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Marshall Islands vs Palau
Side-by-side comparison of Marshall Islands and Palau from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Marshall Islands
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 40 years
In short
Palau scores 46.7 in the NationsTree Index (103rd in the world) and Marshall Islands scores 21.0 (187th), a gap of 25.7 points. Their trees are 0.3 m and 0.4 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Marshall Islands has 2.1 times the population of Palau. Palau is 2.5 times larger than Marshall Islands by land area. The economy of Palau is 25% larger than that of Marshall Islands (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Marshall Islands 36,282 and Palau 17,663 (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $23,052 in Palau and $8,964 in Marshall Islands (2025, international dollars). People in Palau live on average 2.3 years longer (69.4 vs 67.1 years).
Of 25 indicators reported by both countries, Marshall Islands ranks higher in the world on 6 and Palau on 19. Marshall Islands is clearly stronger in environment & energy and main industries. Palau is clearly stronger in infrastructure & digital, society & health and tourism.
As a nation, Marshall Islands is the older of the two (statehood since 1986, 40 years), compared with Palau (since 1994). Over the last five years Palau improved faster (direction score 57 vs 0 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Marshall Islands and Palau.
Marshall Islandsbetter
0.00
8th of 203
Palau
82.84
203rd of 203
Access to electricityInfrastructure & digital
Marshall Islands
97.2%
145th of 215
Palaubetter
100.0%
1st of 215
DPT immunizationSociety & health
Marshall Islands
85%
132nd of 193
Palaubetter
97%
29th of 193
GDP growthEconomy
Marshall Islands
2.3%
138th of 210
Palaubetter
6.3%
33rd of 210
Regulatory qualityInstitutions & safety
Marshall Islands
42.9
156th of 205
Palaubetter
63.2
58th of 205
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Palau overtook Marshall Islands in the NationsTree Index in 2024 and has stayed ahead since.
Palau has been ahead of Marshall Islands in GDP per person (PPP), GDP (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Marshall Islands 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
Marshall IslandsPalau 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 | Marshall Islands | Palau |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 181205th/216 · 2024 | 460190th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 181204th/216 · 2024 | 460189th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 36,282212th/217 · 2025 | 17,663215th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -3.43%216th/217 · 2025 | -0.18%189th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 207.465th/216 · 2024 | 38.5164th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 79.1%64th/217 · 2025 | 79.3%62nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 33.9%55th/217 · 2025 | 17.9%140th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 4.9%150th/217 · 2025 | 11.8%87th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $308.0 m208th/210 · 2025 | $345.0 m207th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $325.2 m197th/199 · 2025 | $407.2 m196th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $277.9 m197th/199 · 2025 | $347.9 m196th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $8,489110th/210 · 2025 | $19,53278th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $8,964145th/199 · 2025 | $23,05294th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $9,71095th/201 · 2025 | $19,89067th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 2.3%138th/210 · 2025 | 6.3%33rd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | — | -0.4%7th/180 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 41.6%2019 | 85.2%2019 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 8.8%8th/189 · 2025 | 52.8%93rd/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | 4.8%7th/192 · 2025 | -0.4%46th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 19.9%39th/197 · 2024 | 2.7%132nd/197 · 2024 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 13.4%168th/200 · 2024 | 13.0%169th/200 · 2024 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 3.2%169th/192 · 2024 | 1.2%182nd/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 68.2%41st/200 · 2024 | 73.1%22nd/200 · 2024 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $111.0 m177th/182 · 2025 | $105.1 m181st/182 · 2024 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $246.0 m180th/182 · 2025 | $235.1 m181st/182 · 2024 |
| Exports % of GDP | 36.0%92nd/183 · 2025 | 32.7%100th/183 · 2024 |
| Imports % of GDP | 79.9%20th/183 · 2025 | 73.1%30th/183 · 2024 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 115.9%44th/183 · 2025 | 105.8%53rd/183 · 2024 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | — | 0.5%2017 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | — | 9.0%2018 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | — | 88.7%2018 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | — | 2.1%2018 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | — | 51.7%2018 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 33.8%2nd/191 · 2025 | -11.6%171st/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 1.0%138th/196 · 2025 | 16.6%10th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.0%187th/209 · 2021 | 0.0%187th/209 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 2.8%159th/206 · 2024 | 0.7%194th/206 · 2024 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 6,100191st/194 · 2019 | 18,400186th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $20.1 m163rd/175 · 2018 | $123.0 m137th/175 · 2017 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 15.6%41st/168 · 2018 | 93.5%1st/168 · 2017 |
| Outbound trips departures | — | 9,0001998 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 67.1178th/217 · 2024 | 69.4157th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 26.7135th/196 · 2024 | 21.4125th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.472012 | 1.8187th/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 2.82010 | 4.32010 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 85%132nd/193 · 2024 | 97%29th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 94.0%2019 | 94.4%31st/153 · 2020 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 85.8%117th/173 · 2024 | 95.7%77th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 62.7%20th/55 · 2019 | 37.4%2006 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 8.0%145th/217 · 2025 | 16.8%89th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 13.4%5th/193 · 2023 | 10.9%18th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 95.8%35th/98 · 2021 | 99.8%6th/98 · 2020 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 37.7%98th/150 · 2024 | 71.8%45th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.733108th/193 · 2023 | 0.78684th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 35.52019 | — |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 2.1%2019 | — |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 97.2%145th/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | — | 90.8%59th/150 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 65.9%131st/186 · 2024 | 83.9%86th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 40204th/210 · 2022 | 13548th/210 · 2023 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 2.4156th/208 · 2022 | 7.3129th/208 · 2023 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 29,502150th/161 · 2023 | — |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.008th/203 · 2024 | 82.84203rd/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 12.2%131st/212 · 2022 | 0.9%193rd/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 4.16th/200 · 2023 | 4.914th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 53.6%46th/214 · 2024 | 90.8%4th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 6152007 | 4,8141990 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 45.1134th/205 · 2025 | 54.5100th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 55.274th/207 · 2025 | 58.468th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 74.339th/207 · 2025 | 77.930th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 92.23rd/207 · 2025 | 88.416th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 42.9156th/205 · 2025 | 63.258th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 74.743rd/205 · 2025 | 76.340th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 4.21994 | 11.22018 |
| Military | ||
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 6.0 m1991 | 7.0 m2020 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| Scientific articles articles | 1195th/197 · 2023 | 5186th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Marshall Islands or Palau?
Marshall Islands has the larger population: 36,282 (2025) compared with 17,663 for Palau (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Marshall Islands or Palau?
Palau is larger: 460 km² (2024) compared with 181 km² for Marshall Islands (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Marshall Islands or Palau?
Palau has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $407.2 m intl. (2025) compared with $325.2 m intl. for Marshall Islands (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Marshall Islands or Palau?
Palau has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $23,052 intl. (2025) compared with $8,964 intl. for Marshall Islands (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Marshall Islands or Palau?
Palau has the higher life expectancy at birth: 69.4 years (2024) compared with 67.1 years for Marshall Islands (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Marshall Islands or Palau?
Palau: 46.7 points (103rd in the world); Marshall Islands: 21.0 points (187th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Kiribati
Micronesia
Naoero
Tuvalu
TongaSources
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). Marshall Islands vs Palau — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/marshall-islands-vs-palau. Data as of 26 October 2026.