World median is the middle country on each statistic: half of all countries with data are above it, half below. It is not an average, so it is never pulled up or down by giants or microstates.
Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Palau fits inside the median country 242 times
Palau: 460 km² (2024) · World median: 111,370 km² (2024)
How much coast is there?
Palau’s coastline is 3.5 times as long as the median country’s
Palau: 1,519 km (2026 edition) · World median: 440 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
The median country’s highest peak towers 2,093 m above Palau’s
Palau: 242 m (2026 edition) · World median: 2,335 m (2026 edition)
How much of the land is farmed?
Farmland covers 38% of the median country, versus 9.3% of Palau
Palau: 9.3% (2024) · World median: 37.8% (2024)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
The median country has 419 times as many people as Palau
Palau: 17,663 (2025) · World median: 7.4 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
The median country is 2.6 times as densely populated as Palau
Palau: 38 per km² (2025) · World median: 98 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in the median country are 2.9 cm taller than in Palau
Palau: 170.6 cm (2019) · World median: 173.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in the median country are 1.0 cm taller than in Palau
Palau: 159.5 cm (2019) · World median: 160.6 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Palau is 6.7 years older than in the median country
Palau: 37.8 years (2023) · World median: 31.1 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
The median country and Palau are practically level
Palau: 1.88 children per woman (2024) · World median: 1.9 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
12% of people in Palau are 65 or older, versus 8.6% in the median country
Palau: 11.8% (2025) · World median: 8.6% (2025)
How many refugees does it host?
The median country hosts 2.9 times as many refugees per resident as Palau
Palau: 0.3 per 1,000 (2024) · World median: 0.8 per 1,000 (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Palau: no data · World median: 0 (2026)
How many official languages?
Palau has 2 official languages, the median country 1
Palau: 2 (2026) · World median: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
The median country’s economy is 132 times the size of Palau’s
Palau: $345 million (2025) · World median: $45.5 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Palau produces 9% more per person than the median country
Palau: Int$23,052 (2025) · World median: Int$21,072 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Palau: no data · World median: 34.4 (2023)
How many live on less than $3 a day?
Palau: no data · World median: 1.6% (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Palau: no data · World median: 5.1% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Palau: no data · World median: 1.8% (2025)
How much does the central government collect in tax?
Palau’s central government collects 18% of GDP in tax, the median country’s 17%
Palau: 18.1% (2020) · World median: 17% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Palau’s price level (US = 100) is 1.9× the median country’s
Palau: 85% (2025) · World median: 45% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Palau spends 3.6 times as much on health per person as the median country
Palau: $1,684 (2023) · World median: $470 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in the median country live 5.2 years longer than in Palau
Palau: 69.4 years (2024) · World median: 74.6 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Palau is 47% more likely to die before turning one than in the median country
Palau: 18.6 per 1,000 (2024) · World median: 12.7 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Palau has 8% more doctors per person than the median country
Palau: 1.8 per 1,000 (2023) · World median: 1.7 per 1,000 (2022)
How many hospital beds are there?
Palau: no data · World median: 2.4 per 1,000 (2023)
How common is suicide?
Palau: no data · World median: 10 per 100k (2023)
How common is obesity?
42% of adults in Palau are obese, versus 24% in the median country
Palau: 42.1% (2024) · World median: 24% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
23% of adults in Palau smoke, versus 19% in the median country
Palau: 23% (2024) · World median: 19% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
Palau: no data · World median: 5.83 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Palau: no data · World median: 4.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Palau: no data · World median: 56.2 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Palau: no data · World median: 2,938 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Palau: no data · World median: 1,974 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Palau went to school 3.4 years longer than in the median country
Palau: 13.3 years (2023) · World median: 9.9 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Palau welcomed 15 times as many tourists per resident as the median country (2019)
Palau: 5.28 (2019) · World median: 0.34 (2024)
How many World Heritage sites?
The median country has 2 more World Heritage sites than Palau (3 against 1)
Palau: 1 (2026) · World median: 3 (2026)
How many Olympic medals has it won?
The median country has won 4 Olympic medals, Palau none
Palau: 0 (2026 edition) · World median: 4 (2026 edition)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
84% of people in Palau are online, versus 82% in the median country
Palau: 84% (2024) · World median: 82% (2024)
How fast is home internet?
Home internet in the median country is 4.3 times as fast as in Palau
Palau: 38 Mbps (2026) · World median: 161 Mbps (2026)
Who has electricity at home?
Palau and the median country are practically level
Palau: 100% (2024) · World median: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
79% of people in Palau live in cities, versus 64% in the median country
Palau: 79% (2025) · World median: 64% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Palau has 135 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, the median country 115
Palau: 135 (2023) · World median: 115 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Palau: no data · World median: 2,141 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Palau: no data · World median: 0.24 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 91% of Palau, but only 33% of the median country
Palau: 90.8% (2024) · World median: 32.8% (2024)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Palau emits 4.3 times as much CO₂ as someone in the median country
Palau: 12.8 t (2024) · World median: 3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
Palau: no data · World median: 30.8% (2024)
How clean is the air?
The air in the median country carries 5 times as much fine dust as in Palau
Palau: 3.3 µg/m³ (2024) · World median: 16.6 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 5 times as likely to be murdered in Palau as in the median country
Palau: 11.2 per 100k (2018) · World median: 2.3 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Palau: no data · World median: 18.6 per 100k (2023)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Palau: no data · World median: 23°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Palau: no data · World median: 1,014 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Palau bigger than the median country?
The median country is larger. Palau fits inside the median country 242 times.
Which has more people, Palau or the median country?
The median country has 419 times as many people as Palau (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Palau or the median country?
People in the median country live 5.2 years longer than in Palau. Life expectancy at birth is 69.4 years in Palau and 74.6 in the median country.
Are people taller in Palau or the median country?
Men in the median country are 2.9 cm taller than in Palau (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).