Population figures
Total country population
18,051
Forcibly displaced population
Refugees (under UNHCR's mandate):
0
Asylum-seekers:
5
IDPs (of concern to UNHCR):
0
Other people in need of international protection:
0
Other
Statelessness persons
0
Host community
0
Others of concern to UNHCR
0
Country context
Palau is an island nation located in the western Pacific Ocean, comprising over 300 islands within the Caroline Islands archipelago. It is situated approximately 800 kilometers east of the Philippines and 3,200 kilometers south of Japan. With a total land area of about 459 square kilometers, Palau is one of the smallest countries in the world. The nation is a constitutional republic with a legal system based on the Palau Constitution and customary law.
Palau is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol, nor has it ratified the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons or the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. The country lacks a formal asylum system and specific legal provisions for the protection of refugees and stateless individuals. The Palau Constitution guarantees equal protection under the law and the right to due process, but these rights are not explicitly extended to non-citizens or stateless persons. There is no established procedure for determining refugee status or addressing statelessness within the national legal framework. Due to the absence of a formal asylum process, individuals who may seek protection in Palau are not afforded legal recognition or access to rights and services associated with refugee status
...Statelessness is not widely reported in Palau. However, the lack of legal frameworks to address statelessness means that individuals who may be stateless are not recognized under national law. Without a statelessness determination procedure, affected individuals face challenges in accessing basic rights such as education, healthcare, and employment. The absence of a legal identity can lead to social exclusion and limited opportunities for integration into society.
Palau does not report significant numbers of internally displaced persons. The country is not affected by large-scale internal displacement due to conflict or natural disasters. While Palau is vulnerable to environmental factors such as typhoons and rising sea levels, these events have not resulted in widespread displacement.
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