Discover
The identity of the nation
Palau is a small country of about 340 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, in the region called Micronesia. With just over 18 thousand inhabitants, it is one of the least populous countries on the planet, yet it holds a rich culture, shaped by centuries of seafaring and fishing, and by a society in which women play a central role in clan decisions (groups of families linked by descent). The main island, Babeldaob, holds most of the land and population, while dozens of smaller islets, some days by boat from the capital, remain isolated and receive little attention of any kind, including spiritual.
The Christian faith reached Palau back in the 19th century, brought by Spanish Catholic colonizers, and spread further during the German, Japanese and American periods that followed. Today most of the population identifies as Christian, split between Catholics and Protestants, but that faith exists side by side with Modekngei, a religious movement that arose in Palau in the early 20th century and blends ancestral beliefs with elements of Christianity, without recognizing Jesus as the only Lord. For many families, the line between following Christ and honoring the spirits of their ancestors is still unclear, which calls for discernment and patience from those who wish to proclaim the gospel there.
Palau’s greatest missionary challenge is not opposition, but neglect. The country is too small and remote to draw much attention, and its farthest islands, such as Sonsorol, Hatohobei and Kayangel, are days by boat from the capital and receive very few visits of any kind. At the same time, communities of foreign workers, such as Filipinos, Bangladeshis and the small group of Japanese descendants, live in Palau sustaining part of the economy, but often remain on the margins of local church life, with no one to tell them of Christ in their own language and culture.
Palau also carries a calling that can become a bridge to the gospel: the country has become a world reference in ocean conservation, being the first in the world to turn all of its waters into a shark sanctuary and to ask every visitor, upon entering the country, to pledge to care for the island as if it belonged to the children of Palau. This care for creation can naturally point to the Creator, if the church in Palau grows in depth and not merely in family tradition. The younger generation, however, has been leaving the country in search of study and work in the United States, which empties families, churches and local leadership.
Praying for Palau means praying for a small people whose testimony can reach far beyond its shores: that the faith already present there may mature and become personal, that the most isolated islands are not forgotten, and that the foreigners living among the Palauans may also find the good news of Jesus.
- About 1000 BC The first Austronesian settlers arrive on the islands of Palau from Southeast Asia.
- 1885 Palau becomes part of the Spanish East Indies, and the first Catholic missionaries arrive.
- 1899 Spain sells Palau to Germany after losing the Spanish-American War.
- 1914 Japan takes control of Palau during World War I and later administers it as a League of Nations mandate.
- 1944 The Battle of Peleliu, one of the hardest-fought battles of World War II in the Pacific, leaves thousands dead on Palauan soil.
- 1947 Palau begins to be administered by the United States as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, under a UN mandate.
- 1981 Palau adopts its own constitution and elects its first president.
- 1994 Palau achieves full sovereignty and signs the Compact of Free Association with the United States.
- 2009 Palau becomes the first country in the world to declare all of its waters a shark sanctuary.
- Today Palau leads global marine conservation efforts and keeps close ties with the United States.
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PalauanThe main language of the Palauan people, spoken at home and in communities, with Austronesian roots.
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EnglishWorking language of the government, courts and business, taught in schools.
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SonsoroleseSpoken in Sonsorol state, one of the country's most remote islands.
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TobianSpoken in Hatohobei state (also called Tobi), by a few hundred people.
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TagalogSpoken by the large community of Filipino workers living in Palau.
Palau lies in the western Pacific Ocean, in the region of Micronesia, and is made up of about 340 islands and islets of volcanic and coral origin. The largest of them, Babeldaob, holds most of the land and is home to the capital, Ngerulmud. To the west lie the so-called Rock Islands, green limestone formations recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, and further south and southwest are scattered remote islands such as Peleliu, Angaur, Sonsorol and Hatohobei, some days by boat from the center of the country.
Major cities
- KororFormer capital and the country's largest city, a commercial hub where nearly half the population lives.
- NgerulmudCurrent capital since 2006, in Melekeok state, one of the least populated capitals in the world.
- AiraiState neighboring Koror, home to the international airport and one of the country's oldest bai (traditional meeting houses).
- PeleliuSouthern island marked by one of the hardest-fought battles of World War II, now home to preserved historic sites.
- KayangelA coral atoll in the far north, one of Palau's most isolated and smallest communities.
Climate and temperature
Demok
Taro leaf soup (a root widely grown in the Pacific) cooked with coconut milk, considered Palau's national dish.
Fish grilled over coconut-husk coals
Local fish seasoned with salt, lime and ginger, grilled over coals made from coconut husks.
Coconut crab
One of the largest land crabs in the world, served on special occasions with a coconut milk and ginger sauce.
Breadfruit
Baked or fried fruit, used as a side dish in place of rice or potatoes.
Taro
A root that forms the base of the traditional diet, cultivated for centuries by Palauan women in flooded fields.
Fruit bat soup
Traditional dish made with coconut milk and herbs, now rare because of Palau's bat protection laws.
Understand
Culture and spirituality
2a · The culture
Bai (meeting house)
Traditional wooden structure decorated with paintings that tell legends and clan history; only men may enter.
Matrilineal society
In Palau, lineage, land and much of social authority pass through the mother, not the father; women play a central role in clan decisions.
Storyboards
Carved wooden panels depicting scenes from Palauan legends, an art form that grew out of bai paintings.
Rock Islands
About 200 green limestone islets scattered across the sea, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Jellyfish Lake
An inland lake where millions of stingless jellyfish have lived isolated from the ocean for millennia.
World War II memory
The island of Peleliu still holds bunkers, tanks and cemeteries from one of the hardest-fought battles of the Pacific.
- Entering a bai without permission It is the traditional men's meeting house, carrying deep sacred meaning for the clan.
- Treating older women with informality They hold a position of authority in Palauan matrilineal society and deserve special respect.
- Touching or disturbing coral and marine life Palau has strict environmental protection laws, and disregarding them is seen as a serious matter.
- Photographing traditional ceremonies without asking permission Clan rituals and Modekngei ceremonies (a religion blending ancient beliefs with Christianity) are treated with great reserve.
- Excessive haste and informality The pace of life is relaxed, and important decisions pass through a council of chiefs and take time.
2b · The field
Areas of spiritual battle and cultural captivity to cover in prayer. Tap each point to understand:
Religious movement that blends ancestral beliefs with elements of Christianity, without recognizing Jesus as the only Lord.
Deep respect for the traditions of ancestors sometimes turns into a devotion that belongs to God alone.
The arrival of tourism and foreign money fuels a desire for goods and status.
Communities such as Sonsorol, Hatohobei and Kayangel are days by boat from the center of the country and receive little spiritual attention.
Many young people leave Palau to study or work in the United States, emptying churches and families.
Many call themselves Catholic or Protestant out of family tradition, without a personal, living faith.
Pride in being a small, self-reliant and successful country can make dependence on God difficult.
Filipinos, Bangladeshis and other immigrants who sustain the economy often remain on the margins of local church life.
Ancient beliefs about the spirits of places and of the ocean still influence decisions and behavior.
Religious freedom is protected by law in Palau and respected in practice, with no state persecution against Christians. The greatest challenge for those who follow Christ there comes not from the government but from social pressure in small communities bound tightly by clan ties (groups of families linked by descent), where living out the Christian faith with conviction can mean stepping away from family traditions tied to Modekngei or to ancestral customs.
On remote islands such as Sonsorol and Hatohobei, geographic isolation weighs more heavily than any hostility: entire communities can go long periods without any visit, biblical teaching or outside support.
The persecution score runs from 0 to 100: the higher it is, the greater the pressure on Christians.
Palau has seven people groups identified by the Joshua Project, most of them already significantly reached by the gospel, including the Palauan people, who form the core of the country's population and church. The only people group still unreached is the small community of Japanese descendants, who maintain strong cultural ties to Japan and mostly follow Buddhist traditions rather than the Christian faith. Despite the small size of this community, it represents a little-explored door to the gospel within Palau's own territory.
- 1K Unreached 6.1%
- 0 Minimally reached 0%
- 0 Superficially reached 0%
- 0 Partially reached 0%
- 17K Significantly reached 93.9%
- 1 Unreached 14.3%
- 0 Minimally reached 0%
- 0 Superficially reached 0%
- 0 Partially reached 0%
- 6 Significantly reached 85.7%
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Japanese
Sonsorol
Filipino tagalo
Tobian
Palauan
English-speaking Palauan
Americans of the US
Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.
Source: Joshua Project and Progress.Bible. Estimates, may vary.
Palauan Official
English Official
Pray
Intercede for this nation
Send and sustain
Not everyone goes, everyone takes part
Not everyone goes. Everyone takes part.
Behind every worker among these peoples stands a network of people who pray without ceasing, care for the family left behind, and faithfully sustain the work. Sending is mission too.
Start with your church: introduce this nation, adopt it in ongoing prayer, and walk alongside those God is raising up to go.
Go
Practical details for those who want to go
Local time
Cost of living
Average price of a basic meal in Koror.
Cost by city
Reference values (source: Numbeo). Confirm before traveling.
Practical points for those who go
- Palau uses the US dollar as its official currency, which makes exchange easier.
- Sea transport is essential to reach the remote islands, which have few regular flights.
- Respect the environmental protection laws, taken very seriously and enforced with heavy fines.
- Electricity and internet can be unreliable outside Koror.
- The humid tropical climate calls for light clothing and constant protection from rain and sun.