Countries Palau
Palau

Palau

East and Southeast Asia GEC: PS ISO: PW

Key Economic Indicators

GDP (PPP)
$23.12 billion
GDP Per Capita
$4,371
GDP Growth Rate
-26.56%
Inflation Rate
53.67%
Unemployment
24.42%
GDP (Nominal)
$281.849 million (2023 est.)
Public Debt
<b>note:</b> central government debt as a % of GDP
Current Account
$-2,899,047,119

Economic Overview

high-income Pacific island economy; environmentally fragile; subsistence agriculture and fishing industries; US aid reliance; rebounding post-pandemic tourism industry and services sector; very high living standard and low unemployment

All Economic Data

Agricultural products
coconuts, cassava (manioc, tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish, pigs, chickens, eggs, bananas, papaya, breadfruit, calamansi, soursop, Polynesian chestnuts, Polynesian almonds, mangoes, taro, guava, beans, cucumbers, squash/pumpkins (various), eggplant, green onions, kangkong (watercress), cabbages (various), radishes, betel nuts, melons, peppers, noni, okra
Budget
Expenditures: $152.398 million (2020 est.)
Note: <b>note:</b> central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Revenues: $127.757 million (2020 est.)
Currency
code: USD
name: United States dollar (USD) [$]
Current account balance
$-2,899,047,119
Current account balance 2020: -$115.61 million (2020 est.)
Current account balance 2021: -$115.739 million (2021 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$135.428 million (2022 est.)
Note: <b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exchange rates
<p>the US dollar is used</p>
Exports
$2.88 billion
Exports 2020: $52.897 million (2020 est.)
Exports 2021: $10.566 million (2021 est.)
Exports 2022: $24.48 million (2022 est.)
Note: <b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities
ships, refined petroleum (2023)
note: <strong>note:</strong> top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000
Exports - partners
India 41%, Turkey 26%, Taiwan 10%, USA 9%, Japan 5% (2023)
note: <b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Foreign direct investment
net inflows: $162.18 million
GDP - composition, by end use
Exports of goods and services: 13.5% (2022 est.)
Government consumption: 36.3% (2022 est.)
Household consumption: 77.8% (2022 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -74.3% (2022 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 36.6% (2022 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1.8% (2022 est.)
Note: <b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3% (2023 est.)
Industry: 9.9% (2023 est.)
Note: <b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Services: 76.7% (2023 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$281.849 million (2023 est.)
note: <b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate
GDP per capita (nominal)
$2,592
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
33.7 (2016)
GNI (gross national income)
$14.62 billion
GNI per capita
$2,710
Gross domestic investment
23 % of GDP
Imports
$8.26 billion
Imports 2020: $207.224 million (2020 est.)
Imports 2021: $169.938 million (2021 est.)
Imports 2022: $216.681 million (2022 est.)
Note: <b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities
ships, refined petroleum, additive manufacturing machines, cars, plastic products (2023)
note: <b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - partners
Italy 32%, China 25%, USA 11%, Turkey 10%, Japan 6% (2023)
note: <b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Industrial production growth rate
-19.5% (2023 est.)
note: <strong>note:</strong> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries
tourism, fishing, subsistence agriculture
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
53.67%
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 12.4% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 12.8% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 2.2% (2024 est.)
Note: <b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices
Labor force
total: 1.39 million persons
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 6.34%
industry: 29.88%
services: 63.78%
Public debt
Note: <b>note:</b> central government debt as a % of GDP
Public debt 2019: 85.2% of GDP (2019 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$23.12 billion
Note: <b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021: $278.538 million (2021 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $274.866 million (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $280.025 million (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
-26.56%
Note: <b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP growth rate 2021: -13.8% (2021 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: -1.3% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 1.9% (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$4,371
Note: <b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita 2021: $15,700 (2021 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $15,500 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $15,800 (2023 est.)
Remittances
$735.61 million
Note: <b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2021: 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0.8% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023: 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$1.33 billion
Taxes and other revenues
18.1% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
note: <b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Unemployment rate
24.42%
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
female: 56.62%
male: 31.64%
total: 36.09%
Map of Palau

Economic Rankings

Unemployment Rate #5
Inflation Rate #10
GDP per Capita #107
Gini Index #123
Imports #131
Reserves #136
GDP (PPP) #150
Exports #152
GDP Growth Rate #174
GDP (Nominal) #192

Quick Facts

Industries
tourism, fishing, subsistence agriculture
Agricultural products
coconuts, cassava (manioc, tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish, pigs, chickens, eggs, bananas, papaya, breadfruit, calamansi, soursop, Polynesian chestnuts, Polynesian almonds, mangoes, taro, guava, beans,
Labor force
1.39 million persons
Exports - partners
India 41%, Turkey 26%, Taiwan 10%, USA 9%, Japan 5% (2023)
Imports - partners
Italy 32%, China 25%, USA 11%, Turkey 10%, Japan 6% (2023)
Exchange rates
<p>the US dollar is used</p>

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