Palau

East Asia & Pacific·High income

Population: 17.7K; 215th of 217
GDP: $282M; 211th of 214 · 2023
GDP per capita: $15,899; 83rd of 214 · 2023
Life expectancy: 69.3; 157th of 217
Human development: 0.767; 81st of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Palau

American Samoa

Nauru

China

Malaysia

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

high-income Pacific island economy; environmentally fragile; subsistence agriculture and fishing industries; US aid reliance; rebounding post-pandemic tourism industry and services sector; very high living standard and low unemployment

Area: 459 km²
Languages: Palauan (official on most islands) 65.2%, other Micronesian 1.9%, English (official)…
Resources: forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed minerals

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

PLW

ASM

NRU

CHN

GDP

current US$

$282M–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$47.8M–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

45%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

3%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

9.9%–––

Population

people

17.7K–––

Population density

people per km²

38.6–––

Urban population

% of total

82.4%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

1.9–––

Net migration

people

-14–––

Population under 15

% of total

18.2%–––

Population 65+

% of total

11.3%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

14.3%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

3.4%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Safe drinking water

% of population

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#211/214

$282M2023

GDP per capita

current US$

#83/214

$15,8992023

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#108/203

$17,532latest

GDP growth

annual %

#149/214

1.9%2023

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#77/207

$14,0702023

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#172/213

8.2%2023

FDI inflows

current US$

#154/201

$47.8M2023

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#134/205

45%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#134/206

3%2023

Industry value added

% of GDP

#187/208

9.9%2023

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#215/217

17.7Klatest

Population density

people per km²

#164/216

38.6latest

Urban population

% of total

#52/215

82.4%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#157/217

69.3latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#112/217

1.9latest

Net migration

people

#94/217

-142024

Population under 15

% of total

#139/217

18.2%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#87/217

11.3%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#125/196

19.1latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#123/196

22.3latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#6/192

14.3%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#93/195

1.8latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#62/160

97%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#132/199

3.4%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#110/194

34.6%latest

Safe drinking water

% of population

#59/139

90.4%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#189/210

27%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#47/214

135.42023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#125/208

7.32023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#95/215

1,469.32024

Access to electricity

% of population

#87/215

100%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#12/204

0.22024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#188/204

12.82024

Share of global CO₂

#190/204

0%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#179/193

172023

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#49/193

0.6022022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#54/193

0.452022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#31/193

0.9532022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#16/193

1.12022

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#81/189

0.7672021

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.