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Kiribati vs Palau
Side-by-side comparison of Kiribati and Palau from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Kiribati
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 47 years
In short
Palau scores 46.7 in the NationsTree Index (103rd in the world) and Kiribati scores 31.1 (161st), a gap of 15.6 points. Their trees are 0.4 m and 0.4 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Kiribati has 7.7 times the population of Palau. Kiribati has 76% more land area than Palau. The economy of Kiribati is 32% larger than that of Palau (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Kiribati 136,488 and Palau 17,663 (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $23,052 in Palau and $3,937 in Kiribati (2025, international dollars). People in Palau live on average 2.8 years longer (69.4 vs 66.6 years).
Of 28 indicators reported by both countries, Kiribati ranks higher in the world on 6 and Palau on 22. Kiribati is clearly stronger in natural resources, main industries and environment & energy. Palau is clearly stronger in infrastructure & digital, economy and society & health.
As a nation, Kiribati is the older of the two (statehood since 1979, 47 years), compared with Palau (since 1994). Over the last five years Palau improved faster (direction score 57 vs 10 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Kiribati and Palau.
Kiribati
6.5%
145th of 180
Palaubetter
-0.4%
7th of 180
CO₂ emissions per personEnvironment & energy
Kiribatibetter
0.59
49th of 203
Palau
82.84
203rd of 203
Government budget balanceEconomy
Kiribati
-14.5%
188th of 192
Palaubetter
-0.4%
46th of 192
Tertiary enrolmentSociety & health
Kiribati
5.0%
147th of 150
Palaubetter
71.8%
45th of 150
Access to electricityInfrastructure & digital
Kiribati
97.7%
143rd of 215
Palaubetter
100.0%
1st of 215
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Palau overtook Kiribati in the NationsTree Index in 2024 and has stayed ahead since.
Kiribati overtook Palau in GDP (PPP) in 2018 and has stayed ahead since.
Palau overtook Kiribati in life expectancy in 2003 and has stayed ahead since.
Palau has been ahead of Kiribati in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Kiribati has been ahead of Palau in population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
KiribatiPalau All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Kiribati | Palau |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 811180th/216 · 2024 | 460190th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 811179th/216 · 2024 | 460189th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 136,488187th/217 · 2025 | 17,663215th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 1.45%73rd/217 · 2025 | -0.18%189th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 165.971st/216 · 2024 | 38.5164th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 63.4%114th/217 · 2025 | 79.3%62nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 34.4%53rd/217 · 2025 | 17.9%140th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 4.4%159th/217 · 2025 | 11.8%87th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $349.2 m206th/210 · 2025 | $345.0 m207th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $537.3 m194th/199 · 2025 | $407.2 m196th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $459.1 m194th/199 · 2025 | $347.9 m196th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $2,559169th/210 · 2025 | $19,53278th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $3,937177th/199 · 2025 | $23,05294th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $3,930141st/201 · 2025 | $19,89067th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 4.2%74th/210 · 2025 | 6.3%33rd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 6.5%145th/180 · 2025 | -0.4%7th/180 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 85.2%2019 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 8.0%7th/189 · 2025 | 52.8%93rd/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -14.5%188th/192 · 2025 | -0.4%46th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 23.2%24th/197 · 2024 | 2.7%132nd/197 · 2024 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 11.8%177th/200 · 2024 | 13.0%169th/200 · 2024 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 4.2%159th/192 · 2024 | 1.2%182nd/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 70.3%34th/200 · 2024 | 73.1%22nd/200 · 2024 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $15.5 m182nd/182 · 2024 | $105.1 m181st/182 · 2024 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $334.9 m178th/182 · 2024 | $235.1 m181st/182 · 2024 |
| Exports % of GDP | 4.5%181st/183 · 2024 | 32.7%100th/183 · 2024 |
| Imports % of GDP | 97.6%11th/183 · 2024 | 73.1%30th/183 · 2024 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 102.1%59th/183 · 2024 | 105.8%53rd/183 · 2024 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.0%148th/170 · 2021 | 0.5%2017 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 2.1%161st/171 · 2021 | 9.0%2018 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 97.2%2nd/171 · 2021 | 88.7%2018 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.6%148th/171 · 2021 | 2.1%2018 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 2.3%128th/168 · 2021 | 51.7%2018 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -15.2%178th/191 · 2025 | -11.6%171st/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 1.2%134th/196 · 2025 | 16.6%10th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.0%165th/209 · 2021 | 0.0%187th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 | — |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | — |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | — |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.04%130th/209 · 2021 | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 2.5%164th/206 · 2024 | 0.7%194th/206 · 2024 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 12,000188th/194 · 2019 | 18,400186th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $5.2 m172nd/175 · 2017 | $123.0 m137th/175 · 2017 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 17.6%38th/168 · 2017 | 93.5%1st/168 · 2017 |
| Outbound trips departures | — | 9,0001998 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 66.6180th/217 · 2024 | 69.4157th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 53.1172nd/196 · 2024 | 21.4125th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.192013 | 1.8187th/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 1.92016 | 4.32010 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 94%66th/193 · 2024 | 97%29th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 77.3%77th/153 · 2024 | 94.4%31st/153 · 2020 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 90.3%103rd/173 · 2024 | 95.7%77th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 51.7%29th/55 · 2019 | 37.4%2006 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 7.1%159th/217 · 2025 | 16.8%89th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 10.9%17th/193 · 2023 | 10.9%18th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 98.6%18th/98 · 2020 | 99.8%6th/98 · 2020 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 5.0%147th/150 · 2024 | 71.8%45th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.644140th/193 · 2023 | 0.78684th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 24.73rd/108 · 2023 | — |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.9%48th/108 · 2023 | — |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 97.7%143rd/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 15.1%144th/150 · 2024 | 90.8%59th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 24.6%121st/144 · 2024 | — |
| Internet users % of population | 89.4%62nd/186 · 2024 | 83.9%86th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 54198th/210 · 2024 | 13548th/210 · 2023 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 0.0200th/208 · 2024 | 7.3129th/208 · 2023 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 58,879142nd/161 · 2023 | — |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.5949th/203 · 2024 | 82.84203rd/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 41.9%57th/212 · 2022 | 0.9%193rd/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 3.95th/200 · 2023 | 4.914th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 1.3%193rd/214 · 2024 | 90.8%4th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 1082007 | 4,8141990 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 44.9135th/205 · 2025 | 54.5100th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 54.077th/207 · 2025 | 58.468th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 73.043rd/207 · 2025 | 77.930th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 87.521st/207 · 2025 | 88.416th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 48.3129th/205 · 2025 | 63.258th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 76.739th/205 · 2025 | 76.340th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 7.12012 | 11.22018 |
| Military | ||
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 7.0 m117th/163 · 2021 | 7.0 m2020 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| Scientific articles articles | 2194th/197 · 2023 | 5186th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Kiribati or Palau?
Kiribati has the larger population: 136,488 (2025) compared with 17,663 for Palau (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Kiribati or Palau?
Kiribati is larger: 811 km² (2024) compared with 460 km² for Palau (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Kiribati or Palau?
Kiribati has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $537.3 m intl. (2025) compared with $407.2 m intl. for Palau (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Kiribati or Palau?
Palau has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $23,052 intl. (2025) compared with $3,937 intl. for Kiribati (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Kiribati or Palau?
Palau has the higher life expectancy at birth: 69.4 years (2024) compared with 66.6 years for Kiribati (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Kiribati or Palau?
Palau: 46.7 points (103rd in the world); Kiribati: 31.1 points (161st). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Tonga
Vanuatu
Naoero
TuvaluSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Kiribati vs Palau — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/kiribati-vs-palau. Data as of 26 October 2026.