MEDIA CONTACTS: Kadoi Ruluked, (680) 488-2793 or [email protected] Website: www.visit-palau.com PALAU VISITORS AUTHORITY HISTORY OF PALAU Palau's early history is still largely veiled in mystery. Why, how or when people arrived on the islands is unknown. Studies indicate that today's Palauans are distant relatives of the Malays of Indonesia, Melanesians of New Guinea and Polynesians. Calculating the date of their arrivals, carbon dating of artifacts from the oldest known village sites on the Rock Islands and the spectacular terraces on Babeldaob place civilization as early as 1,000 BC. The most noteworthy first foreign contact took place in 1783 when the vessel Antelope, under the command of English Captain Henry Wilson, was shipwrecked on a reef near Ulong, a Rock Island located between Koror and Peleliu. With the assistance of Koror's High Chief Ibedul, Wilson and his men stayed for three months to rebuild his ship. From that time onward, many foreign explorers called on Palau and the islands were exposed to further European contact. Foreign governance of our islands officially began when Pope Leo XIII asserted Spain's rights over the Caroline Islands in 1885. Two churches were established and maintained by two Capuchin priests and two brothers, resulting in the introduction of the Roman alphabet and the elimination of inter-village wars. In 1899, Spain sold the Carolines to Germany, which established an organized program to exploit the islands' natural resources. Following Germany's defeat in WWI, the islands were formally passed to the Japanese under the 1919 Treaty of Versailles. The Japanese influence on the Palauan culture was immense as it shifted the economy from a level of subsistence to a market economy and property ownership from the clan to individuals. In 1922, Koror became the administrative center for all Japanese possessions in the South Pacific. The town of Koror was a stylish metropolis with factories, shops, public baths, restaurants and pharmacies. Following Japan's defeat in WWII, the Carolines, Marianas and Marshall Islands became United Nations Trust Territories under U.S. administration, with Palau being named as one of six island districts. As part of its mandate, the U.S. was to improve Palau's infrastructure and educational system in order for it to become a self-sufficient nation. This finally came about on October 1, 1994, when Palau gained its independence upon the signing of the Compact of Free Association with the United States. With their World War II artifacts, the islands of Peleliu, home to the WWII Memorial Museum, and Angaur are perhaps known more for the man-made relics left over from momentous battles more than half a century ago. But this does not in any way diminish their substantial contribution to the natural beauty of Palau. Location and 7° 30' North Latitude, 133° 30' East Longitude Geographic Located in Micronesia, Palau is an island nation comprised of 16 Description: states. Officially the Republic of Palau, this island nation in the Pacific Ocean is about 500 miles east of the Philippines and 2000 miles south of Tokyo. Having emerged from United Nations trusteeship (administered by the United States) in 1994, it is one of the world's youngest and smallest nations. In 1989, Palau was ranked and listed by CEDAM International as the ranking Number 1 Underwater Wonder of the World out of the seven underwater wonders. It is sometimes referred to in English under its native name Belau. Palau's most populated islands are Angaur, Babeldaob, Koror and Peleliu. The latter three lie together within the same barrier reef, while Angaur is an Oceanic Island several miles to the South. About two-thirds of the population lives on Koror. The coral atoll of Kayangel is situated north of these islands, while the uninhabited Rock Islands (about 400) are situated to the west of the main island group. A remote group of six islands, known as the Southwest Islands, some 375 miles (600 km) from the main islands, are also part of the country and make up the States of Hatohobei and Sonsorol. Population: The population of Palau is approximately 19,750, of whom 70% are native Palauans, who are of mixed Melanesian, Micronesian, and Malayan descent. Filipinos form the second largest ethnic group. Other Asians and Europeans account for the minority groups. Three quarters of the population are Christians (mainly Roman Catholics and Protestants), while Modekngei (a combination of Christianity, traditional Palauan religion and fortune telling) and the ancient Palauan religion are commonly observed. According to the 2005 census[6] 49.4% of the population are Roman Catholics, 21.3% Protestants, 8.7% Modekngei and 5.3% Seventh-day Adventists. The official languages of Palau are Palauan and English, except for two states (Sonsorol and Hatohobei) where the local language, along with Palauan, is official. Japanese is also spoken widely amongst older Palauans, and, indeed, retains official status in the State of Angaur. Tagalog is not official in Palau, but it is the 4th largest spoken language. Economy: The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence agriculture and fishing. Tourist activity focuses on scuba diving and snorkeling in the islands' rich marine environment, including the Floating Garden Islands to the west of Koror and the Rock Islands to the south. The government is the major employer of the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the USA. Business and tourist arrivals numbered 88,175 in the financial year 2007. The population enjoys a per capita income twice that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-term 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. Climate: Palau enjoys a pleasantly warm climate all year round with an annual mean temperature of 82° degrees F. (27° C.). Rainfall can occur throughout the year, and the annual average is 150 inches. The average relative humidity is 82%, and although rain falls more frequently between July and October, there is still much sunshine. Typhoons are rare as Palau is located outside the typhoon zone. Time Zone: When it's Noon Monday in Palau, it is: Manila 11:00 a.m. Monday Tokyo 12:00 a.m. Monday Sydney 1:00 p.m. Monday Honolulu 5:00 p.m. Sunday Los Angeles 7:00 p.m. Sunday Getting There: From the western seaboard of the United States, you can hop to Hawaii, skip to Guam, then jump to Palau. For a scenic island route, you can do an island hop across Micronesia to Palau. Flying Times and Distances to Palau: Honolulu – 4,609 miles, 8:45 hours; Los Angeles – 7,161 miles, 13:55 hours; New York – 9,612 miles, 18:55 hours; Cairns – 2,087 miles, 4:30 hours. Airline Info: Airline services to Palau 1. United Airlines, (formerly Continental Airlines), offer twice a week flight service from Manila to Palau. 5 times a week via Guam to Palau. 2. JAL - Charter, Direct flight from Japan 3. Korean Air - Scheduled Charter twice a week 4. China Airlines - Scheduled Charter 4 times a week 5. Asiana Airline - Scheduled twice a week 6. Trans-Asia Airline - Charter flights only 7. Delta AirLines - resumed on December 28, 2011. Schedule TBA Customs & One bottle of liquor and up to one carton of cigarettes can be Immigration brought into Palau duty-free. Importation of controlled substances Requirements: and weapons is strictly prohibited. Proof of citizenship (passport) by U.S. citizens is required. Visas are not required. All non- Palauan passport holders must have a valid passport with return travel arrangements. Upon arrival, 30-days visa is issued by Immigration and may be extended for additional 30-days for a fee of $50.00 (U.S. Dollars). SCUBA Diving See-through waters bequeath underwater visibility beyond anyone’s imagination. So much so that from the most immaculate shorelines in the world, a boat 50 meters beyond creates the magical illusion that it floats merely on air, with its conspicuous shadow cast on a translucent seabed a few feet beneath. A prism of colorful coral reefs and virtually limitless variety of sea life set the stage in this tropical paradise. From beginners and intermediate to expert divers, there are over 50 existing dive sites, each possessing distinct characteristics and individual personalities to appeal to everyone’s desires. Chandelier Cave, for instance, is a sub-surface catacombs of rooms filled with massive, ancient icicle-shape stalactites deposits that simultaneously hang from the ceilings of cavernous openings. Experienced guides ensure measures are taken to adroitly negotiate the dives that result from this shallow-water, yet challenging diving experience. The Ngemelis Wall, commonly known as the Big Drop-Off, and declared by diving’s immortal icon, Jacques Cousteau to be the best wall dive in the world, is but one. Its precipitous 1,000 feet drop confers a profusion of intriguing sights of soft corals and reef animals, while its upper portion is encrusted with a rainbow of multi-colored sea fans, sponges, coral whips and soft corals. Blue Corner, arguably one of the best in the world and the most famous of Palau’s underwater attractions, shows off constantly cruising gray reef sharks searching the rich waters for their prey. Insatiable photographers, their excitement masked considerably by the slow motion pace of underwater movement, train their equipment and snap away at schools of barracuda, giant resident Napoleon Wrasse that often reach six feet in length, snappers and butterfly fish. The dense concentration f marine life is revealed as these countless underwater fruits of nature dart in and out of a scintillating panorama of hard and soft corals that house them.