Palau People - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Population

21,779 (2023 est.)

Nationality

noun: Palauan(s)

adjective: Palauan

Ethnic groups

Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 73%, Carolinian 2%, Asian 21.7%, Caucasian 1.2%, other 2.1% (2015 est.)

Languages

Palauan (official on most islands) 65.2%, other Micronesian 1.9%, English (official) 19.1%, Filipino 9.9%, Chinese 1.2%, other 2.8% (2015 est.)

note: Sonsoralese is official in Sonsoral; Tobian is official in Tobi; Angaur and Japanese are official in Angaur

Religions

Roman Catholic 45.3%, Protestant 34.9% (includes Evangelical 26.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 6.9%, Assembly of God .9%, Baptist .7%), Modekngei 5.7% (indigenous to Palau), Muslim 3%, Church of Jesus Christ 1.5%, other 9.7% (2015 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 17.49% (male 1,966/female 1,844)

15-64 years: 71.82% (male 8,665/female 6,976)

65 years and over: 10.69% (2023 est.) (male 581/female 1,747)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 43.8

youth dependency ratio: 30.2

elderly dependency ratio: 13.7

potential support ratio: 7.3 (2021)

Median age

total: 33.9 years

male: 32.9 years

female: 35.9 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate

0.39% (2023 est.)

Birth rate

11.57 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

8.31 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate

0.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

most of the population is located on the southern end of the main island of Babelthuap

Urbanization

urban population: 82.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030

Major urban areas - population

277 NGERULMUD (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.24 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.33 male(s)/female

total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 11.04 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 12.99 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.91 years

male: 71.76 years

female: 78.24 years (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.7 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.82 (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

N/A

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 99.6% of population

rural: 99.8% of population

total: 99.7% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.4% of population

rural: 0.2% of population

total: 0.3% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure

18.4% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density

1.77 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 99.8% of population

rural: 99% of population

total: 99.6% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population

rural: 1% of population

total: 0.4% of population (2020 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

55.3% (2016)

Tobacco use

total: 17.6% (2020 est.)

male: 27.3% (2020 est.)

female: 7.9% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

N/A

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

45.6% (2023 est.)

Education expenditures

6.8% of GDP (2019)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.6%

male: 96.8%

female: 96.3% (2015)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 17 years

male: 16 years

female: 17 years (2013)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 5.6%

male: NA

female: (2014) NA

NOTE: The information regarding Palau on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Palau 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Palau 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.