If you lived in Palau instead of France, you would:

Health

live 13.6 years less

In France, the average life expectancy is 83 years (80 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2024. In Palau, that number is 69 years (67 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 3.6 times more likely to be obese

In France, 11.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Palau, that number is 40.5% of people as of 2024.

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see 73.0% less spent on your healthcare

France spends $6,868 per person on healthcare as of 2024 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Palau spends $1,857 as of 2023.

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have 44.9% fewer doctors per person

France has 32.8 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Palau has 18.1 as of 2023.

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have 23.5% less access to essential health services

France scores 85 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Palau scores 65 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 60.1% less money

France has a GDP per capita of $48,986 as of 2025, while in Palau, the GDP per capita is $19,532 as of 2025.

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Life

have 10.2% more children

In France, there are approximately 9.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Palau, there are 10.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 12.7 times more likely to die during childbirth

In France, approximately 7.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Palau, 89.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 5.5 times more likely to die during infancy

In France, approximately 3.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Palau, on the other hand, 18.6 children do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 35.3% less on education

France spends 5.3% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Palau spends 3.4% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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Geography

see 68.7% less coastline

France has a total of 4,853 km of coastline. In Palau, that number is 1,519 km.

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Safety

be 4.7 times more likely to die in a road accident

In France, road accidents kill 4.7 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Palau, they kill 22.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 85.0% less home broadband

France has 48.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Palau has 7.3 as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 20.7 times more CO2

France emits 4.0 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Palau emits 82.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

Palau: At a glance

Palau is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 459 sq km. After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the Caroline Islands opted for independence in 1978 rather than join the Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with the US was approved in 1986 but not ratified until 1993. It entered into force the following year when the islands gained independence.
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How big is Palau compared to France? See an in-depth size comparison.

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