Rural population in Palau
Palau: Rural population was 17.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Palau, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2024, rural population in Palau stood at 17.2%. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.4% on the previous year and down 23.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Palau peaked at 40.3% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 17.2%, in 2024.
Palau ranks 163rd of 214 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Rural population in Palau, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 40.3% | — |
| 1971 | 40.0% | -0.7% |
| 1972 | 39.7% | -0.7% |
| 1973 | 39.4% | -0.7% |
| 1974 | 39.1% | -0.7% |
| 1975 | 38.9% | -0.7% |
| 1976 | 38.6% | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 38.3% | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 38.0% | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 37.7% | -0.7% |
| 1980 | 37.5% | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 36.6% | -2.3% |
| 1982 | 35.6% | -2.8% |
| 1983 | 34.6% | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 33.6% | -2.9% |
| 1985 | 32.6% | -2.9% |
| 1986 | 31.8% | -2.5% |
| 1987 | 31.5% | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 31.1% | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 30.8% | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 30.4% | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 30.0% | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 29.7% | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 29.3% | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 28.9% | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 28.6% | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 28.7% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 28.9% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 29.2% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 29.4% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 29.7% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 29.9% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 30.2% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 30.4% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 29.6% | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 28.8% | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 28.1% | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 27.3% | -2.7% |
| 2008 | 26.6% | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 25.9% | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 25.2% | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 24.5% | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 23.8% | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 23.1% | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 22.5% | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 21.8% | -2.9% |
| 2016 | 21.2% | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 20.6% | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 20.1% | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 19.5% | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 19.0% | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 18.5% | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 18.0% | -2.6% |
| 2023 | 17.6% | -2.5% |
| 2024 | 17.2% | -2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 39.0% | 37.7% | 40.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 33.6% | 30.8% | 37.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 29.3% | 28.6% | 30.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.7% | 25.9% | 30.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.2% | 19.5% | 25.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.1% | 17.2% | 19.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Palau
More population data for Palau
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 16.69 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.2005 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7366 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.611 (2100)
- Population density 24.23 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 539 (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development -0.611 (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates -0.2005 % change on previous year (2030)
- Fertility and wanted fertility, annual growth rate -1.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fertility vs unmet contraception, annual growth rate -1.26 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Palau?
- Rural population in Palau was 17.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Palau?
- The highest recorded value was 40.3% in 1970.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Palau?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.2% in 2024.
- How does Palau rank for rural population?
- Palau ranks 163rd out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Palau?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Palau data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release