economy
Palau was the first country in the world to establish a shark sanctuary, banning commercial shark fishing across its entire exclusive economic zone in 2009.
Palau
Republic of Palau
Population, GDP, and key facts about Palau — updated for 2026.
Capital · KORORContinent · OCEANIAISO · PLW
Palau quick facts
- Population
- 17,695
- Area
- 460 km²
- Population density
- 39 people/km²
- GDP
- US$ 321.5 Million
- GDP per capita
- US$ 18.2K
- Capital
- Koror
- Currency
- United States dollar ($, USD)
- Minimum wage
- US$ 883/month · $ 883/month (2024)
- Languages
- English, Palauan
Palau at human scale
Where does Palau rank in the world?
Compare Palau with other countries
🇵🇼 vs 🇳🇷Compare Palau vs Naoero1.5× difference in population🇵🇼 vs 🇰🇮Compare Palau vs Kiribati7.6× difference in population
Compare Palau with any country →Palau's energy mix
Share of Palau's own electricity generation by source, . Source: Our World in Data (Ember Yearly Electricity Data and the Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy).
Everything we know about Palau
nature
Palau's Jellyfish Lake is home to millions of golden jellyfish that have lost most of their sting after evolving for thousands of years without predators.
Countries near Palau
How many countries do you think Palau could fit?
Pour other countries into Palau's own outline, by real area, and see how many it takes to fill it up.
Fill the Country →Frequently asked questions about Palau
What is the capital of Palau?
The capital of Palau is Koror.
What is Palau's population?
Palau has a population of 17,695.
What is Palau's GDP per capita?
Palau's GDP per capita is US$ 18.2K.
What is the currency of Palau?
The currency of Palau is the United States dollar (USD).
What is the minimum wage in Palau?
Palau's statutory minimum wage is about US$ 883 per month (as of 2024) — $ 883 per month in local currency.
Is Palau bigger than Naoero?
Palau is about 23× the size of Naoero by land area.
Data from the World Bank, updated November 2026.