on Koror Island. Most of these people work in government departments. As for the rest of the population, they live in rural villages as farmers, although they produce crops only sufficient for their needs. Palauans eat fish and tarot

The official languages ​​of Palau are: Galician and English. Children between the ages of six and fourteen receive formal education. 75% of the people of Palau convert to Christianity, while the rest of the population adheres to a local religion known as Maud Cingai, a religion that emphasizes Pallavian values ​​and culture

The people of Palau belong to the Micronesians (the inhabitants of Micronesia), and they are the last population groups that have traveled to the Oceanian Islands, settled in small-sized atolls, and are distinguished by the appearance of Mongol traits in them. Since the beginning of the sixteenth century, European elements, and then the American ones, started flocking to these islands. Since the late eighteenth century, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino and Indonesian elements have also begun to reach them, which has further complicated the ethnic composition of the population

These groups have worked to change the aspects of economic activity in these islands, which led to the decline of indigenous cultures gradually, and to decrease their number until the population in 1993 became about 16100 people and the numerical density of them is about 32 n / km². The population growth rate is 1.9% annually, and most of its residents condemn Christianity, the majority of whom are Catholics, who speak the English language, which is the official language alongside their local languages. The city of Koror, which is about ten thousand and five hundred people, is the first city in the country, and it is the capital at the same time