Total population (thousands) in Nauru
Nauru: Total population (thousands) was 11.99 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
11.99 thousands
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
224th
of 233 countries
All-time high
11.99 thousands
in 2025
All-time low
6.68 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Total population in Nauru, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total population in Nauru is 11.99 thousands, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 10.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in Nauru peaked at 11.99 thousands in 2025 and was at its lowest, 6.68 thousands, in 1970.
That places Nauru 224th out of 233 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Total population (thousands) in Nauru, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.68 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 6.74 thousands | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 6.79 thousands | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 6.84 thousands | +0.7% |
| 1974 | 6.9 thousands | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 6.95 thousands | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 7.02 thousands | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 7.11 thousands | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 7.22 thousands | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 7.38 thousands | +2.1% |
| 1980 | 7.56 thousands | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 7.74 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 7.94 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 8.14 thousands | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 8.29 thousands | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 8.46 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 8.64 thousands | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 8.84 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 9.05 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 9.28 thousands | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 9.5 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 9.74 thousands | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 9.96 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 10.08 thousands | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 10.12 thousands | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 10.15 thousands | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 10.18 thousands | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 10.19 thousands | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 10.2 thousands | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 10.19 thousands | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 10.18 thousands | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 10.15 thousands | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 10.11 thousands | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 10.05 thousands | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 10.06 thousands | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 10.06 thousands | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 10.04 thousands | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 10.03 thousands | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 10.01 thousands | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 10.01 thousands | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 10.03 thousands | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 10.06 thousands | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 10.14 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 10.4 thousands | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 10.64 thousands | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 10.85 thousands | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 11.06 thousands | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 11.24 thousands | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 11.41 thousands | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 11.55 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 11.63 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 11.66 thousands | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 11.76 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 11.85 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 11.9 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 11.99 thousands | +0.7% |
Nauru compared with similar countries
- Nauru's 11.99 thousands is below the median for high income countries, which is 3,084 thousands, 0% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Nauru's 11.99 thousands is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1,410 thousands, 1% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.96 thousands | 6.68 thousands | 7.38 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.39 thousands | 7.56 thousands | 9.28 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.03 thousands | 9.5 thousands | 10.2 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.07 thousands | 10.01 thousands | 10.18 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.74 thousands | 10.03 thousands | 11.55 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.8 thousands | 11.63 thousands | 11.99 thousands | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nauru
- 221 Palau 17.68 thousands compare
- 222 Anguilla 14.67 thousands compare
- 223 Cook Islands 13.49 thousands compare
- 225 Saint Barthelemy 11.34 thousands compare
- 226 Wallis and Futuna 11.23 thousands compare
- 227 Tuvalu 9.56 thousands compare
More population data for Nauru
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.1598 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (2049)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.1598 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.05 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 14.7 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.5419 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2823 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Population density 1,034 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1,413 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total population in Nauru?
- Total population in Nauru was 11.99 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest total population recorded in Nauru?
- The highest recorded value was 11.99 thousands in 2025.
- What is the lowest total population recorded in Nauru?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.68 thousands in 1970.
- How does Nauru rank for total population?
- Nauru ranks 224th out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total population rising or falling in Nauru?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nauru data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Total population (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release