Palau Population 2026 | Live Population By State
Palau Population Stands at 18,000; Third Are Foreign Workers
Roughly one in every three or four people living in Palau today was born in the Philippines, not Palau. Filipino contract workers and their dependents make up somewhere between 20 and 39 percent of Palau’s population, approximately 18,494 in 2026, depending on which estimate you use, forming by far the largest single non-Palauan community and the second-largest ethnic group overall after indigenous Palauans themselves. This isn’t incidental immigration. It’s a structural feature of an economy that runs on tourism and government services but doesn’t have nearly enough native-born workers to staff either.
A Compact That Cuts Both Ways
Palau’s Compact of Free Association with the United States, approved in 1986 but not fully ratified until 1993 and taking effect in October 1994, granted the U.S. unrestricted military access to Palau’s land and waterways in exchange for roughly $700 million in aid over the Compact’s first 15 years. The same agreement that funds much of Palau’s government also gives Palauan citizens unrestricted access to live and work in the United States, a pathway that, as in neighboring Compact nations, has quietly pulled at the country’s own population even as foreign labor migration from Asia fills the resulting gaps.
| Indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| 2026 population | 18,494 |
| Palauan ethnic share | 65.1% to 73.6% |
| Filipino population share | 20.1% to 39% |
| Foreign-born population | Around 28% |
| Median age | 38.9 to 39.9 years |
| Life expectancy | 69.6 years |
An Economy That Runs on Imported Labor
Filipinos form over 75 percent of Palau’s non-resident workforce, specifically concentrated in hospitality, domestic service, and tourism infrastructure that supports Palau’s reputation as a premier diving destination built around the Rock Islands and its coral reefs. Chinese nationals form a second significant immigrant labor group, concentrated in construction. This labor demand exists precisely because Palau’s own population, still recovering demographically from its history as part of the U.S.-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands following World War II, remains too small to staff a tourism sector generating a meaningful share of the country’s roughly $300 million GDP on its own.
An Aging Population Despite Foreign Inflows
Palau’s median age of nearly 39 to 40 years sits notably high for a Pacific island nation, a combination of modest local fertility and an immigrant labor population that skews toward working-age adults rather than families raising children locally. Roman Catholicism claims the largest religious share at roughly 47 percent, alongside smaller Protestant and traditional Palauan spiritual communities, and Palau’s per capita income runs roughly double that of the Philippines, the primary driver pulling Filipino workers to the islands in the first place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Palau’s population in 2026?
Approximately 18,494 people.
How many Filipinos live in Palau?
Estimates range from roughly 4,000 to 7,000, or 20 to 39 percent of the total population depending on the source and year.
What is the Compact of Free Association?
An agreement, effective 1994, granting the U.S. military access to Palau in exchange for financial aid, while also allowing Palauan citizens unrestricted access to live and work in the United States.
Why does Palau rely on foreign labor?
Tourism and government sectors require more workers than Palau’s small native population can supply, drawing Filipino and Chinese labor migrants.
What is the largest ethnic group in Palau?
Palauans, a Micronesian people with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures, make up roughly 65 to 74 percent of the population.
What is Palau’s median age?
Approximately 38.9 to 39.9 years.
What religion is most common in Palau?
Roman Catholicism, claimed by approximately 47 percent of the population.
What is Palau’s main industry?
Tourism, particularly diving and eco-tourism centered on the Rock Islands and coral reefs, alongside fishing and government services.
Is Palau’s population growing?
Growth has been roughly flat in recent years, balancing modest natural increase against emigration and shifting foreign labor inflows.
What is Palau’s life expectancy?
Approximately 69.6 years.
Sources
- United Nations World Population Prospects 2024
- Palau 2020 Census of Population and Housing
- World Bank CIA World Factbook