Palau, officially the Republic of Palau, is an island country in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania in the western Pacific. The republic consists of approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the Caroline Islands with parts of the Federated States of Micronesia. It has a total area of 466 square kilometers (180 sq mi), making it one of the smallest countries in the world. The most populous island is Koror, home to the country's most populous city of the same name. The capital Ngerulmud is located on the largest island of Babeldaob, in Melekeok State. Palau shares maritime boundaries with international waters to the north, the Federated States of Micronesia to the east, Indonesia to the south, and the Philippines to the northwest.
Palau was initially settled around 1000 BC.
The politics of Palau take place in a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Palau is both head of state and head of government. Palau currently has no political parties and is a de facto non-partisan democracy although there is no law preventing the formation of political parties.
The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) was a United Nations trust territory in Micronesia administered by the United States from 1947 to 1994. The Imperial Japanese South Seas Mandate had been seized by the US during the Pacific War, as Japan had occupied the territory since the League of Nations gave Japan mandate over the area after World War I. However, in the 1930s, Japan left the League of Nations, and then invaded additional lands. During World War II, military control of the islands was disputed, but by the end of the war the islands had come under control of the Allies. The Trust Territory of the Pacific was created to administer the islands as part of the United States, while still under the auspices of the United Nations. Most of the island groups in the territory became independent states, with some degree of ties kept with the United States: the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Palau are today independent states in a Compact of Free Association with the US, while the Northern Mariana Islands remain under US jurisdiction, as an unincorporated territory and commonwealth.
Koror is the state comprising the main commercial centre of the Republic of Palau. It consists of several islands, the most prominent being Koror Island. It is Palau’s most populous state.
Peleliu is an island in the island nation of Palau. Peleliu, along with two small islands to its northeast, forms one of the sixteen states of Palau. The island is notable as the location of the Battle of Peleliu in World War II.
Aimeliik is an administrative division of the island country of Palau. It is one of the Republic of Palau's 16 states. It has an area of 52 km2 and a population of 334. State capital is the village of Mongami. Following the four other villages which are: Medorm, Imul, Elechui and Ngmechiangel.
Kayangel (Ngcheangel) is the northernmost state of Palau 24 km (15 mi) north of Koror. The land area is about 1.4 km2 (0.54 sq mi). The population is 54. There is one hamlet in the state - Orukei which is also its capital.
The College of Micronesia-FSM (COM-FSM) is a public community college in the Federated States of Micronesia. It began operation in 1963 as the Micronesian Teacher Education Center.
Roman Tmetuchl was a Palauan political leader and businessman. He grew up in Japanese-controlled Palau and joined the Kempeitai, the Japanese secret police, during World War II. After the war, he became the leader of Palau's Liberal Party. He worked in the Congress of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands from 1964 to 1978 and advocated for Palau gaining a separate status from the rest of Micronesia. He became governor of Airai and engaged in three unsuccessful Palauan presidential campaigns. As a businessman, Tmetuchl led several construction projects for his business holdings and for the Palauan community, including the Palau International Airport and a Seventh-Day Adventist clinic.
Palau–United States relations are bilateral relations between the sovereign nations of Palau and the United States. Palau has an embassy in Washington, DC, whilst the United States has an embassy in Koror. The current US Chargé d'Affaires to Palau is James Boughner
The following is an alphabetical list of topics related to the Republic of Palau.
Meyuns is the second most populous city in the tiny Pacific island nation of Palau, with a population of approximately 1,000. Meyuns is comparable in population to Palau's third largest city, Airai. It is located in the State of Koror, where the nation's largest city, also called Koror, is located. Other than Koror, Meyuns is the only sizable town in the state of Koror. Unlike the city of Koror, Meyuns is on Ngerekebesang Island, along with the towns of Ngerekebesang and Echang, although Meyuns is the only town that is incorporated on the island. It is linked by a causeway to Oreor Island, where the city of Koror is situated. Meyuns is the location of Belau National Hospital, the largest hospital in the country.
Sonsorol is one of the sixteen states of Palau. The inhabitants speak Sonsorolese, a local Chuukic language, and Palauan.
Marshall Islands High School is the main public high school located in Rita, Delap-Uliga-Djarrit, in Majuro atoll, the capital city of the Marshall Islands. Marshall Islands High School is the largest high school in the country of the Marshall Islands. MIHS is part of the Marshall Islands Public School System.
Koror City is the largest city and the commercial center in Palau, home to about half of the country's population, located on Oreor Island. During the interwar period it served as the capital of the South Seas Mandate, a group of islands that made up the League of Nations mandated territory held by the Empire of Japan. It was subsequently the capital of Palau until it was replaced by Ngerulmud in 2006.
Jaluit High School (JHS) is a secondary school in Jabor, Jaluit Atoll, Marshall Islands. It is a part of the Marshall Islands Public School System.
The Ministry of Education is a government agency of Palau, headquartered in Koror City.
Yap High School (YHS) is a secondary school in Rull Municipality, Yap Island, Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia. It is a part of the Yap State Department of Education, along with two other public secondary schools in Yap State.
David Ramarui was a Palauan politician. He served as a member of the Senate of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) prior to Palau separating from the territory, and then as Minister of Social Services in the Palauan government.
