Palau is the tiny Pacific country whose national capital is Ngerulmud. The capital is located in Melekeok State on Babeldaob, Palau’s largest island.
Ngerulmud replaced Koror as the capital in 2006. The move placed the national government on Babeldaob, whose broad land area offered more room for purpose-built administrative facilities. Koror remains Palau’s largest population centre and a major commercial and tourism hub, which is why it is sometimes mistakenly identified as the capital.
Palau is an island country in the western Pacific Ocean, within the broader Micronesian region. Its territory includes hundreds of islands, although only a portion are inhabited. The country is especially known for marine biodiversity, coral reefs and the Rock Islands.
Palau became an independent sovereign state in 1994 after a period of association with the United States. It uses the United States dollar as its currency. The capital’s name is commonly written Ngerulmud, even though Koror remains better known internationally.