Palau

Republic of Palau

Belau

UN memberMicronesia, Oceania

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Population

17,641

2026 · UN WPPProjection

GDP

$345 million

2025 · World Bank WDIActual

GDP / capita

$19,532

2025 · World Bank WDIActual

HDI

0.786 index (0–1)

2023 · UNDP HDRActual

Life expectancy

69.6 years

2026 · UN WPPProjection

Area

460 km²

2023 · World Bank WDIActual

UN WPP 2024 Revision (estimates through 2023; 2024–2100 medium-variant projections). World Bank WDI, 13 July 2026 release. UNDP HDR HDR 2025. UNESCO UIS UIS February 2026. ILOSTAT ILOSTAT December 2025. IMF WEO WEO April 2026. OWID CO₂ OWID CO₂ December 2025.

Overview

Palau is a UN member state in Micronesia, Oceania.

Every figure names its source, year, and whether it is an actual value, an estimate, or a projection. Missing values stay missing.

ISO alpha-2: PW
ISO alpha-3: PLW
UN M49: 585
Wikidata: Q695

People

Population stocks and demographic rates are from the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium variant unless another source is named. Years from 2024 onward are projections.

PopulationProjection: 17,641
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Population (1 July)Projection: 17,614
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Population growth rateProjection: −0.3 percent
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Population densityProjection: 38.3 persons per km²
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Palau’s density is below the Micronesia median of 190.7 (7 profiles with 2026 data), and below the median of 90.1 among 195 core profiles with 2026 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Median ageProjection: 38.9 years
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Palau’s median age is above the Micronesia median of 23.5 (7 profiles with 2026 data), and above the median of 29.8 among 195 core profiles with 2026 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Population sex ratioProjection: 116.2 males per 100 females
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Total fertility rateProjection: 1.8 live births per woman
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Palau’s tfr is below the Micronesia median of 2.7 (7 profiles with 2026 data), and below the median of 2 among 195 core profiles with 2026 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Crude birth rateProjection: 10.5 per 1,000 population
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Net number of migrantsProjection: −22
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Net migration rateProjection: −1.2 per 1,000 population
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Urban population: 79.3%
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palau’s urban is close to Micronesia median of 79.3% (7 profiles with 2025 data), and above the median of 63.4% among 194 core profiles with 2025 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Population ages 0–14: 17.9%
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Population ages 15–64: 70.2%
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Population ages 65 and above: 11.8%
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palau’s ages 65+ is above the Micronesia median of 6.2% (7 profiles with 2025 data), and above the median of 7.4% among 194 core profiles with 2025 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.

Population of Palau. Solid line: estimates (1950–2023). Dashed line: medium-variant projections (2024–2100). UN WPP, WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium.

Data table

Year	Population	Status
1950	7,375	estimate
1960	9,220	estimate
1970	11,199	estimate
1980	12,282	estimate
1990	15,089	estimate
2000	19,079	estimate
2010	18,555	estimate
2020	17,788	estimate
2030	17,410	projection
2040	16,643	projection
2050	15,573	projection
2060	14,368	projection
2070	13,348	projection
2080	12,546	projection
2090	11,838	projection
2100	11,160	projection
2101	11,092	projection

Age structure of Palau as a share of population. World Bank WDI, World Development Indicators.

Data table

Year	Ages 65+	Status
1960	4.9% aged 65+	actual
1965	4.6% aged 65+	actual
1970	4.2% aged 65+	actual
1975	4.5% aged 65+	actual
1980	5.1% aged 65+	actual
1985	5.1% aged 65+	actual
1990	5.9% aged 65+	actual
1995	5.6% aged 65+	actual
2000	5.2% aged 65+	actual
2005	5.6% aged 65+	actual
2010	6.1% aged 65+	actual
2015	7.5% aged 65+	actual
2020	9.5% aged 65+	actual
2025	11.8% aged 65+	actual

Economy

National accounts and related World Bank series. Totals are not comparable as “averages” across countries; rates such as GDP per capita include same-year cohort medians where coverage allows.

Gross domestic product: $345 million
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
GDP per capita: $19,532
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palau’s gdp / capita is above the Micronesia median of $8,489 (5 profiles with 2025 data), and above the median of $7,411 among 181 core profiles with 2025 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
GDP, PPP: Int’l $407 million
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
GDP per capita, PPP: Int’l $23,052
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palau’s gdp / capita (ppp) is above the Micronesia median of Int’l $8,964 (5 profiles with 2025 data), and above the median of Int’l $20,089 among 180 core profiles with 2025 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
GDP growth: 6.3 percent
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palau’s gdp growth is above the Micronesia median of 2.3 (5 profiles with 2025 data), and above the median of 3.2 among 181 core profiles with 2025 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
GNI per capita: $19,890
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palau’s gni / capita is above the Micronesia median of $9,710 (5 profiles with 2025 data), and above the median of $7,360 among 179 core profiles with 2025 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Inflation, consumer prices: −0.4 percent
2025 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palau’s inflation is below the median of 3 among 162 core profiles with 2025 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Trade: 105.8 percent of GDP
2024 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Access to electricity: 100%
2024 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Individuals using the Internet: 83.9%
2024 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
General government net lending/borrowingProjection: 0.8 percent of GDP
2026 · IMF WEO · Projection · World Economic Outlook April 2026
General government gross debtProjection: 56.7 percent of GDP
2026 · IMF WEO · Projection · World Economic Outlook April 2026

GDP of Palau in current US dollars. World Bank WDI, World Development Indicators.

Data table

Year	GDP	Status
1970	$11.6 million	actual
1974	$16.8 million	actual
1978	$24.5 million	actual
1982	$36 million	actual
1986	$58.1 million	actual
1990	$97.7 million	actual
1994	$106 million	actual
1998	$149 million	actual
2002	$163 million	actual
2006	$191 million	actual
2010	$184 million	actual
2014	$245 million	actual
2018	$288 million	actual
2022	$247 million	actual
2025	$345 million	actual

Development

Human development indices are published only from the latest UNDP HDR series. This build does not invent a substitute index.

Human Development Index: 0.786 index (0–1)
2023 · UNDP HDR · Actual · HDR 2025 composite indices complete time series
Palau’s hdi is above the Micronesia median of 0.703 (5 profiles with 2023 data), and above the median of 0.762 among 192 core profiles with 2023 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index: 0.616 index (0–1)
2023 · UNDP HDR · Actual · HDR 2025 composite indices complete time series
Palau’s ihdi is close to Micronesia median of 0.607 (4 profiles with 2023 data), and close to median of 0.609 among 168 core profiles with 2023 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Gender Development Index: 0.992 index (female-to-male HDI ratio)
2023 · UNDP HDR · Actual · HDR 2025 composite indices complete time series
Palau’s gdi is above the Micronesia median of 0.960 (5 profiles with 2023 data), and close to median of 0.971 among 183 core profiles with 2023 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Gender Inequality Index: No comparable data
No internationally comparable figure in this build.
Multidimensional Poverty Index: No comparable data
No internationally comparable figure in this build.

Health and education

Life expectancy and mortality are UN WPP series unless labelled otherwise. Education figures are UNESCO UIS (CC BY-SA, isolated) where a comparable series exists; otherwise they stay missing.

Life expectancy at birthProjection: 69.6 years
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Palau’s life expectancy is close to Micronesia median of 67.7 (7 profiles with 2026 data), and below the median of 74.1 among 195 core profiles with 2026 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Crude death rateProjection: 12.2 per 1,000 population
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Life expectancy at birth (male)Projection: 67.4 years
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Palau’s life exp. male is above the Micronesia median of 65.2 (7 profiles with 2026 data), and below the median of 70.9 among 195 core profiles with 2026 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Life expectancy at birth (female)Projection: 72.2 years
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Palau’s life exp. female is close to Micronesia median of 71.6 (7 profiles with 2026 data), and below the median of 77.4 among 195 core profiles with 2026 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Infant mortality rateProjection: 16.9 per 1,000 live births
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Palau’s infant mortality is below the Micronesia median of 18 (7 profiles with 2026 data), and above the median of 11.1 among 195 core profiles with 2026 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Under-five mortality rateProjection: 20.5 per 1,000 live births
2026 · UN WPP · Projection · WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium
Palau’s u5mr is below the Micronesia median of 21.8 (7 profiles with 2026 data), and above the median of 12.9 among 195 core profiles with 2026 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Maternal mortality ratio: 89 per 100,000 live births
2023 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Immunization, measles: 96%
2024 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palau’s measles immunization is above the Micronesia median of 88% (5 profiles with 2024 data), and above the median of 90% among 192 core profiles with 2024 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Current health expenditure: 10.9 percent of GDP
2023 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palau’s health expenditure is below the Micronesia median of 12.9 (5 profiles with 2023 data), and above the median of 5.8 among 170 core profiles with 2023 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Prevalence of undernourishment: No comparable data
No internationally comparable figure in this build.
Adult literacy rate: 99.8%
2020 · UNESCO UIS · Actual · UIS Bulk Data Download Service (February 2026)
Palau’s adult literacy is above the median of 96.2% among 12 core profiles with 2020 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
Youth literacy rate: 100%
2020 · UNESCO UIS · Actual · UIS Bulk Data Download Service (February 2026)
Mean years of schooling: 12.8 years
2013 · UNESCO UIS · Actual · UIS Bulk Data Download Service (February 2026)
School life expectancy: 14.4 years
2000 · UNESCO UIS · Actual · UIS Bulk Data Download Service (February 2026)

Life expectancy at birth in Palau. Dashed line marks medium-variant projections. UN WPP, WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium.

Data table

Year	Years	Status
1950	52.7	estimate
1960	54.9	estimate
1970	57.7	estimate
1980	61.9	estimate
1990	62.8	estimate
2000	64.5	estimate
2010	68.3	estimate
2020	68.7	estimate
2030	70	projection
2040	71.1	projection
2050	72.3	projection
2060	73.5	projection
2070	74.8	projection
2080	76.2	projection
2090	77.5	projection
2100	78.7	projection

Environment

Forest cover is World Bank WDI. CO₂ is the Global Carbon Project series via Our World in Data — not IEA-EDGAR.

Land area: 460 km²
2023 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Surface area: 460 km²
2023 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Forest area: 90.5%
2023 · World Bank WDI · Actual · World Development Indicators
Palau’s forest is above the Micronesia median of 52.2% (7 profiles with 2023 data), and above the median of 31.8% among 194 core profiles with 2023 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.
CO₂ emissions: 0.2 million tonnes
2024 · OWID / Global Carbon Project · Actual · OWID CO2 data (Global Carbon Project)
CO₂ emissions per capita: 12.8 tonnes per person
2024 · OWID / Global Carbon Project · Actual · OWID CO2 data (Global Carbon Project)
Palau’s co₂ / capita is above the Micronesia median of 4.1 (5 profiles with 2024 data), and above the median of 2.8 among 192 core profiles with 2024 data. Unweighted medians of the same-year cohort; not a population-weighted world average.

CO₂ emissions of Palau. Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data. OWID / Global Carbon Project, OWID CO2 data (Global Carbon Project).

Data table

Year	Million tonnes	Status
1955	0	actual
1960	0	actual
1965	0.1	actual
1970	0.1	actual
1975	0.2	actual
1980	0.2	actual
1985	0.2	actual
1990	0.2	actual
1995	0.2	actual
2000	0.2	actual
2005	0.2	actual
2010	0.2	actual
2015	0.2	actual
2020	0.2	actual
2024	0.2	actual

Geography

Region: Oceania
Subregion: Micronesia
Natural Earth ADM0_A3: PLW
Cartographic size: Tiny state on the 50m globe (point or small polygon)

Outline from Natural Earth 50m Admin 0. Made with Natural Earth. Not a locator map.

Government

Classification is descriptive and is not a recognition of legal claims.Map and status policy.

Status: UN member
Publication tier: Core profile
SIDS: Small island developing State

Sources

United Nations World Population Prospects

WPP2024 Demographic Indicators Medium. Vintage 2024 Revision. CC BY 3.0 IGO. Retrieved 2026-09-03. Source file.

Population (2026, projection; series TPopulation1Jan)
Life expectancy at birth (2026, projection; series LEx)
Population (1 July) (2026, projection; series TPopulation1July)
Population growth rate (2026, projection; series PopGrowthRate)
Population density (2026, projection; series PopDensity)
Median age (2026, projection; series MedianAgePop)
Population sex ratio (2026, projection; series PopSexRatio)
Total fertility rate (2026, projection; series TFR)
Crude birth rate (2026, projection; series CBR)
Crude death rate (2026, projection; series CDR)
Life expectancy at birth (male) (2026, projection; series LExMale)
Life expectancy at birth (female) (2026, projection; series LExFemale)
Infant mortality rate (2026, projection; series IMR)
Under-five mortality rate (2026, projection; series Q5)
Net number of migrants (2026, projection; series NetMigrations)
Net migration rate (2026, projection; series CNMR)

World Bank World Development Indicators

World Development Indicators. Vintage 13 July 2026. CC BY 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-03. Source file.

Gross domestic product (2025, actual; series NY.GDP.MKTP.CD)
GDP per capita (2025, actual; series NY.GDP.PCAP.CD)
Land area (2023, actual; series AG.LND.TOTL.K2)
GDP, PPP (2025, actual; series NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD)
GDP per capita, PPP (2025, actual; series NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD)
GDP growth (2025, actual; series NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG)
GNI per capita (2025, actual; series NY.GNP.PCAP.CD)
Inflation, consumer prices (2025, actual; series FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG)
Trade (2024, actual; series NE.TRD.GNFS.ZS)
Maternal mortality ratio (2023, actual; series SH.STA.MMRT)
Immunization, measles (2024, actual; series SH.IMM.MEAS)
Current health expenditure (2023, actual; series SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS)
Urban population (2025, actual; series SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS)
Population ages 0–14 (2025, actual; series SP.POP.0014.TO.ZS)
Population ages 15–64 (2025, actual; series SP.POP.1564.TO.ZS)
Population ages 65 and above (2025, actual; series SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS)
Surface area (2023, actual; series AG.SRF.TOTL.K2)
Access to electricity (2024, actual; series EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS)
Individuals using the Internet (2024, actual; series IT.NET.USER.ZS)
Forest area (2023, actual; series AG.LND.FRST.ZS)
Alternate: Population (2025, actual; series SP.POP.TOTL)
Alternate: Life expectancy at birth (2024, actual; series SP.DYN.LE00.IN)
Alternate: Population growth rate (2025, actual; series SP.POP.GROW)
Alternate: Population density (2023, actual; series EN.POP.DNST)
Alternate: Total fertility rate (2024, actual; series SP.DYN.TFRT.IN)
Alternate: Crude birth rate (2024, actual; series SP.DYN.CBRT.IN)
Alternate: Crude death rate (2024, actual; series SP.DYN.CDRT.IN)
Alternate: Life expectancy at birth (male) (2024, actual; series SP.DYN.LE00.MA.IN)
Alternate: Life expectancy at birth (female) (2024, actual; series SP.DYN.LE00.FE.IN)
Alternate: Infant mortality rate (2024, actual; series SP.DYN.IMRT.IN)
Alternate: Under-five mortality rate (2024, actual; series SH.DYN.MORT)
Alternate: Net number of migrants (2025, actual; series SM.POP.NETM)

UNDP Human Development Report

HDR 2025 composite indices complete time series. Vintage HDR 2025. CC BY 3.0 IGO. Retrieved 2026-09-03. Source file.

Human Development Index (2023, actual; series hdi)
Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (2023, actual; series ihdi)
Gender Development Index (2023, actual; series gdi)
Alternate: Mean years of schooling (2023, actual; series mys)
Alternate: School life expectancy (2023, actual; series eys)

UNESCO Institute for Statistics

UIS Bulk Data Download Service (February 2026). Vintage UIS February 2026. CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO. Retrieved 2026-09-03. Source file.

Adult literacy rate (2020, actual; series LR.AG15T99)
Youth literacy rate (2020, actual; series LR.AG15T24)
Mean years of schooling (2013, actual; series MYS.1T8.AG25T99)
School life expectancy (2000, actual; series SLE.1T8)

IMF World Economic Outlook

World Economic Outlook April 2026. Vintage WEO April 2026. IMF data terms. Retrieved 2026-09-03. Source file.

General government net lending/borrowing (2026, projection; series GGXCNL_NGDP)
General government gross debt (2026, projection; series GGXWDG_NGDP)
Alternate: Gross domestic product (2026, projection; series NGDPD)
Alternate: GDP per capita (2026, projection; series NGDPDPC)
Alternate: GDP growth (2026, projection; series NGDP_RPCH)
Alternate: Inflation, consumer prices (2026, projection; series PCPIPCH)

Our World in Data (Global Carbon Project)

OWID CO2 data (Global Carbon Project). Vintage OWID CO₂ December 2025. CC BY 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-03. Source file.

CO₂ emissions (2024, actual; series co2)
CO₂ emissions per capita (2024, actual; series co2_per_capita)

Names, classifications, and boundaries are for statistical and cartographic use and do not constitute recognition of legal claims.