Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of Palau: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna grade (MCC, ranked #157 of 195).
Palau is a presidential republic in free association with the US in Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines. The country's capital is Ngerulmud; it covers 459 sq km. Independence: 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship). Terrain: varying topography from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs. Climate: tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November. Population: 22,000 (2025 estimate). Population growth: +0.38% per year. Median age: 35.5 years. Life expectancy: 75.2 years (2024 est.). Languages: Palauan (official on most islands) 65.2%, other Micronesian 1.9%,…
| Capital | Ngerulmud |
|---|---|
| Population | 21,947 (2025 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $280.025 million (2023 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $15,800 (2023 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | 1.9% (2023 est.) |
| Inflation | 2.2% |
| Public debt | 85.2% of GDP (2019 est.) |
| Exports | $24.48 million (2022 est.) |
| Imports | $216.681 million (2022 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 75.2 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 35.5 |
| Urbanization | 82.4% of total population (2023) |
| Government | presidential republic in free association with the US |
| Independence | 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship) |
| 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.) |
MCC · 40/100 — The Magna grade is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — five dimensions, 100+ indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
Jul–Sep 2026 came and went without leaving a mark on the country's trajectory. Continuity, not change, is the story.
For a small or mid-sized state, that is often the good outcome: no shock to absorb, no crisis to manage.
Surangel Whipps Jr. — President. President Surangel WHIPPS, Jr. (since 21 January 2021)
Palau maintains 5 embassies and 2 consulates abroad, hosts 4 foreign diplomatic missions, holds permanent missions to UN New York. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 5 |
|---|---|
| Consulates abroad | 2 |
| Foreign missions hosted | 4 |
| Multilateral missions | UN New York |
Source: Wikipedia 'List of diplomatic missions of Palau' / '... in Palau'
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Coastal — 1519 km of coastline. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 3 (registration prefix T8) |
| Major seaports | Malakal Harbor |
Roman Tmetuchl International Airport (ROR) — Babelthuap Island.
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28); theodora.com CIA mirror (CIA World Factbook Transportation section), scraped 2026-10-02
| Political system | presidential republic |
|---|---|
| Next election | No election currently scheduled. |
MCC · 40 Ranked #157 of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for Palau.
