Palau (US): Geography

The World Factbook 1993: Pacific Islands, Trust Territory of the (Palau) Geography

Location: in the North Pacific Ocean, 850 km southeast of the Philippines

Area: total area: 458 km2 land area: 458 km2 comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,519 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 m or depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: wet season May to November; hot and humid

Terrain: about 200 islands varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs

Natural resources: forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% meadows and pastures: NA% forest and woodland: NA% other: NA%

Irrigated land: NA km2

Environment: subject to typhoons from June to December; archipelago of six island groups totaling over 200 islands in the Caroline chain

Note: includes World War II battleground of Peleliu and world-famous rock islands