ext to be held NA
November 2000); House of Delegates - last held 11 November 1996 (next
to be held NA November 2000)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - NA; House of Delegates - percent of vote by party - NA; seats
by party - NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas

Political parties and leaders: Palau Nationalist Party, Polycarp
BASILIUS

International organization participation: ESCAP, SPC, SPF, UN, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim
David A. ORRUKEM
chancery: 2000 L Street NW, Suite 407, Washington, DC 20036
telephone : [1] (202) 452-6814
FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission : Thomas C. HUBBARD (resident in Manila)
embassy: address NA, Koror
mailing address: P.O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940
telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990
FAX: [680] 488-2911

Flag description: light blue with a large yellow disk (representing
the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side

Economy

Economy - overview: The economy consists primarily of subsistence
agriculture and fishing. The government is the major employer of the
work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. The
population, in effect, enjoys a per capita income of $5,000, twice
that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for
the tourist sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air
travel in the Pacific and the rapidly rising prosperity of leading
East Asian countries. Reducing budgeted operating expenditures - which
have increased 56% from 1989 to 1993 - will be the biggest challenge
for the government over the next several years.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $81.8 million (1994 est.)
note: GDP numbers reflect US spending

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,000 (1994 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA%

Labor force: NA
by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues : $21 million
expenditures: $57 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996
est.)

Industries: tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), some
commercial fishing and agriculture

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: NA kW

Electricity - production: NA k