The graphic arts are highly developed in Palau. In the past the village meetinghouse was the center of both visual and performance arts. The end gables (bai) of these houses and the interior beams were decorated with low-relief painted carvings, depicting histories of the village and its relationships with other villages.
Palau is divided into sixteen administrative regions, called states (the still separately listed Rock Islands did originally not belong to any state, but now belong to the state of Koror).
Palau has a tropical climate with an annual mean temperature of 82 °F (28 °C). Rainfall is heavy throughout the year, averaging 150 inches (3,800 mm). The average humidity is 82% and although rain falls more frequently between July and October, there is still much sunshine.