Southeast Asia · The modern states
Palau
Republic · 1994–present
Palau was settled from Maritime Southeast Asia around 1000 BCE. It became part of the Spanish East Indies in 1885, was sold to Germany in 1899, and passed to Japan in 1914 as part of the South Seas Mandate, remaining under Japanese rule until 1944, when the Battle of Peleliu killed some 2,000 Americans and 10,000 Japanese. From 1947 Palau was part of the US-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
- Type
- Republic
- Existed
- 1994–present
- Shown on the map
- 1996–2024
- Peak area
- 663 km² (dataset figure; actual land area is ~460 km²)
- Region
- Southeast Asia
Origins & foundation
Palau was settled from Maritime Southeast Asia around 1000 BCE. It became part of the Spanish East Indies in 1885, was sold to Germany in 1899, and passed to Japan in 1914 as part of the South Seas Mandate, remaining under Japanese rule until 1944, when the Battle of Peleliu killed some 2,000 Americans and 10,000 Japanese. From 1947 Palau was part of the US-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
Political history & notable leaders
Rejecting union with the Federated States of Micronesia in a 1978 referendum, Palau adopted its own constitution in 1981 — the world's first nuclear-free constitution — and became the Republic of Palau on 1 January 1981. A Compact of Free Association with the United States, signed in 1982, was delayed for years because it conflicted with the nuclear ban; it finally entered into force on 1 October 1994, making Palau independent as the last TTPI entity (UN Security Council Resolution 956). Palau joined the UN on 15 December 1994. Surangel Whipps Jr. is the current president.
Economy, culture & society
Palau comprises about 340 islands with roughly 17,000–18,000 people; Koror is the largest city and Ngerulmud (on Babeldaob) the capital. The US dollar is the currency, and the US is responsible for defence under the Compact. Tourism and fishing dominate the economy.
Territorial extent & key events
Palau created the world's first shark sanctuary in 2009 across its 600,000 km² exclusive economic zone; the Rock Islands were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2012, and the pioneering "Palau Pledge" eco-visa stamp was introduced in 2017.
Conflicts & turning points
Decolonisation politics, the nuclear-free constitution dispute, and the 1994 compact are the key milestones; Palau maintains diplomatic ties with Taiwan and withdrew from the Pacific Islands Forum in February 2021.
Legacy & present-day status
Palau is a stable, pro-Western Pacific microstate, globally prominent in ocean conservation despite its tiny size.
Common questions
- What was Palau?
- Palau was settled from Maritime Southeast Asia around 1000 BCE. It became part of the Spanish East Indies in 1885, was sold to Germany in 1899, and passed to Japan in 1914 as part of the South Seas Mandate, remaining under Japanese rule until 1944, when the Battle of Peleliu killed some 2,000 Americans and 10,000 Japanese. From 1947 Palau was part of the US-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
- When did Palau exist?
- Palau existed 1994–present. On this map it is drawn 1996–2024.
- How large was Palau?
- At its greatest extent drawn on this map, Palau covered about 1,000 km². That is the largest area the border data gives it across the years it is drawn, not necessarily its greatest extent in history.
- Where was Palau?
- Palau created the world's first shark sanctuary in 2009 across its 600,000 km² exclusive economic zone; the Rock Islands were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2012, and the pioneering "Palau Pledge" eco-visa stamp was introduced in 2017.
- Who ruled Palau?
- Rejecting union with the Federated States of Micronesia in a 1978 referendum, Palau adopted its own constitution in 1981 — the world's first nuclear-free constitution — and became the Republic of Palau on 1 January 1981.
- What is the present status of Palau?
- Palau is a stable, pro-Western Pacific microstate, globally prominent in ocean conservation despite its tiny size.
- What did the economy and culture of Palau rest on?
- Palau comprises about 340 islands with roughly 17,000–18,000 people; Koror is the largest city and Ngerulmud (on Babeldaob) the capital. The US dollar is the currency, and the US is responsible for defence under the Compact.
Sources
Every source below was consulted while writing this entry.
- Wikipedia: Palau en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palau
This entry was written from the sources above and last updated .
This entry was researched and drafted with AI from the sources above, and has not been reviewed by a historian. How entries are made
Text available under CC BY-SA 4.0: reuse it with a credit to The World Through Time and a link to this page. Passages drawing on the Wikipedia articles listed above are also licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 by their contributors.
Border geometry for the map itself comes from Cliopatria v0.12 (Seshat Global History Databank, CC-BY-4.0).
See Palau in its world
Open the atlas at 2010 and every neighbour, rival and successor is on screen with it — then drag the slider and watch what happens next.
Open the map at 2010 →