Palau's population is projected to be 11,325 by 2097.
Historical
Switch the toggle to see projected data.
| Year ↓ | Population | Change | Pop. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 17,614 | -0.19% | 224 |
| 2025 | 17,663 | -0.14% | 224 |
| 2020 | 17,792 | -0.03% | 224 |
| 2019 | 17,798 | -0.09% | 224 |
| 2018 | 17,814 | 0.01% | 224 |
| 2017 | 17,812 | 0.08% | 224 |
| 2015 | 17,770 | -0.69% | 224 |
| 2010 | 18,396 | -1.48% | 224 |
| 2005 | 19,819 | 0.66% | 223 |
| 2000 | 19,178 | 2.21% | 222 |
| Year ↑ | Population | Change | Pop. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 17,614 | -0.19% | 224 |
| 2032 | 17,232 | -0.38% | 224 |
| 2037 | 16,862 | -0.43% | 224 |
| 2042 | 16,404 | -0.55% | 224 |
| 2047 | 15,866 | -0.66% | 224 |
| 2052 | 15,280 | -0.75% | 225 |
| 2057 | 14,664 | -0.82% | 225 |
| 2062 | 14,091 | -0.79% | 225 |
| 2067 | 13,583 | -0.73% | 225 |
| 2072 | 13,135 | -0.67% | 225 |
As of 2026, Palau has a total population of 17,614, ranking as the 224th most populous nation in the world.
Palau represents < 0.01% of the total global population and 0.04% of Oceania's population.
Palau has a population density of 38.3 people per km² (approximately 99.2 per mi²), making it the 175th most densely populated country in the world.
Currently, 100% of the population resides in urban areas.
*Rates last updated: June 16, 2026
As of 2026, the largest ethnicity in Palau is Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) (73.6%) , followed by Asian (21.7%) .
As of 2026, Roman Catholic is the largest religion in Palau, comprising 46.9% of the population.
