NA

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, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

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

People
Palau

Population:

21,093 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 25.8% (male 2,797/female 2,637) 15-64 years: 69.4% (male 7,864/female 6,779) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 482/female 534) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 32.3 years male: 33.3 years female: 31.3 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.157% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

17.4 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

6.73 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 13.69 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.37 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 71 years male: 67.82 years female: 74.36 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.45 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: