Ethnicity, Language, & Religion of Palau
Ethnicity
About 70% of Palau's population is Palauan, which is an ethnicity that is often times considered to be Micronesian. The Micronesians are a combination of Melanesian, Polynesian, and Filipino, but the percentage of each of these groups varies. Although widely considered Micronesian, The Palauans have significant traces of Malay and Melanesian, but, like all Micronesians, have traces of Filipino and Polynesian as well. Additionally, many Palauans today have Japanese ancestry due to intermarriage between the two groups in the 1800s and 1900s.
In addition to the Palauans, there is a significant Filipino population in Palau, making up about 15% of the population. The ethnic Chinese make up about 5% of the population and the rest of the people are of multiple ethnicities, including other parts of Asia, Europe, and various regions in Micronesia.
Language
Palau has numerous official languages depending on what state you're in. Generally speaking English and Palauan are official languages throughout the country, but some islands don't recognize English and others don't recognize Palauan as official. Most states also officially recognize additional languages, primarily local Micronesian languages, but on some islands Japanese is recognized (as this was the de facto language of communication in years past). Despite official status, few people are native English speakers and in some areas there are few native Palauan speakers, although these two languages tend to be the languages of communication across groups. Among the many other native languages are Sonsoralese, Tobi, and Angaur. Tagalog (or Filipino) is also widely spoken by Filipino immigrants, but is not officially recognized.