COUNTRY PROFILEPalau
Palau's population is 17,663 (2025) — the 215th-largest in the world and the 12th-largest in Oceania, shrinking by about 32 people a year.
17,645
Population right now, ticking live from the last confirmed count.▼ shrinking17,663 (World Bank, 2025) + −32/year × elapsed time since 2025-12-31 — open formula, updates every tick
Palau Facts at a Glance
Five numbers that summarise the country — population trend, rank, density, wealth, share of humanity.
Population2025
17,663
World rank
#215
of 217 tracked geographies
Density
38.4 / km²
460 km² land area
GDP / capita
$19,532
#183 economy overall
Share of humanity
1 in 500000 people on Earth lives in Palau
Is Palau's Population Declining?
Yes. Palau's population fell by 32 people (-0.18%) between 2024 and 2025. The fertility rate is 1.9 births per woman — below the ~2.1 replacement level. Net migration was negative in the latest year on record.
You, in Palau
A personal read on the numbers above — nothing is stored, it never leaves your browser.
Enter a birth year between 1960 and 2025 to see where you'd land.
Palau Demographics
Every indicator has its own source and dataset year — shown honestly rather than smoothed into one.
Population density2025
38.4 people / km²
460 km² land area, 2025
Median age2025
39.5 years
half the population is older, half younger
Life expectancy2024
69.4 years
M 67.3 · F 71.9
Average height2019
170.6 cm (male)
female 159.5 cm
Homicide rate2018
11.2 per 100,000
#159 safest of 196
Air quality (PM2.5)2023
4.9 µg/m³
lower is cleaner
Urban population2025
79.3 %
share living in cities
Fertility rate2025
1.9 births / woman
replacement level ≈ 2.1
Net migration2025
−16 people
negative in latest year
Palau in World Rankings
Every world ranking we publish, where this country sits in each one, and its overall percentile profile.
Population17,663 people
#215 / 217
→
GDP$345M
#183 / 186
→
Life expectancy69.4 years
#157 / 217
→
Average height170.6 cm (male)
#134 / 200
→
Cleanest air4.94 µg/m³ PM2.5
#14 / 200
→
Safest countries11.2 homicides / 100k
#159 / 196
→
Most dangerous11.2 homicides / 100k
#38 / 196
→
Percentile in each ranking — further from centre is a higher rank (closer to #1).
Population, 1960 to 2025
66 years of estimates from the same source.
Source: World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL) · annual estimates, 1960–2025 · hover the line for any year.
Age & sex structure
17 five-year bands, male and female, 2025.
Male — 9,511Female — 8,158
Where is Palau Located?
- Capital
- Melekeok
- Currency
- Dollar (USD)
- Language(s)
- PAU, SOV, English, TOX, Japanese, FIL, Chinese
- Region
- East Asia & Pacific
- Continent
- 14 countries in Oceania →
- Land area
- 460 km²
- Area (GeoNames)
- 458 km²
- Borders
- none (island nation)
Shares a border with
No land borders.
PalauVSExplore Palau in Every Ranking
Jump straight to the full world table for any of these indicators.
Frequently asked
What is the population of Palau?
Palau's population is 17,663 as of 2025 (World Bank estimate), ranking #215 of 217 countries and territories by population.
How many people live in Palau?
17,663 people, as of the 2025 World Bank estimate — the most recent figure this page tracks.
What is Palau's population density?
38.4 people per km², based on a land area of 460 km².
What is Palau ranked in population worldwide?
#215 of 217 countries and territories by population — see the full ranking table for every country's position.
What is the life expectancy in Palau?
69.4 years on average (2024) — 67.3 for men, 71.9 for women.
What is Palau's GDP?
$345M, ranking #183 of 186 economies we track — $19,532 per capita.
Is Palau's population declining?
Yes. Palau's population has been shrinking, falling by 32 people (-0.18%) between 2024 and 2025.
Why is Palau's population so small?
Palau ranks #215 of 217 by population, with 17,663 people (2025) — one of the smallest populations we track, a small island nation with a correspondingly small land area.
Sources
World Bank Open Data
CC BY 4.0 · population, GDP, life expectancy, homicide, PM2.5, vitals
data.worldbank.org →