t; percent of vote - Sandra PIERANTOZZI
52%, Alan SEID 45%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK)
consists of the Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote on a
population basis to serve four-year terms) and the House of Delegates
(16 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November
2004); House of Delegates - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held
NA November 2004) election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA%;
seats - independents 9; House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA%;
seats - independents 16

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

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey
KYOTA FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281 telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814 chancery:
1150 18th Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: the Ambassador
to the Philippines is accredited to Palau; Charge d'Affaires Ronald
A. HARMS embassy: address NA, Koror
P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940 telephone:
Flag description: light blue with a large yellow disk (representing
the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side

Economy Palau

Economy - overview: The economy consists primarily of tourism,
subsistence agriculture and fishing. The government is the major
employer of the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from
the US. Business and tourist arrivals numbered 50,000 in FY00/01. The
population enjoys a per capita income twice that of the Philippines and
much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the key tourist sector have
been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific,
the rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries, and the willingness
of foreigners to finance infrastructure development.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $174 million (2001 est.) note: GDP
numbers reflect US spending

GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2001 est.)

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

Population below poverty line: NA%

House