| The
History |
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It is believed that the original
settlers of Palau arrived from Indonesia as early as
2500 B.C.
The Palau islands' |
position on the western threshold of
Oceania and their proximity to Southeast Asia have
led to the population being a mixture of Malay,
Melanesian, Filipino, and Polynesian ancestry.
Explored by the Spanish navigator Ruy López de
Villalobos in 1543, the islands remained under
nominal Spanish ownership for more than 300 years
before Spain sold them to Germany in 1899. Japan
occupied Palau during World War I |
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and received a mandate over them
from the League of Nations in 1920. They remained in
Japanese control and served as an important naval
base until |
| the U.S. seized them during World
War II. After the war they became a UN trusteeship
(1947), administered by the U.S. Palau signed a
Compact of Free Association with the U.S. in 1992,
requiring the United States to provide economic aid
in exchange for the right to build and maintain U.S.
military facilities in Palau. Palau became a
sovereign state in 1994. In 2000, former vice
president Tommy Remengesau won the presidential
election. |
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| Underwater Paradise |
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The crystal clear waters around
Palau are alive with more than 1,500 species of fish
and 700 types of coral and sea anemones, making it a
paradise for divers. Palau's |
famous Rock Islands shelter some of
nature’s most breathtaking underwater treasures. And
its water is the final resting place for more than a
dozen ships sunk during World War II.
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| Palau Island |
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The Palau island chain consists of
about 200 islands located in the western Pacific
Ocean, 528 mi (650 km) southeast of the Philippines.
Only eight of the islands are |
| permanently inhabited. They vary
geologically from the high mountainous largest
island, Babeldoub, to low, coral islands usually
fringed by large barrier reefs. Palau enjoys a
tropical climate all year round with an annual mean
temperature of 82° degrees F. (27° C.). Rainfall can
occur throughout the year, the annual average is 150
inches. The average humidity is 82%; Rainfall begins
to taper off starting in November. February through
April tend to be the driest months. The monsoon
season starts in May and continues until October,
but there is still much sunshine. Typhoons are rare
as Palau is outside the typhoon zone. |
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