Palau Islands — an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, made up of more than 300 islands.

However, only 8 of these islands are inhabited, home to one of the world’s smallest nations: the indigenous population of Palau numbers around 20,000 people. Palau is an independent country with its own flag and coat of arms, holding the status of a “freely associated state” with the United States. It is divided into 16 states. The largest state is Koror Island and its surrounding islets, where about 10,000 people live, while the smallest state, Hatohobei, has a population of just 44.