World Factbook

Palau

Beluu er a Belau

Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)

Budget

note

note: 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.)

expenditures

$152.398 million (2020 est.)

Exports

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports 2020

$52.897 million (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$10.566 million (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$24.48 million (2022 est.)

Imports

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports 2020

$207.224 million (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$169.938 million (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$216.681 million (2022 est.)

Industries

tourism, fishing, subsistence agriculture

Public debt

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2019

85.2% of GDP (2019 est.)

Remittances

note

note: 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.)

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

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

Exports - partners

India 41%, Turkey 26%, Taiwan 10%, USA 9%, Japan 5% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Imports - partners

Italy 32%, China 25%, USA 11%, Turkey 10%, Japan 6% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Real GDP per capita

note

note: 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.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: 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.)

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

Exports - commodities

ships, refined petroleum (2023)

note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000

Imports - commodities

ships, refined petroleum, additive manufacturing machines, cars, plastic products (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Current account balance

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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.)

Taxes and other revenues

18.1% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

GDP (official exchange rate)

$281.849 million (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

household consumption

77.8% (2022 est.)

government consumption

36.3% (2022 est.)

investment in inventories

1.8% (2022 est.)

investment in fixed capital

36.6% (2022 est.)

exports of goods and services

13.5% (2022 est.)

imports of goods and services

-74.3% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

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.)

Industrial production growth rate

-19.5% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: 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.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

industry

9.9% (2023 est.)

services

76.7% (2023 est.)

agriculture

3% (2023 est.)