Population and Demographics of Nauru
Population changed +0.61% in 2024 · median age 20 years
Older adults account for 2.87% of the population in Nauru, with a 34.89-point gap between the under-15 and 65-plus shares. By 2050, the medium path points to 15.8 thousand, equivalent to a +32.8% change from the 2024 estimate.
Population Over Time in Nauru
Nauru's population stood at 0.010M in 2000 and 0.012M in 2024, equivalent to a +17.5% change over that period. The UN medium projection places 2050 at 0.016M, about 31.9% above the 2024 reference point. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
In 2024, Nauru's age mix can be described as very young on the broad UN age-group measures. The youngest broad age group represents 37.76% of residents, against 2.87% in the 65+ group; the working-age band is 59.37%. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
Nauru's 2024 population is 49.1% female and 50.9% male in the World Bank series. Males exceed females by 1.8 percentage points.
Female and male population share
Males made up 50.9% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 49.1% females.
What Is Shaping Population Change
Annual change of +0.61% is one part of Nauru's 2024 profile; fertility of 3.3 is another, while the age balance leans younger, based on 37.76% under 15 versus 2.87% at 65-plus.
Nauru is 16.7% larger than its 2000 population in the 2024 reference year, before the medium projection moves another +32.8% to 2050; component causes are not assigned without separate births, deaths and migration data.
2024 estimate for Nauru. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Nauru vs. World
Against the 2024 world benchmarks, Nauru's annual population change was lower than the global pace, fertility was above the world level, and its population was younger than the world median-age profile.
| Indicator | Nauru | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +0.61% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 3.3 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 20 | 30.6 | 2024 |
The comparison is intentionally narrow: each row uses the 2024 country table and its matching world value rather than mixing sources or observation years.
Key Takeaways
Nauru has 11,947 people in the 2024 estimate, with the population changing +0.61% over the year.
Age structure is a key feature of the profile: 37.76% are under 15 and 2.87% are 65 or older.
Females make up 49.1% of the 2024 population in the World Bank indicator, with males at 50.9%.
On the medium path, 2050 reaches 0.016M, a +31.9% shift from the 2024 level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Nauru?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for Nauru is 11,947 people.
Is the population of Nauru growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Nauru's population is growing, with annual change of +0.61%.
What percentage of the population of Nauru is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 2.87% of Nauru's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of Nauru in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Nauru's 2050 population at 15,758.
What is the fertility rate in Nauru?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for Nauru is 3.3 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.