If you lived in Nauru instead of American Samoa, you would:

Health

live 10.7 years less

In American Samoa, the average life expectancy is 73 years (70 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2024. In Nauru, that number is 62 years (60 years for men, 64 years for women) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Economy

make 18.7% less money

American Samoa has a GDP per capita of $18,017 as of 2022, while in Nauru, the GDP per capita is $14,640 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

be 23.5% less likely to die during infancy

In American Samoa, approximately 10.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Nauru, on the other hand, 7.7 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

have 63.8% more children

In American Samoa, there are approximately 15.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Nauru, there are 24.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 69.5% more likely to have access to electricity

In American Samoa, approximately 59% of people have electricity access (60% in urban areas, and 45% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Nauru, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 2.1 times more likely to have internet access

In American Samoa, approximately 40.3% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Nauru, about 83.0% do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Geography

see 74.1% less coastline

American Samoa has a total of 116 km of coastline. In Nauru, that number is 30 km.

View global rankings →


Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), The World Factbook (2020–2022). How we calculate this

Nauru: At a glance

Nauru is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 21 sq km. The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear since their language does not resemble any other in the Pacific region. Germany annexed the island in 1888. A German-British consortium began mining the island's phosphate deposits early in the 20th century. Australian forces occupied Nauru in World War I; it subsequently became a League of Nations mandate. After the Second World War - and a brutal occupation by Japan - Nauru became a UN trust territory. It achieved independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999 as the world's smallest independent republic.
Read more

How big is Nauru compared to American Samoa? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Nauru or American Samoa. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.