| Geography | Palau |
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Location:
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Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines |
Geographic coordinates:
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7 30 N, 134 30 E |
Map references:
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Oceania |
Area:
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total: 458 sq km
land: 458 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative:
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slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Land boundaries:
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0 km |
Coastline:
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1,519 km |
Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Climate:
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Tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November |
Terrain:
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varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs |
Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m |
Natural resources:
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forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals |
Land use:
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arable land: 8.7%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 86.95% (2005) |
Irrigated land:
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NA |
Total renewable water resources:
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void |
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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void |
Natural hazards:
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typhoons (June to December) |
Environment - current issues:
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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:
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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:
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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 |
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