
Palau
🇵🇼 Micronesia · Republic of Palau
How Palau ranks globally
About Palau
Palau (officially Republic of Palau) is a country in Micronesia, with Ngerulmud as its capital. It is home to roughly 17.66 thousand people, giving a population density of about 38 people per square kilometre. The country covers 459 km² of land and has no shared land borders. Its economy is valued at approximately $345M in nominal GDP (2025), and it records a Human Development Index of 0.786. The official currency is the United States dollar (USD), and the main languages are English, Palauan.
Key indicators
💹 Economy
👥 People
🌍 Quality of Life
GDP over time
How Palau measures up
Did you know?
Palau is the 191st most populous country in the world, with about 17.66 thousand people.
By land area it is the 180th-largest country in the world, covering 459 km².
It has the world's 189th-largest economy by nominal GDP ($345M).
Palau has no land borders with other countries.
It is classed by the UN as a country of high human development, with an HDI of 0.786.
Palau has a population density of about 38 people per square kilometre.
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