Melekeok, Palau

Melekeok is a state and the site of the capital of the Republic of Palau, an island nation located in the Pacific Ocean. Palau is one of the world's smallest and youngest sovereign states, and Melekeok only began serving as its capital in October 2006.

Landscape

Melekeok is one of Palau's sixteen states, located on the island of Babeldaob, the largest of the more than 340 islands that form the nation of Palau. Only eight of these islands are inhabited. The town covers 7 square kilometers (2.7 square miles) directly along the coastline. Babeldaob accounts for 396 square kilometers (153 square miles) of Palau's total 490 square kilometers (189 square miles) of land; including the surrounding ocean, however, the nation controls an area of over 616,029 square kilometers (237,850 square miles). It is approximately 850 kilometers (528 miles) east of Manila in the Philippines and about 3,042 kilometers (1,890 miles) south of Tokyo, Japan.

Unlike Palau's many rocky islands, which are covered in green foliage and appear sculpted, Babeldaob is a mountainous island with a history of volcanic activity. The highest point on the island is Mount Ngerchelchuus, which rises to a height of 242 meters (794 feet) above sea level.

Babeldaob also possesses the largest freshwater lake in Micronesia ( a term used to describe more than two thousand small islands that are scattered in the western Pacific), the Lake Ngardok Nature Reserve. This lake is the primary habitat for a variety of endangered animals, including the Micronesian pigeon and the Mariana fruit bat. The lake, which covers an area of 500 hectares (1,236 acres), also provides the water supply for the state of Melekeok.

The climate of Palau is maritime tropical, with little seasonal variation. As such, Melekeok is typically hot and humid, with a wet season which lasts from May to November. Tropical storms usually occur between June and November. The average annual temperature ranges from about 27.7 degrees Celsius (81.8 degrees Fahrenheit) to 28.3 degrees Celsius (83.0 degrees Fahrenheit).

The people of Palau rely mainly on subsistence farming, which has been affected by climate change. Soil erosion, drought, wind, higher temperatures, and changing rainfall have hampered agricultural production. Crops such as bananas have been affected by pests and diseases brought on by warmer temperatures.

People

The nation of Palau had a total population of 21,695 in 2022, according to the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The majority of the population resided in the southern end of Babelthuap, the nation's main island. The capital was transferred to Melekeok in 2006; in 2018 the CIA estimated the city's population at 299.

There is little ethnic or religious diversity in Palau. In 2020, according to the national census, 70.6 percent of the population was native Palauan, 26..5 percent was Asian (mostly Filipino), 1.2 percent was Carolinian, and 2.8 percent was categorized as "other." The state of Melekeok was even less diverse, with 83 percent of the population identifying as Palauan. In addition, 46.9 percent of Melekeok residents were Catholic and 30.9 percent were Protestant, a result of missionary activity during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Economy

Since Palau achieved independence in October 1994, the country has remained in a Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the United States. This agreement provides Palau with United States military protection through 2044. Palau's relationship with the United States also helped establish the US dollar as the official currency of the island nation. Palau's primary industry is tourism. An estimated 18,360 tourists visited Palau in FY2020 according to the World Bank, with most coming from Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea.

As Melekeok established itself as the nation's new capital, the construction and service sectors grew to support government and tourism activities. According to the US State Department, in 2023 the government is the nation's largest employer and tourism was its largest economic driver, contributing about 40 percent to the nation's gross domestic product (GDP). Commerical industries other than tourism include wholesale/retail trade, business services, local commercial fisheries, and construction.

The stability of the economy of Melekeok is directly linked to its relationship with the previous capital, Koror. The island of Koror is connected to Babeldaob by a suspension bridge, a convenience for tourists, commuters, and the transportation of goods. Palau's main airport is also on Babeldaob, approximately twenty-five kilometers (fifteen miles) from Melekeok.

In 2007, the eighty-five-kilometer (fifty-three-mile) Compact Road, which joins Melekeok with Palau's former capital, Koror, was completed. The road was built to boost economic growth on Babeldaob and to support transportation to and from the nation's new capital. The Compact Road was built under the COFA and financed by the United States for $150 million. It is one of the few paved roads on Babeldaob.

Landmarks

Many tourists visit the area around Melekeok to view ancient Palauan artifacts. Along the eastern coast sits an ancient bai hut and dancing ground, as well as many ancient carvings. The traditional thatched roof bai hut was used by native Palauans as a meeting place for tribal chiefs and elders. An ancient stone sculpture of enormous monolithic blocks is also located not far from Melekeok in the hills of Babeldaob.

The most popular landmarks surrounding Melekeok are the natural wonders of Babeldaob. These include Taki Falls, the Lake Ngardok Nature Reserve, and the various rain forests and island caves. Some of the most popular beaches on the island of Babeldaob are just to the north of Melekeok. The jungles of Babeldaob and the surrounding waters are also home to a number of military relics from World War II. These are popular exploration sites for hikers and scuba divers.

History

According to archaeological evidence, the history of Palau dates back to approximately 1000 BCE. The exact origins of the early Palauans is unknown, but cultural anthropologists suggest that they might have come from any of a variety of locations around the South Pacific, including Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, Australia, or Asia. Various monoliths and stone ruins located around Babeldaob suggest an ancient and established tribal society that clearly predates the arrival of European explorers.

Early European contact with Palau was the result of shipwrecks, the whaling industry, and occasional traders and explorers who happened upon the islands of Micronesia. These encounters introduced firearms and European diseases to the islands, which were of little interest to Europeans.

Beginning in the late nineteenth century, Palau experienced nearly one hundred years of foreign rule. First, Roman Catholic missionaries from Spain and Germany began settling in Palau in an effort to convert the islands' native people. While effective, their efforts also resulted in a sweeping Westernization of Palauan culture.

Palau was governed under the Spanish East Indies for a time, until 1899, when it was sold to Germany. It remained under German control until 1919, when the island chain again changed hands and was given to Japan under the Treaty of Versailles. During World War II, Palau was the center of heavy fighting between Allied forces and Japan, and at the end of the war it was governed by the US Navy. In 1947 it was officially declared to be under the administration of the United States as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI), a United Nations (UN) trust territory.

In 1978 Palau opted not to join the Federated States of Micronesia, which officially formed the next year. During the 1980s Palau attempted to gain its own independence from the United States while remaining protected through the COFA. The efforts failed due to the fact that Palau's constitution, which had been adopted in 1981, prohibited the operation of US nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed vessels and aircraft within the jurisdiction of Palau. The national referendum to override this constitutional provision did not receive the required number of votes. Since the country had become self-governing in 1981 but had not agreed to the COFA, the United States dissolved its trusteeship of Palau in 1986.

In 1992, the Palauan constitution was amended to require only a simple majority of the popular vote to override the antinuclear provision. Because of this, the COFA passed in 1993, and Palau became independent in October 1994. The island nation joined the UN in December of that year.

From the time of Palau's independence, it was known that the city of Koror in the state of the same name would serve as the nation's capital for just a short time. The city assumed the responsibility due to its large population and infrastructure; however, the honor of serving as the nation's capital was permanently transferred to the state of Melekeok upon completion of the capitol building complex in Ngerulmud, two kilometers from the town of Melekeok.

In the twenty-first century the government of Palau pursued a number of environmentally-minded policies. For example, in 2009 it created the first-ever shark sanctuary, outlawing shark fishing in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Ecotourism has been promoted as a major driver of the nation's economy. Such initiatives led many environmental advocacy groups to recognize Palau as a global leader in ecosystem protection.

Bibliography

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