Palau

Zebra57 · 824438. Thu Jun 16, 2011 3:45 am

Palau - is a Pacific nation about 191 square miles in size including of 200 islands. The Caroline Islands, which included Palau were named after King Charles II of Spain and formed part of the Spanish East Indies. In 1889 following many territorial disputes Spain sold the islands to Germany for 25m pesetas.

The Carolines were a German colony, until seized by Japan in 1914. which the League of Nations gave to Japan to administer after World War 1.

Palau was the western part of a UN Trust Territory of Pacific Islands administered by the USA after World War II. It became independent in 1994.

Capital is Melekeok

Largest town: Koror

Currency: US Dollar

Language: English and Palaun

Palau's major trading partner appears to be Taiwan.

The population is about 20,000. It is one of the smallest countries in the World.

Geography Guy · 987265. Mon Apr 08, 2013 5:55 am

Zebra57 · 987429. Mon Apr 08, 2013 5:16 pm

Perhaps someone should tell the CIA and a number of other sources. The BBC/Wiki agree with Ngerulmund as the new capital. The Palau Government website is not very clear on this matter.

http://www.state.gov/p/eap/ci/ps/

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107866.html

http://www.palaugov.net/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngerulmud

Geography Guy · 987435. Mon Apr 08, 2013 5:49 pm

Looks like some people have gone through this recently, and couldn't really come to a verdict. It seems to depend on who you ask.
These guys somewhat agree that it is Ngerulmud, being the hill that the capital was built on, within the State of Melekeok.
http://www.memrise.com/course/42769/country-mapping/thread/1289636/
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100601070224AAEkcyL

Zebra57 · 987816. Wed Apr 10, 2013 5:47 am

References as to the capital of Palau are vague as correspondence on the Lonely Planet Website testifies. The new government building at Ngerulmud would probably define its location as the seat of government or Capitol but where is the Capital located?

The link between Uighurs, Guantanamo Bay and Palau is QI, as is the BBC claim that Palau could be the world's cannabis capital.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2256471
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18736585
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/03/17/3291352/in-chinas-shadow-guantanamos-former.html

Zebra57 · 987821. Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:13 am

A ceremony and a deserted location and a Uighur refugee.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=palau+news&view=detail&mid=9CB7E295686B1FB14A0D9CB7E295686B1FB14A0D&first=21&FORM=NVPFVR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oymioz4a9ag
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/8371321.stm

Zebra57 · 1126926. Tue Mar 31, 2015 8:24 pm

Palau created the world's first "shark sanctuary" in 2009, banning all commercial shark fishing in its waters.

http://www.sharksanctuary.com/

http://www.palaudiveadventures.com/palau-shark-sanctuary/