world
factbook
Nauru
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 became one of the richest countries in the world because of its extensive phosphate stocks; however, the phosphate was depleted in the early 1980s and the quality of life began to decline. In 2001, an Australian offshore refugee processing center was opened in Nauru, providing an economic lifeline. Nauru is one of Taiwan's few remaining diplomatic partners, and in 2008, Nauru recognized the breakaway Georgian republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

geography

location

Oceania
0.32° S, 166. 55° E
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands

area

21 sq km
land
21 sq km
water
0 sq km

land boundaries

0 km

coastline

30 km

climate

tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February)

terrain

sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center

elevation

lowest point
Pacific Ocean
0
highest point
Command Ridge
70

natural resources

  • phosphates
  • fish

land use

  • arable land
  • permanent crops
  • permanent pasture
  • forest
  • other

population distribution

extensive phosphate mining made approximately 90% of the island unsuitable for farming; most people live in the fertile coastal areas, especially along the southwest coast

people

population

  • 11,000
  • 223
    global rank

nationality

  • Nauruan(s)
    noun
  • Nauruan
    adjective

ethnic groups

Nauruan
88.9 %
part Nauruan
6.6 %
I-Kiribati
2 %
other
2.5 %

languages

  • Nauruan
    official, a distinct Pacific Island language
  • English
    widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes
  • other

religions

Protestant
60.4 %
Roman Catholic
33 %
other
3.7 %
none
1.8 %
unspecified
1.1 %

birth rate

  • 21.9
    per 1,000 population
  • 67
    global rank

death rate

  • 6
    per 1,000 population
  • 165
    global rank

urban population

100 %

life expectancy

  • 68.4
    total population
  • 175
    global rank
64.3
male
71.9
female

adult obesity rate

  • 61%
    percent of adults
  • 1
    global rank

government

country name

    conventional

  • Republic of Nauru
    long form
  • Nauru
    short form

    local

  • Republic of Nauru
    long form
  • Nauru
    short form

government type

parliamentary republic

capital

no official capital; government offices in the Yaren District

independence

national holidays

  • Independence Day
    31 January

legal system

mixed legal system of common law based on the English model and customary law

age of suffrage

20

flag description

blue with a narrow, horizontal, gold stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; blue stands for the Pacific Ocean, the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the gold stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru; the star's white color represents phosphate, the basis of the island's wealth

national colors

  • blue
  • yellow
  • white

national anthem

"Nauru Bwiema" (Song of Nauru)

economy

overview

Revenues of this tiny island - a coral atoll with a land area of 21 square kilometers - traditionally have come from exports of phosphates. Few other resources exist, with most necessities being imported, mainly from Australia, its former occupier and later major source of support. Primary reserves of phosphates were exhausted and mining ceased in 2006, but mining of a deeper layer of "secondary phosphate" in the interior of the island began the following year. The secondary phosphate deposits may last another 30 years. Earnings from Nauru’s export of phosphate remains an important source of income. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist; estimates of Nauru's GDP vary widely. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income were invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. Although revenue sources for government are limited, the opening of the Australian Regional Processing Center for asylum seekers since 2012 has sparked growth in the economy. Revenue derived from fishing licenses under the "vessel day scheme" has also boosted government income. Housing, hospitals, and other capital plant are deteriorating. The cost to Australia of keeping the Nauruan government and economy afloat continues to climb.

GDP

160,000,000 USD
2017

agriculture products

  • coconuts

budget

  • 103,000,000
    revenue (USD)
  • 113,400,000
    expenditures (USD)

communications

telephones

    fixed lines

  • 1,900
    total subscriptions
  • 216
    global rank

    mobile cellular

  • 9,900
    total subscriptions
  • 214
    global rank

broadcast media

1 government-owned TV station broadcasting programs from New Zealand sent via satellite or on videotape; 1 government-owned radio station, broadcasting on AM and FM, utilizes Australian and British programs (2019)

internet

.nr
country code

    users

  • 5,524
    total
  • 57
    % of population
  • 215
    global rank

energy

This entry doesn't have any available energy data.

transportation

air transport

    national system

  • 1
    registered air carriers
  • 38,858
    annual passenger traffic

    airports

  • 1
    total
  • 1
    paved

roadways

30 km
total length

military

This entry doesn't have any available military data.