Saltwater Crocodile - Palau

Palau consists of more than 250 islands combining to form the western arm of the Carolina Islands. Only a handful of the islands are inhabited. The country is divided into 16 states, the largest, Ngaremlengui, is only 65 square kilometers; Koror, at a mere 18 square kilometers, contains more than half of Palau’s population.

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Crocodylus porosus - The saltwater crocodile is the largest reptile and the largest terrestrial carnivore on earth. It is not uncommon for adult males to reach lengths of almost 7 meters. Being excellent swimmers, they have extended their range throughout the tropical areas stretching from the eastern coast of India to the western islands of the Pacific Ocean. The saltwater crocodile had been facing severe declines in numbers, but is now slowly rebuilding itself into healthy and sustainable populations.

Areca Palm - Palau

Areca catechu - The areca palm is a common species found growing throughout the islands of the Pacific Ocean, Asia and Eastern Africa. The nuts of the palm are wrapped in the leaves of the betel plant, a close relative of the kava plant, and then chewed by the local population. This mixture of areca nut and betel leaf produces a mild stimulant induced by arecoline, the active ingredient of the areca nut. Arecoline is an oily substance similar in property to the nicotine found in cigarettes.

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The first settlers of Palau came from either Indonesia or the Philippines. British traders made use of the island, but it was Spanish explorers who claimed Palau in the 19th century and made the island part of the Spanish East Indies. With Spain’s defeat in the Spanish-American war, Spain sold most of the Carolina Islands, including Palau, to Germany. After World War I, Palau passed to Japan; after World War II, the United States took control of the islands. Palau declared itself independent in 1981.

Historical Flags of Oceania

Although the Philippines were under the control of Spain, the short-lived Republic of Biak-na-Bato was proclaimed as the first Philippine Republic in 1897 by Emilio Aguinaldo. The flag consisted of a disc featuring a human face emitting 24 beams of sunlight. The disc, sans the face, is still retained in the current Philippine flag. The Pacific Island Trust Territory was established by the United Nations and was administrated by the United States from 1947 to 1986. It included the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau. The Republic of Ezo existed from January to June of 1869. Located on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, it was the first Asian state to hold an open election. The Tongan flag was adopted in 1862. In 1864, the Red Cross was formed in Geneva, Switzerland and used the reverse pattern of the Swiss flag in tribute, a design matching the Tongan flag of 1862. Tonga changed its flag in 1866.