The current population of Nauru is 12,125 people, as of 2026 based on the adjusted UN estimation. The latest officially reported number was 11,947 in 2024.
- Nauru accounts for 0.0001% of the world's population.
- For the last 20 years, Nauru has had an average growth rate of 1.04% per year.
- Since 2006, population has increased from 10K people to 12.1K (20.8% growth in 20 years).
- Nauru is ranked 195/197 by population and was ranked 196th in 2006.
- Nauru is projected to reach 20.7K people in 2100.
Nauru population and growth rate by year
| Year | Population | Growth rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2100 | 20,717 | 0.15% |
| 2099 | 20,686 | 0.2% |
| 2098 | 20,645 | 0.19% |
| 2097 | 20,605 | 0.17% |
| 2096 | 20,570 | 0.17% |
| 2095 | 20,535 | 0.23% |
| 2094 | 20,488 | 0.27% |
| 2093 | 20,432 | 0.23% |
| 2092 | 20,386 | 0.22% |
| 2091 | 20,341 | 0.28% |
| 2090 | 20,285 | 0.33% |
| 2089 | 20,219 | 0.33% |
| 2088 | 20,152 | 0.28% |
| 2087 | 20,096 | 0.34% |
| 2086 | 20,028 | 0.35% |
| 2085 | 19,959 | 0.39% |
| 2084 | 19,880 | 0.43% |
| 2083 | 19,796 | 0.44% |
| 2082 | 19,709 | 0.5% |
| 2081 | 19,611 | 0.44% |
| 2080 | 19,525 | 0.54% |
| 2079 | 19,420 | 0.56% |
| 2078 | 19,312 | 0.55% |
| 2077 | 19,206 | 0.57% |
| 2076 | 19,098 | 0.59% |
| 2075 | 18,986 | 0.6% |
| 2074 | 18,874 | 0.62% |
| 2073 | 18,758 | 0.65% |
| 2072 | 18,638 | 0.56% |
| 2071 | 18,535 | 0.75% |
| 2070 | 18,396 | 0.59% |
| 2069 | 18,289 | 0.66% |
| 2068 | 18,168 | 0.8% |
| 2067 | 18,025 | 0.68% |
| 2066 | 17,903 | 0.71% |
| 2065 | 17,777 | 0.73% |
| 2064 | 17,649 | 0.71% |
| 2063 | 17,524 | 0.7% |
| 2062 | 17,402 | 0.78% |
| 2061 | 17,267 | 0.76% |
| 2060 | 17,137 | 0.73% |
| 2059 | 17,013 | 0.78% |
| 2058 | 16,882 | 0.77% |
| 2057 | 16,752 | 0.85% |
| 2056 | 16,612 | 0.85% |
| 2055 | 16,472 | 0.84% |
| 2054 | 16,335 | 0.87% |
| 2053 | 16,193 | 0.9% |
| 2052 | 16,049 | 1.01% |
| 2051 | 15,888 | 0.96% |
| 2050 | 15,738 | 1.06% |
| 2049 | 15,572 | 1.04% |
| 2048 | 15,412 | 1.12% |
| 2047 | 15,241 | 1.17% |
| 2046 | 15,064 | 1.14% |
| 2045 | 14,895 | 1.2% |
| 2044 | 14,718 | 1.19% |
| 2043 | 14,546 | 1.27% |
| 2042 | 14,363 | 1.29% |
| 2041 | 14,180 | 1.32% |
| 2040 | 13,996 | 1.22% |
| 2039 | 13,827 | 1.14% |
| 2038 | 13,672 | 1.17% |
| 2037 | 13,513 | 1.12% |
| 2036 | 13,363 | 1.27% |
| 2035 | 13,196 | 1.19% |
| 2034 | 13,040 | 1.14% |
| 2033 | 12,894 | 1.06% |
| 2032 | 12,758 | 1.06% |
| 2031 | 12,625 | 0.96% |
| 2030 | 12,504 | 0.96% |
| 2029 | 12,386 | 0.77% |
| 2028 | 12,292 | 0.9% |
| 2027 | 12,182 | 0.64% |
| 2026 | 12,105 | 0.63% |
| 2025 | 12,030 | 0.7% |
| 2024 | 11,947 | 0.61% |
| 2023 | 11,875 | 0.63% |
| 2022 | 11,801 | 0.79% |
| 2021 | 11,709 | 0.57% |
| 2020 | 11,643 | 0.48% |
| 2019 | 11,587 | 0.96% |
| 2018 | 11,477 | 1.35% |
| 2017 | 11,324 | 1.56% |
| 2016 | 11,150 | 1.79% |
| 2015 | 10,954 | 1.97% |
| 2014 | 10,742 | 2.14% |
| 2013 | 10,517 | 2.43% |
| 2012 | 10,267 | 1.67% |
| 2011 | 10,098 | 0.55% |
| 2010 | 10,043 | 0.27% |
| 2009 | 10,016 | 0.07% |
| 2008 | 10,009 | -0.11% |
| 2007 | 10,020 | -0.14% |
| 2006 | 10,034 | -0.15% |
| 2005 | 10,049 | -0.11% |
| 2004 | 10,060 | 0.01% |
| 2003 | 10,059 | -0.23% |
| 2002 | 10,082 | -0.47% |
| 2001 | 10,130 | -0.37% |
| 2000 | 10,168 | -0.19% |
| 1999 | 10,187 | -0.11% |
| 1998 | 10,198 | 0.01% |
| 1997 | 10,197 | 0.14% |
| 1996 | 10,183 | 0.18% |
| 1995 | 10,165 | 0.28% |
| 1994 | 10,137 | 0.35% |
| 1993 | 10,102 | 0.81% |
| 1992 | 10,021 | 1.74% |
| 1991 | 9,850 | 2.37% |
| 1990 | 9,622 | 2.47% |
| 1989 | 9,390 | 2.45% |
| 1988 | 9,165 | 2.45% |
| 1987 | 8,946 | 2.33% |
| 1986 | 8,742 | 2.23% |
| 1985 | 8,551 | 2.08% |
| 1984 | 8,377 | 1.96% |
| 1983 | 8,216 | 2.19% |
| 1982 | 8,040 | 2.56% |
| 1981 | 7,839 | 2.48% |
| 1980 | 7,649 | 2.42% |
| 1979 | 7,468 | 2.33% |
| 1978 | 7,298 | 1.88% |
| 1977 | 7,163 | 1.4% |
| 1976 | 7,064 | 1.1% |
| 1975 | 6,987 | 0.92% |
| 1974 | 6,923 | 0.83% |
| 1973 | 6,866 | 0.79% |
| 1972 | 6,812 | 0.74% |
| 1971 | 6,762 | 0.77% |
| 1970 | 6,710 | 1.96% |
| 1969 | 6,581 | 4% |
| 1968 | 6,328 | 3.15% |
| 1967 | 6,135 | 1.52% |
| 1966 | 6,043 | 3.62% |
| 1965 | 5,832 | 5.75% |
| 1964 | 5,515 | 5.53% |
| 1963 | 5,226 | 4.96% |
| 1962 | 4,979 | 4.29% |
| 1961 | 4,774 | 3.62% |
| 1960 | 4,607 | - |
Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population/nauru | CC BY 
Nauru has a population of 12.1K as of 2026, compared to 11.2K in 2016, 10K in 2006, and 10.2K in 1996.
Over the past 10 years, the population has had a trend to increase by an average of 0.87% per year. Nauru is ranked 111th out of 197 countries by a 10-year average growth rate.
The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that with changing growth rate trends in 20 years (in 2046) Nauru will have 15,064 people (24.2% growth) and still will be ranked 195th.
By the year 2100, Nauru's population is projected to grow by 70.9% from its current level to 20.7K people.
Natural change and net migration by year
| Year | Population change | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Natural | Net migration | |
| 2025 | - | - | -122 |
| 2024 | - | - | -121 |
| 2023 | 65 | 213 | -148 |
| 2022 | 82 | 226 | -144 |
| 2021 | 99 | 236 | -137 |
| 2020 | 32 | 246 | -214 |
| 2019 | 84 | 255 | -171 |
| 2018 | 134 | 265 | -131 |
| 2017 | 164 | 279 | -115 |
| 2016 | 184 | 289 | -105 |
| 2015 | 205 | 291 | -86 |
| 2014 | 221 | 290 | -69 |
| 2013 | 238 | 291 | -53 |
| 2012 | 254 | 292 | -38 |
| 2011 | 85 | 291 | -206 |
| 2010 | 35 | 281 | -246 |
| 2009 | 12 | 261 | -249 |
| 2008 | -3 | 240 | -243 |
| 2007 | -13 | 222 | -235 |
| 2006 | -15 | 209 | -224 |
| 2005 | -13 | 204 | -217 |
| 2004 | -8 | 202 | -210 |
| 2003 | 2 | 201 | -199 |
| 2002 | -47 | 200 | -247 |
| 2001 | -49 | 203 | -252 |
| 2000 | -29 | 207 | -236 |
| 1999 | -15 | 212 | -227 |
| 1998 | -3 | 214 | -217 |
| 1997 | 9 | 218 | -209 |
| 1996 | 17 | 221 | -204 |
| 1995 | 24 | 225 | -201 |
| 1994 | 33 | 229 | -196 |
| 1993 | 41 | 235 | -194 |
| 1992 | 116 | 237 | -121 |
| 1991 | 225 | 225 | 0 |
| 1990 | 234 | 214 | 20 |
| 1989 | 228 | 204 | 24 |
| 1988 | 224 | 195 | 29 |
| 1987 | 213 | 186 | 27 |
| 1986 | 199 | 178 | 21 |
| 1985 | 179 | 171 | 8 |
| 1984 | 164 | 166 | -2 |
| 1983 | 158 | 163 | -5 |
| 1982 | 192 | 162 | 30 |
| 1981 | 201 | 157 | 44 |
| 1980 | 189 | 145 | 44 |
| 1979 | 178 | 130 | 48 |
| 1978 | 151 | 111 | 40 |
| 1977 | 121 | 89 | 32 |
| 1976 | 79 | 79 | 0 |
| 1975 | 70 | 70 | 0 |
| 1974 | 63 | 63 | 0 |
| 1973 | 57 | 57 | 0 |
| 1972 | 53 | 53 | 0 |
| 1971 | 50 | 50 | 0 |
| 1970 | 49 | 49 | 0 |
| 1969 | 203 | 71 | 132 |
| 1968 | 296 | 116 | 180 |
| 1967 | 89 | 117 | -28 |
| 1966 | 91 | 123 | -32 |
| 1965 | 331 | 113 | 218 |
| 1964 | 303 | 100 | 203 |
| 1963 | 269 | 88 | 181 |
| 1962 | 233 | 75 | 158 |
| 1961 | 190 | 70 | 120 |
| 1960 | 148 | 72 | 76 |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population/nauru | CC BY
Over the last 10 years, 66.2% of the population change in Nauru is from natural causes (a gain of 2,590 people) and 33.8% is from migration (a loss of 1,320 people).
As of 2024, 2,548 residents or 21.3% of the population were not native-born in Nauru, compared to 906 and 9% in 2010.
Nauru population clock
Nauru
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Current population |
12125
|
195/197 |
| Percent of world population | 0.0001% | 195/197 |
| One net population change |
5.07 days
|
162/197 |
| One birth every |
1.21 days
|
193/196 |
| One death every |
4.1 days
|
195/196 |
| Daily growth/decline | +0 | 162/197 |
| Annual growth/decline | +72 | 162/197 |
| Annual growth/decline rate | +0.61% | 126/197 |
| One migration net change every |
3 days
|
82/196 |
| Annual migration change | -122 | 82/196 |
| Foreign-born residents | 2,548 | 191/195 |
| Foreign-born share of population | 21.3% | 29/195 |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Nauru population statistics
|
Nauru
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy | 62.6 years | 73.8 years |
| Average age | 25.3 years | 33.8 years |
| Median age | 21.4 years | 31.6 years |
| Male:Female ratio | 50.9:49.1 | 50.3:49.7 |
| Fertility rate | 3.33 births per woman | 2.2 births per woman |
| Population density | 1,568 ppl/mi² | 144 ppl/mi² |
Population map with other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population/nauru | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.