Palau
Limestone islands and a sea of jellyfish
Palau is a Micronesian archipelago at the western edge of the Pacific, celebrated for some of the finest marine environments on the planet. Its emerald Rock Islands, hundreds of mushroom-shaped limestone knobs scattered across turquoise lagoons, form a UNESCO World Heritage site, and its waters draw divers to coral walls, blue holes, and the famous Jellyfish Lake, where millions of stingless jellyfish drift. A pioneer of ocean conservation, Palau has set aside most of its waters as a marine sanctuary. The capital, Ngerulmud, sits on the largest island, Babeldaob.
The country comprises several hundred islands, from the large volcanic and forested island of Babeldaob to the iconic uplifted limestone Rock Islands and outlying coral atolls. The highest point, Mount Ngerchelchuus on Babeldaob, reaches 242 meters. The climate is tropical, warm and wet year-round, lying largely outside the main typhoon belt. The surrounding reefs and lagoons support extraordinary biodiversity, the foundation of an economy that leans heavily on high-end dive tourism and the careful stewardship of its marine resources.
Settled by Austronesian peoples thousands of years ago, Palau passed through Spanish, German, and Japanese hands before coming under United States administration after the Second World War, when the island of Peleliu saw one of the war's bloodiest battles. Palau became independent in 1994 under a Compact of Free Association with the United States. The small nation has won international recognition for environmental leadership, banning reef-toxic sunscreens and creating one of the largest marine protected areas in the world.