Overview: The economy consists primarily of subsistence agriculture and fishing. Tourism provides some foreign exchange, although the remote location of Palau and a shortage of suitable facilities has hindered development. The government is the major employer of the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US.

National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $31.6 million (1986)
note: GDP numbers reflect US spending

National product real growth rate: NA%

National product per capita: $2,260 (1986)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Unemployment rate: 20% (1986)

Budget:
revenues: $6 million
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1986 est.)

Exports: $500,000 (f.o.b., 1986)
commodities: trochus (type of shellfish), tuna, copra, handicrafts
partners: US, Japan

Imports: $27.2 million (c.i.f., 1986)
commodities: NA
partners: US

External debt: about $100 million (1989)

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity:
capacity: 16,000 kW
production: 22 million kWh
consumption per capita: 1,540 kWh (1990)

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

Agriculture: subsistence-level production of coconut, copra, cassava, sweet potatoes

Economic aid:
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $2.56 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $92 million

Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

NOTE: The information regarding Pacific Islands (Palau), Trust Territory of the on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Pacific Islands (Palau), Trust Territory of the Economy 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Pacific Islands (Palau), Trust Territory of the Economy 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.