Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Nauru fits inside the Marshall Islands 9 times.
Marshall Islands: 180 km² (2023) · Nauru: 20 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
The Marshall Islands’ coastline is 12 times as long as Nauru’s.
Marshall Islands: 370 km (2026 edition) · Nauru: 30 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Nauru’s highest peak towers 56 m above the Marshall Islands’.
Marshall Islands: 14 m (2026 edition) · Nauru: 70 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
The Marshall Islands has 3 times as many people as Nauru.
Marshall Islands: 36,282 (2025) · Nauru: 12,025 (2025)
How crowded is it?
Nauru is 3 times as densely populated as the Marshall Islands.
Marshall Islands: 202 per km² (2025) · Nauru: 601 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Nauru are 4.3 cm taller than in the Marshall Islands.
Marshall Islands: 165.3 cm (2019) · Nauru: 169.6 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Nauru are 3.1 cm taller than in the Marshall Islands.
Marshall Islands: 154.8 cm (2019) · Nauru: 157.8 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in the Marshall Islands is 0.27 years older than in Nauru.
Marshall Islands: 20.7 years (2023) · Nauru: 20.4 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Nauru have 0.4 more children on average than in the Marshall Islands.
Marshall Islands: 2.86 children per woman (2024) · Nauru: 3.29 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
4.9% of people in the Marshall Islands are 65 or older, versus 3.0% in Nauru.
Marshall Islands: 4.9% (2025) · Nauru: 3% (2025)
How many official languages?
The Marshall Islands and Nauru are practically level.
Marshall Islands: 2 (2026) · Nauru: 2 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
The Marshall Islands’ economy is 75% larger than Nauru’s.
Marshall Islands: $308 million (2025) · Nauru: $176 million (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Nauru produces 58% more per person than the Marshall Islands.
Marshall Islands: Int$8,964 (2025) · Nauru: Int$14,201 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Marshall Islands: 35.5 (2019) · Nauru: no data
How expensive is it?
Nauru’s price level (US = 100) is 1.1× the Marshall Islands’.
Marshall Islands: 95% (2025) · Nauru: 103% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Nauru spends 2.6 times as much on health per person as the Marshall Islands.
Marshall Islands: $894 (2023) · Nauru: $2,292 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in the Marshall Islands live 4.8 years longer than in Nauru.
Marshall Islands: 67.1 years (2024) · Nauru: 62.3 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in the Marshall Islands is 2.9 times as likely to die before turning one as in Nauru.
Marshall Islands: 22.7 per 1,000 (2024) · Nauru: 7.7 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Marshall Islands: no data · Nauru: 1.3 per 1,000 (2015)
How common is obesity?
71% of adults in Nauru are obese, versus 41% in the Marshall Islands.
Marshall Islands: 41.2% (2024) · Nauru: 71.4% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
35% of adults in Nauru smoke, versus 30% in the Marshall Islands.
Marshall Islands: 29.9% (2024) · Nauru: 34.8% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How much do people drink?
Marshall Islands: 0.7 litres (2023) · Nauru: no data
How much meat is on the menu?
The Marshall Islands has 15% more meat per person than Nauru.
Marshall Islands: 125.6 kg (2023) · Nauru: 109.2 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
The Marshall Islands has 239 kcal more food per person per day than Nauru.
Marshall Islands: 3,321 kcal (2023) · Nauru: 3,082 kcal (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in the Marshall Islands went to school 2.2 years longer than in Nauru.
Marshall Islands: 11.6 years (2023) · Nauru: 9.4 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Marshall Islands: 0.14 (2019) · Nauru: no data
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
83% of people in Nauru are online, versus 66% in the Marshall Islands.
Marshall Islands: 66% (2024) · Nauru: 83% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
100% of people in Nauru have electricity, versus 97% in the Marshall Islands.
Marshall Islands: 97.2% (2024) · Nauru: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
100% of people in Nauru live in cities, versus 79% in the Marshall Islands.
Marshall Islands: 79% (2025) · Nauru: 100% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Nauru has 87 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, the Marshall Islands 40.
Marshall Islands: 40 (2022) · Nauru: 87 (2022)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Nauru fly 4 times as many passengers per resident as those from the Marshall Islands.
Marshall Islands: 0.81 (2023) · Nauru: 3.25 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 52% of the Marshall Islands, but only 0.0% of Nauru.
Marshall Islands: 52.2% (2023) · Nauru: 0% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Nauru emits 25% more CO₂ than someone in the Marshall Islands.
Marshall Islands: 4.1 t (2024) · Nauru: 5.1 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
Marshall Islands: no data · Nauru: 20% (2024)
How clean is the air?
The air in Nauru carries 36% more fine dust than in the Marshall Islands.
Marshall Islands: 2.8 µg/m³ (2024) · Nauru: 3.8 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in the Marshall Islands are 49% deadlier than in Nauru.
Marshall Islands: 11.9 per 100k (2021) · Nauru: 8 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
Quick answers
Is the Marshall Islands bigger than Nauru?
The Marshall Islands is larger. Nauru fits inside the Marshall Islands 9 times.
Which has more people, the Marshall Islands or Nauru?
The Marshall Islands has 3 times as many people as Nauru (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, the Marshall Islands or Nauru?
People in the Marshall Islands live 4.8 years longer than in Nauru. Life expectancy at birth is 67.1 years in the Marshall Islands and 62.3 in Nauru.
Are people taller in the Marshall Islands or Nauru?
Men in Nauru are 4.3 cm taller than in the Marshall Islands (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).