PopulationTracker

Nauru population

Current population of Nauru

12,111

Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures

Births today
0
Deaths today
0
Change today (UTC)
0
World rank
217th of 218
0.00% of world population
Population
12,025
2025 estimate
Annual growth
+0.65%
2025
Density
594 /km²
2023
Land area
20 km²
Urban population
100%
2025
Median age
20.2 yrs
2025 (UN WPP)
Fertility rate
3.29
births per woman, 2024
Life expectancy
62.3 yrs
2024
Net migration
−122
2025
Capital
Yaren District
Region
East Asia & Pacific

Population of Nauru: overview

Nauru counts just 12,025 residents (2025 estimate), giving it one of the smallest populations of any country or territory tracked worldwide (217th of 218). Nauru is part of the East Asia & Pacific region and its capital is Yaren District.

Growth has slowed to 0.65% per year. In absolute terms that meant roughly 78 additional people over the past year.

Nauru is densely settled, with about 594 people per km², spread across 20 km² of land. Life here is overwhelmingly urban: 100% of residents live in cities.

The population is young, with a median age of 20.2 years. The fertility rate of 3.29 children per woman sits above the replacement level of 2.1. Life expectancy at birth is 62.3 years (2024).

The UN projects strong growth ahead: 15.76 thousand people by 2050, about 31% more than today. The 2030 projection is 12,521.

Nauru population, 1960–2025 and projections

04K8K12K16K19601980200020202040projected2025: 12.03K1960: 4,6071961: 4,7741962: 4,9791963: 5,2261964: 5,5151965: 5,8321966: 6,0431967: 6,1351968: 6,3281969: 6,5811970: 6,7101971: 6,7621972: 6,8121973: 6,8661974: 6,9231975: 6,9871976: 7,0641977: 7,1631978: 7,2981979: 7,4681980: 7,6491981: 7,8391982: 8,0401983: 8,2161984: 8,3771985: 8,5511986: 8,7421987: 8,9461988: 9,1651989: 9,3901990: 9,6221991: 9,8501992: 10,0211993: 10,1021994: 10,1371995: 10,1651996: 10,1831997: 10,1971998: 10,1981999: 10,1872000: 10,1682001: 10,1302002: 10,0822003: 10,0592004: 10,0602005: 10,0492006: 10,0342007: 10,0202008: 10,0092009: 10,0162010: 10,0432011: 10,0982012: 10,2672013: 10,5172014: 10,7422015: 10,9542016: 11,1502017: 11,3242018: 11,4772019: 11,5872020: 11,6432021: 11,7092022: 11,8012023: 11,8752024: 11,9472025: 12,0252030: 12,5212050: 15,758
Population of Nauru by year
YearPopulationGrowth rateAnnual change
202512,025+0.65%+78
202411,947+0.60%+72
202311,875+0.63%+74
202211,801+0.78%+92
202111,709+0.57%+66
202011,643+0.48%+56
201911,587+0.95%+110
201811,477+1.34%+153
201711,324+1.55%+174
201611,150+1.77%+196
201510,954+1.95%+212
201410,742+2.12%+225
201010,043+0.27%+27
200510,049−0.11%−11
200010,168−0.19%−19
199510,165+0.28%+28
19909,622+2.44%+232
19858,551+2.06%+174
19807,649+2.39%+181
19756,987+0.92%+64
19706,710+1.94%+129
19655,832+5.59%+317
19604,607––

Recent years annually, earlier years at five-year steps. Annual change compares against the immediately preceding year.

Nauru population forecast

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant.

Projected population of Nauru
YearProjected populationvs today
203012,521+4.1%
205015,758+31.0%

Nauru population pyramid (2025)

Age and sex structure from UN World Population Prospects 2024: 37.1% of Nauru's population is under 15, 59.8% is of working age (15–64), and 3.0% is 65 or older. Hover any bar for the group's size.

MaleFemale
0%2%2%4%4%6%6%8%8%0-4 male: 749 (6.2%)0-4 female: 713 (5.9%)0-45-9 male: 747 (6.2%)5-9 female: 712 (5.9%)10-14 male: 800 (6.6%)10-14 female: 747 (6.2%)10-1415-19 male: 693 (5.8%)15-19 female: 611 (5.1%)20-24 male: 459 (3.8%)20-24 female: 439 (3.6%)20-2425-29 male: 421 (3.5%)25-29 female: 408 (3.4%)30-34 male: 460 (3.8%)30-34 female: 410 (3.4%)30-3435-39 male: 460 (3.8%)35-39 female: 440 (3.7%)40-44 male: 406 (3.4%)40-44 female: 399 (3.3%)40-4445-49 male: 292 (2.4%)45-49 female: 275 (2.3%)50-54 male: 195 (1.6%)50-54 female: 204 (1.7%)50-5455-59 male: 178 (1.5%)55-59 female: 166 (1.4%)60-64 male: 128 (1.1%)60-64 female: 155 (1.3%)60-6465-69 male: 70 (0.6%)65-69 female: 130 (1.1%)70-74 male: 40 (0.3%)70-74 female: 66 (0.5%)70-7475-79 male: 16 (0.1%)75-79 female: 29 (0.2%)80-84 male: 6 (0.0%)80-84 female: 2 (0.0%)80-8485-89 male: 3 (0.0%)85-89 female: 2 (0.0%)90-94 male: 0 (0.0%)90-94 female: 0 (0.0%)90-9495-99 male: 0 (0.0%)95-99 female: 0 (0.0%)100+ male: 0 (0.0%)100+ female: 0 (0.0%)100+

Nauru population FAQ

What is the population of Nauru in 2026?

Nauru's population is estimated at about 12.11 thousand in 2026, extrapolated from the latest official figure of 12,025 (2025). Nauru ranks 217th in the world by population.

Is the population of Nauru growing or shrinking?

Nauru's population is growing at about 0.65% per year, an increase of roughly 78 people over the past year.

How densely populated is Nauru?

Nauru has about 594 people per square kilometre across a land area of 20 km².

What share of the world's population lives in Nauru?

Nauru is home to about 0.00% of the world's population.

What is Nauru's projected population in 2050?

United Nations medium-variant projections put Nauru's population at 15,758 in 2050, passing through 12,521 in 2030.

What is the median age in Nauru?

The median age in Nauru is 20.2 years (2025 estimate) — half the population is younger and half older than that.

Sources: World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0); median age and projections from UN World Population Prospects 2024. Live figures are estimates extrapolated from the latest official data — see methodology.