There has been much talk in recent weeks about the 17 Chinese Muslims, or Uighurs, being held at Gitmo. Since human rights concerns prevented the return of the Uighurs to China, the U.S. had been looking for a country to accept the Uighurs for resettlement.
A couple of days ago, the tiny island nation of Palau came forward and agreed to accept the Uighurs.
When news of this arrangement broke, it left many people scratching their heads wondering, what is Palau? Where is Palau? What is Palau like?
We happen to know a thing or two about travel, so here’s a little background info on Palau.
Believe it or not, the Republic of Palau is a popular tourist destination for people all over the world. The tiny island nation in the Pacific Ocean is located 500 miles off the coast of the Philippines. Palau is one of the world’s smallest nations and one of the most beautiful.
More than 200 volcanic and coral islands, the majority of which are surrounded by a single barrier reef, make up the nation of Palau.
Its warm tropical are home to an amazing array of marine life making it one of the foremost diving destinations in the world.
The total land mass of Palau is approx. 196 sq. miles with a population of roughly 20,000 people. The scenery is primarily divided between beautiful sandy beaches and dense jungle. Protection of wildlife from hunters and poachers is of foremost importance to the people and government of Palau.
Palau enjoys a pleasantly warm climate all year round with an average temperature of 82 degrees. Rainfall can occur all year long, but most rainfall happens between July and October.
Fortunately, typhoons are rare in Palau because the country is located outside the typhoon zone.
The capital of Palau was Koror until 2006 when it was moved to Melekeok and the country is divided into sixteen states. Politics in Palau takes place within a multi-party democratic framework. Executive power is exercised by the government, and legislative power is shared by the government and the Palau National Congress. Palau also has a fair and independent judiciary.
In 1986, the governments of Palau and the United States signed a Compact of Free Association, giving the U.S. responsibility for Palau’s defense in return for the right to maintain military bases there.
The majority religion in Palau is Christianity, but a traditional Palauan religion known as Modekngei is quite common as well. There are also about 400 Muslims who call Palau home (not including the 17 Chinese Uighers who will be arriving soon).
The nation’s demographics are interesting. Of the 20,000 inhabitants, 70% are native Palauan, while Filipinos make up the second largest ethnic group. Minority ethnic groups are primarily of Asian or South East Asia.
The culture of Palau is very traditional. Even though the nation has a modern international economy, the local population has maintained strong ties to their traditional native culture.
Palauan villages remain centered around 10 clans organized matrilineally. A council of male clan chiefs govern the village, and a similar council of their female counterparts still have a significant advisory role in the division and control of land and money.
Now that you know a little about Palau, let’s look at some of the fun things to do there:
- Snorkeling, Kayaking, Sailing, and Fishing
- See the 37 stone monoliths known as Badrulchau. These are concrete examples of Palau’s earliest civilization.
- Enjoy Palau’s excellent dive sites like Blue Corner, German Channel (known for its Manta Rays), Siaes Tunnel ( an enormous underwater cave system), and Chandelier Cave (underwater chambers filled with stalactites).
- Swim with dolphins
- Nightclubs & Restaurants
The bottom line is this. If you love the water and want to visit a beautiful tropical island paradise, then Palau is the place for you.
Click HERE to see a great picture gallery of Palau.
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