PopulationTracker

Palau population

Current population of Palau

17,628

Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures

Births today
0
Deaths today
0
Change today (UTC)
0
World rank
216th of 218
0.00% of world population
Population
17,663
2025 estimate
Annual growth
−0.18%
2025
Density
39 /km²
2023
Land area
460 km²
Urban population
79%
2025
Median age
38.5 yrs
2025 (UN WPP)
Fertility rate
1.88
births per woman, 2024
Life expectancy
69.4 yrs
2024
Net migration
−16
2025
Capital
Koror
Region
East Asia & Pacific

Population of Palau: overview

Palau counts just 17,663 residents (2025 estimate), giving it one of the smallest populations of any country or territory tracked worldwide (216th of 218). Palau is part of the East Asia & Pacific region and its capital is Koror.

The population has essentially plateaued, changing by just −0.18% per year. That translates to a loss of roughly 32 people over the past year.

The country is sparsely settled, with only about 39 people per km², spread across 460 km² of land. Most residents — 79% — live in urban areas.

The population is maturing, with a median age of 38.5 years. Fertility, at 1.88 children per woman, hovers just below the 2.1 replacement level. Life expectancy at birth is 69.4 years (2024).

UN projections point downward: 15.52 thousand people by 2050, 12% fewer than today. The 2030 projection is 17,376.

Palau population, 1960–2025 and projections

04K8K12K16K20K19601980200020202040projected2025: 17.66K1960: 9,3281961: 9,5551962: 9,7931963: 10,0371964: 10,2921965: 10,5471966: 10,8051967: 10,9881968: 11,0801969: 11,1591970: 11,3681971: 11,7591972: 12,1941973: 12,5521974: 12,6871975: 12,6551976: 12,5981977: 12,5251978: 12,4401979: 12,3371980: 12,2711981: 12,4021982: 12,6941983: 13,0061984: 13,3371985: 13,6881986: 14,0241987: 14,3341988: 14,6451989: 14,9451990: 15,2591991: 15,6141992: 15,9891993: 16,3721994: 16,7701995: 17,1951996: 17,6541997: 18,1081998: 18,5241999: 18,9012000: 19,1782001: 19,3522002: 19,5032003: 19,6592004: 19,8202005: 19,8192006: 19,5932007: 19,3022008: 19,0092009: 18,7092010: 18,3962011: 18,0782012: 17,7652013: 17,6482014: 17,7152015: 17,7702016: 17,7972017: 17,8122018: 17,8142019: 17,7982020: 17,7922021: 17,7832022: 17,7592023: 17,7272024: 17,6952025: 17,6632030: 17,3762050: 15,518
Population of Palau by year
YearPopulationGrowth rateAnnual change
202517,663−0.18%−32
202417,695−0.18%−32
202317,727−0.18%−32
202217,759−0.14%−24
202117,783−0.05%−9
202017,792−0.03%−6
201917,798−0.09%−16
201817,814+0.01%+2
201717,812+0.08%+15
201617,797+0.15%+27
201517,770+0.31%+55
201417,715+0.38%+67
201018,396−1.69%−313
200519,819−0.01%−1
200019,178+1.45%+277
199517,195+2.50%+425
199015,259+2.08%+314
198513,688+2.60%+351
198012,271−0.54%−66
197512,655−0.25%−32
197011,368+1.86%+209
196510,547+2.45%+255
19609,328––

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

Palau population forecast

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant.

Projected population of Palau
YearProjected populationvs today
203017,376−1.6%
205015,518−12.1%

Palau population pyramid (2025)

Age and sex structure from UN World Population Prospects 2024: 17.9% of Palau's population is under 15, 70.2% is of working age (15–64), and 11.8% is 65 or older. Hover any bar for the group's size.

MaleFemale
0%2%2%4%4%0-4 male: 496 (2.8%)0-4 female: 461 (2.6%)0-45-9 male: 536 (3.0%)5-9 female: 496 (2.8%)10-14 male: 630 (3.6%)10-14 female: 551 (3.1%)10-1415-19 male: 601 (3.4%)15-19 female: 598 (3.4%)20-24 male: 538 (3.0%)20-24 female: 498 (2.8%)20-2425-29 male: 492 (2.8%)25-29 female: 421 (2.4%)30-34 male: 773 (4.4%)30-34 female: 535 (3.0%)30-3435-39 male: 778 (4.4%)35-39 female: 559 (3.2%)40-44 male: 799 (4.5%)40-44 female: 551 (3.1%)40-4445-49 male: 798 (4.5%)45-49 female: 601 (3.4%)50-54 male: 791 (4.5%)50-54 female: 609 (3.4%)50-5455-59 male: 709 (4.0%)55-59 female: 602 (3.4%)60-64 male: 593 (3.4%)60-64 female: 565 (3.2%)60-6465-69 male: 452 (2.6%)65-69 female: 450 (2.5%)70-74 male: 286 (1.6%)70-74 female: 332 (1.9%)70-7475-79 male: 151 (0.9%)75-79 female: 174 (1.0%)80-84 male: 63 (0.4%)80-84 female: 96 (0.5%)80-8485-89 male: 21 (0.1%)85-89 female: 45 (0.3%)90-94 male: 4 (0.0%)90-94 female: 16 (0.1%)90-9495-99 male: 0 (0.0%)95-99 female: 3 (0.0%)100+ male: 0 (0.0%)100+ female: 0 (0.0%)100+

Palau population FAQ

What is the population of Palau in 2026?

Palau's population is estimated at about 17.63 thousand in 2026, extrapolated from the latest official figure of 17,663 (2025). Palau ranks 216th in the world by population.

Is the population of Palau growing or shrinking?

Palau's population is essentially flat, changing by only −0.18% per year.

How densely populated is Palau?

Palau has about 39 people per square kilometre across a land area of 460 km².

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

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

What is Palau's projected population in 2050?

United Nations medium-variant projections put Palau's population at 15,518 in 2050, passing through 17,376 in 2030.

What is the median age in Palau?

The median age in Palau is 38.5 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.