by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 11 November
1996 (next to be held NA November 2000)
election results: Kuniwo NAKAMURA reelected president; percent of
vote--Kuniwo NAKAMURA 64%, Chief Ibedul Yutuka GIBBONS 36%; Tommy E.
REMENGESAU Jr. reelected vice president; percent of vote--Tommy E.
REMENGESAU Jr. 69%, Kione ISECHAL 31%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau
(OEK) consists of the Senate (14 seats; members elected by popular
vote on a population basis to serve four-year terms) and the House
of Delegates (16 seats--one from each state; members elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate--last held 11 November 1996 (next 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, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA
chancery: 1150 18th Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20036

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD (resident in Manila);
Charge d'Affaires Allen E. NUGENT
embassy: address NA, Koror
mailing address: P.O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940

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 enjoys a per capita income of more than 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 rising prosperity of leading East
Asian countries.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$160 million (1997 est.)
note: GDP numbers reflect US spending

GDP--real growth rate: 10% (1997 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchas