| Palau at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships | |
|---|---|
 | |
| FINA code | PLW |
| National federation | Palau Swimming Association |
| in Gwangju, South Korea | |
| Competitors | 4 in 1 sport |
| Medals |
|
| World Aquatics Championships appearances | |
Palau competed at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, South Korea from 12 to 28 July.
Palau entered four swimmers. [1]
| Athlete | Event | Heat | Semifinal | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||
| Shawn Dingilius-Wallace | 50 m freestyle | 27.45 | 118 | did not advance | |||
| 50 m butterfly | 30.39 | 87 | did not advance | ||||
| Noel Keane | 100 m freestyle | 54.10 | 90 | did not advance | |||
| 200 m freestyle | 2:02.63 | 63 | did not advance | ||||
| Athlete | Event | Heat | Semifinal | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||
| Osisang Chilton | 100 m freestyle | 1:07.36 | 83 | did not advance | |||
| 100 m backstroke | 1:16.55 | 60 | did not advance | ||||
| Dirngulbai Misech | 50 m freestyle | 28.88 | 69 | did not advance | |||
| 50 m butterfly | 31.14 | 53 | did not advance | ||||
Palau, officially the Republic of Palau, is an island country in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania in the western Pacific Ocean. The republic consists of approximately 340 islands and is the western part of the Caroline Islands, while the eastern and central parts make up the Federated States of Micronesia.
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 economy of Palau consists primarily of subsistence agriculture and fishing. The government is the major employer of the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the United States. The population enjoys a per capita income of more than twice that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-term prospects for the tourist sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific and the rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries.
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 administered the territory since the League of Nations gave Japan a mandate over the area from Imperial Germany after World War I. However, in the 1930s, Japan left the League of Nations and invaded additional lands. During World War II, military control of the islands was disputed, but by the war's end, the islands had come under the Allies' control. 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.
Palau gained its independence October 1, 1994, with the entry into force of the Compact of Free Association with the United States. Palau was the last Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands territories to gain its independence. Under the Compact, the U.S. remains responsible for Palau's defense for 50 years.
Thomas Ongelibel Remengesau, also known as Thomas Remengesau Sr., was a politician in Palau. He was Vice President of Palau from 1985 to 1988, and acting President of Palau in 1985 and President of Palau from 1988 to 1989 following the violent deaths of two previous presidents.
Luis Palau Jr. was an Argentine-American international Christian evangelist. He was born in Argentina but moved to Portland, Oregon, in his mid-twenties to enroll in a graduate program in Biblical studies.
The president of the Republic of Palau is the head of state and head of government of Palau. The president is directly elected to a four-year term, and can be reelected once in a consecutive manner.
The Senate of Palau is the upper house of the Palau National Congress. The Senate has 13 members serving four-year terms in multi-seat constituencies. Since Januaru 2025, the Senate has 15 members. No political parties exist. The most recent election was held in November 2024.
The Palau national football team represents Palau in international football. The team is not affiliated with FIFA or a local confederation. The team play their home games at the PCC Track and Field Stadium in the town of Koror City. Currently, the side is ranked as the worst national team in the world by the Elo rating system.
The Palauan passport is an international travel document that is issued to Palauan citizens which is issued centrally at the Passport Office in Meyuns, Palau.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Palau do not possess the same legal protections as non-LGBT residents, and may face social challenges that are not experienced by others. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in Palau since 23 July 2014, when the current Penal Code took effect, but households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex married couples. Same-sex marriage is constitutionally banned, and there are no anti-discrimination laws concerning sexual orientation and gender identity.
The Nou Palau Blaugrana will be a multi-sports indoor arena, located in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The arena will serve as the new home arena for the basketball, handball and Futsal sections of the multi-sports club FC Barcelona. The Nou Palau Blaugrana will have a maximum capacity of 15,000 spectators.
First Lady of Palau is the official title attributed to the wife of the president of Palau. The country's current first lady is Valerie Whipps, wife of President Surangel Whipps Jr., who had held the position since 21 January 2021.
The COVID-19 pandemic in Palau is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The virus was confirmed to have reached Palau on 31 May 2021. As of August 2021, Palau has one of the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the world with approximately 84% of its population fully vaccinated.
Palau and Serbia maintain diplomatic relations established in 2018.
Palau has flags for its sixteen states.
Palau–Taiwan relations are the bilateral relations between the Republic of Palau and the Republic of China (Taiwan). Palau maintains an embassy in Taipei and Taiwan maintains an embassy in Koror City. Exchanges between the two nations range from agriculture, culture, education, fishery, medical services, tourism and water supply infrastructure. As of 10 January 2025, Palau is one of only 12 United Nations member states to have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
Palasia Hotel is a hotel in Koror, Palau. It is the tallest building in Palau with 10 floors and a height of around 36m. The building cost $1 million to build and was funded by Taiwan.