Palau

The population of Palau is approximately 17.6K (2024).

The capital of Palau is Ngerulmud.

Palau's GDP per capita is $16.7K (2023).

Life expectancy in Palau is 69.38 years (2024).

Palau covers 459 km² (177 sq mi).

Palau is sparsely populated, averaging 38 people per km², below the global average of 60.

Palau's population is shrinking at 0.2% per year — one of the few countries seeing sustained decline.

Yes — based on GDP per capita, Palau falls in the high GDP-per-person tier at $16.7K. Official World Bank income groups use Atlas-method GNI per capita, so this is a GDP-based comparison rather than an official income-group label.

Palau's intentional homicide rate is 11.2 per 100,000 people, above the global average.

Palau has 2 official languages: English, Palauan.

Palau uses the United States dollar ($) as its sole official currency.

Palau is an island nation and shares no land borders.

The best months to visit Palau are January, February, March, June, August, based on climate data for the capital.

Recent estimates show the population of Palau is approximately 17,631 people. This makes the nation one of the smallest in the world, ranking 213th globally and 17th in the Oceania region. The population is predominantly urban, with over 79% of residents living in developed centers.

Palau's GDP per capita is approximately 16,672 USD, which ranks 82nd globally and 8th in Oceania. The total GDP is approximately 277 million USD, ranking 210th in the world. The economy is primarily driven by tourism and services, benefiting from close ties with the United States.

English and Palauan are the official languages used across the islands. Palauan is spoken by the majority of the population, who comprise approximately 70.6% of the ethnic makeup. English is widely used in government, business, and education, contributing to the country's high literacy rate of 99.8%.

Approximately 83.9% of the Palauan population uses the internet, which ranks the country 90th globally for internet penetration. This high rate of connectivity supports the nation's service-oriented economy and facilitates communication across the dispersed archipelago. Digital infrastructure has improved significantly to support both locals and the tourism industry.

Palau covers a total land area of 459 km² (177 sq mi) and features a coastline of 1519 km (944 mi). The archipelago consists of over 200 islands in the Micronesia subregion. Its highest point is Mount Ngerchelchuus, which reaches an elevation of 242 m (794 ft).