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Palau

British  
/ pɑːˈlaʊ /

noun

  1. Former name: Pelew Islands.  a republic comprising a group of islands in the W Pacific, in the W Caroline Islands; administratively part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 1947–87; entered into an agreement of free association with the US (1980); became fully independent in 1994. Chief island: Babelthuap. Capital: Melekeok, on Babelthuap (functions moved from Koror in 2006). Pop: 21 108 (2013 est). Area: 476 sq km (184 sq miles)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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Other migrants have been sent to countries that routinely violate human rights such as El Salvador, Rwanda, Eswatini, Palau and Equatorial Guinea.

From Salon • Apr. 21, 2026

And given Palau’s strategic location, global powers will have an interest in Palau whether the island nation wants it or not, he added.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026

On the military front, the U.S. is building a radar system in Palau, operates a missile range in the Marshall Islands and is upgrading infrastructure in Micronesia.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026

North Korean smuggling networks have long exploited shipping registries in South Pacific nations such as Palau, Niue and Tuvalu.

From Barron's • Dec. 2, 2025

The Caroline, Marianne, and Palau Islands, including the Marschall Islands and the islands of the Bismarck archipelago, were bought from Spain this year for twenty-five million pesetas, or about one million sterling.

From William of Germany by Shaw, Stanley