Palauan Americans are

Americans Americans are the citizens and nationals of the United States of America.; ; Although direct citizens and nationals make up the majority of Americans, many dual citizens, expatriates, and permanent residents could also legally claim Ame ...

of Palauan descent. According to the 2010 census, there are about 7,450 Americans of Palauan origin.

History

Since the late 1940s, many Palauans have emigrated abroad. In 1953, about a hundred people from Palau founded the Palau Association in the American island of

Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...

. Over the years, the number of Palauans has continually grown. In early 1970, when the

Pell Grant A Pell Grant is a subsidy the U.S. federal government provides for students who need it to pay for college. Federal Pell Grants are limited to students with financial need, who have not earned their first bachelor's degree, or who are enrolled i ...

was extended, several hundred Palauans and other students of Micronesia emigrated to study at American universities. Since then, the number of Palauan students emigrating to USA has increased by about 250 people every year. Many Palauans live in

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

, most notably,

Pasadena Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district. ...

. Palauans also live in

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...

, where a few thousand Micronesians live, and

Corsicana, Texas Corsicana is a city in Navarro County, Texas, United States. It is located on Interstate 45, 56 miles northeast of Waco, Texas. The population was 23,770 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Navarro County, and an important Agri-busines ...

.Micronesians Abroad
Posted by Francis X. Hezel, SJ and Eugenia Samuel. 2006. Retrieved 24 June 2013

Notable people

Elgin Loren Elwais Elgin Loren Elwais (born March 5, 1985) is a Palauan wrestler. Elwais participated in his first Olympic Games at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Elwais stands out from past Palauan Olympians by being the first sportsperson from his co ...

Florian Skilang Temengil Florian Skilang Temengil (born November 4, 1986) is a Palauan wrestler at Newman University in Wichita, Kansas. Skilang competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China in the freestyle wrestling. He lost his bout to Ottó Aubéli of Hu ...

References

{{Pacific Islander Americans Micronesian American Oceanian American Pacific Islands American Palauan diaspora