Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Palau
Palau: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 14,004 people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
14,004 people
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
223rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
15,374 people
in 2005
All-time low
1,923 people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Palau, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Palau recorded 14,004 people for number of people living in urban and rural areas in 2025.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Palau peaked at 15,374 people in 2005 and was at its lowest, 1,923 people, in 1950.
That places Palau 223rd out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Palau, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1,923 people | — |
| 1951 | 2,115 people | +9.9% |
| 1952 | 2,307 people | +9.1% |
| 1953 | 2,510 people | +8.8% |
| 1954 | 2,724 people | +8.5% |
| 1955 | 2,940 people | +8.0% |
| 1956 | 3,149 people | +7.1% |
| 1957 | 3,347 people | +6.3% |
| 1958 | 3,551 people | +6.1% |
| 1959 | 3,816 people | +7.5% |
| 1960 | 4,094 people | +7.3% |
| 1961 | 4,374 people | +6.8% |
| 1962 | 4,659 people | +6.5% |
| 1963 | 4,947 people | +6.2% |
| 1964 | 5,238 people | +5.9% |
| 1965 | 5,528 people | +5.5% |
| 1966 | 5,815 people | +5.2% |
| 1967 | 6,057 people | +4.2% |
| 1968 | 6,239 people | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 6,403 people | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 6,631 people | +3.6% |
| 1971 | 6,956 people | +4.9% |
| 1972 | 7,297 people | +4.9% |
| 1973 | 7,581 people | +3.9% |
| 1974 | 7,716 people | +1.8% |
| 1975 | 7,736 people | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 7,732 people | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 7,715 people | -0.2% |
| 1978 | 7,691 people | -0.3% |
| 1979 | 7,663 people | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 7,669 people | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 7,833 people | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 8,156 people | +4.1% |
| 1983 | 8,525 people | +4.5% |
| 1984 | 8,910 people | +4.5% |
| 1985 | 9,279 people | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 9,581 people | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 9,843 people | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 10,097 people | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 10,344 people | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 10,610 people | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 10,922 people | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 11,261 people | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 11,604 people | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 11,945 people | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 12,276 people | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 12,578 people | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 12,814 people | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 12,998 people | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 13,172 people | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 13,346 people | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 13,650 people | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 14,117 people | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 14,655 people | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 15,152 people | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 15,374 people | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 15,343 people | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 15,252 people | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 15,143 people | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 15,008 people | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 14,839 people | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 14,639 people | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 14,413 people | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 14,308 people | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 14,302 people | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 14,285 people | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 14,257 people | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 14,219 people | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 14,171 people | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 14,110 people | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 14,070 people | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 14,064 people | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 14,050 people | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 14,032 people | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 14,016 people | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 14,004 people | -0.1% |
Palau compared with similar countries
- Palau's 14,004 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.22 million people, 1% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Palau's 14,004 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 722,007 people, 2% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2,838 people | 1,923 people | 3,816 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 5,336 people | 4,094 people | 6,403 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 7,472 people | 6,631 people | 7,736 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 9,024 people | 7,669 people | 10,344 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 12,018 people | 10,610 people | 13,172 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 14,704 people | 13,346 people | 15,374 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 14,354 people | 14,110 people | 14,839 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 14,039 people | 14,004 people | 14,070 people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Palau
- 220 Guernsey 19,082 people compare
- 221 Saint Kitts and Nevis 14,968 people compare
- 222 Anguilla 14,728 people compare
- 224 Nauru 12,025 people compare
- 225 Saint Barthelemy 11,414 people compare
- 226 Cook Islands 10,199 people compare
More population data for Palau
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.426 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.5888 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -9.22 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5888 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.6% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 539 people (2100)
- Population density 24.23 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.6% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7366 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.2005 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas in Palau?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Palau was 14,004 people in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Palau?
- The highest recorded value was 15,374 people in 2005.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Palau?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,923 people in 1950.
- How does Palau rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Palau ranks 223rd out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Palau?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Palau data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.