Introduction
Background
Nauru was inhabited by Micronesian and Polynesian settlers by around 1000 B.C., and the island was divided into 12 clans. Nauru developed in relative isolation because ocean currents made landfall on the island difficult. As a result, the Nauruan language does not clearly resemble any other in the Pacific region. In 1798, British sea captain John FEARN became the first European to spot the island. By 1830, European whalers used Nauru as a supply stop, trading firearms for food. In 1878, a civil war erupted on the island, reducing the population by more than a third. Germany forcibly annexed Nauru in 1888 by holding the 12 chiefs under house arrest until they consented to the annexation. Germany banned alcohol, confiscated weapons, instituted strict dress codes, and brought in Christian missionaries to convert the population. Phosphate was discovered in 1900 and heavily mined, although Nauru and Nauruans earned about one tenth of one percent of the profits from the phosphate deposits.
Australian forces captured Nauru from Germany during World War I, and in 1919, it was placed under a joint Australian-British-New Zealand mandate with Australian administration. Japan occupied Nauru during World War II and used its residents as forced labor elsewhere in the Pacific while destroying much of the infrastructure on the island. After the war, Nauru became a UN trust territory under Australian administration. Recognizing the phosphate stocks would eventually be depleted, in 1962, Australian Prime Minister Robert MENZIES offered to resettle all Nauruans on Curtis Island in Queensland, but Nauruans rejected that plan and opted for independence, which was achieved in 1968. In 1970, Nauru purchased the phosphate mining assets, and income from the mines made Nauruans among the richest people in the world. However, Nauru subsequently began a series of unwise investments in buildings, musical theater, and an airline. Nauru sued Australia in 1989 for the damage caused by mining when Australia administered the island. Widespread phosphate mining officially ceased in 2006.
Nauru went nearly bankrupt by 2000 and tried to rebrand itself as an offshore banking haven, although it ended that practice in 2005. In 2001, Australia set up the Nauru Regional Processing Center (NRPC), an offshore refugee detention facility, paying Nauru per person at the center. The NRPC was closed in 2008 but reopened in 2012. The number of refugees has steadily declined since 2014, and the remaining people were moved to a hotel in Brisbane, Australia, in 2020, effectively shuttering the NRPC. In a bid for Russian humanitarian aid, in 2008, Nauru recognized the breakaway Georgian republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
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Geography
Location
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands
Geographic coordinates
0 32 S, 166 55 E
Map references
Oceania
Area - comparative
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Coastline
30 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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
highest point: Command Ridge 70 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Natural resources
phosphates, fish
Land use
agricultural land: 20% (2018 est.)
arable land: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 20% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
forest: 0% (2018 est.)
other: 80% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
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
Natural hazards
periodic droughts
Geography - note
Nauru is the third-smallest country in the world behind the Holy See (Vatican City) and Monaco; it is the smallest country in the Pacific Ocean, the smallest country outside Europe, the world's smallest island country, and the the world's smallest independent republic; situated just 53 km south of the Equator, Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Nauruan(s)
adjective: Nauruan
Ethnic groups
Nauruan 88.9%, part Nauruan 6.6%, I-Kiribati 2%, other 2.5% (2007 est.)
Languages
Nauruan 93% (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English 2% (widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes), other 5% (includes I-Kiribati 2% and Chinese 2%) (2011 est.)
note: data represent main language spoken at home; Nauruan is spoken by 95% of the population, English by 66%, and other languages by 12%
Religions
Protestant 60.4% (includes Nauru Congregational 35.7%, Assembly of God 13%, Nauru Independent Church 9.5%, Baptist 1.5%, and Seventh Day Adventist 0.7%), Roman Catholic 33%, other 3.7%, none 1.8%, unspecified 1.1% (2011 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 30.87% (male 1,337/female 1,684)
15-24 years: 15.68% (male 732/female 806)
25-54 years: 42.57% (male 2,115/female 2,050)
55-64 years: 6.97% (male 283/female 401)
65 years and over: 3.94% (male 133/female 254) (2022 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 69.9
youth dependency ratio: 66
elderly dependency ratio: 3.9
potential support ratio: 25.8 (2021)
Median age
total: 27 years
male: 28.2 years
female: 25.9 years (2020 est.)
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
Urbanization
urban population: 100% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.18% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.7 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 7.84 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 67.93 years
male: 64.38 years
female: 71.62 years (2022 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: NA
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: NA
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
9.8% of GDP (2019)
Physicians density
1.35 physicians/1,000 population (2015)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 96.3% of population
rural: NA
total: 96.3% of population
unimproved: urban: 3.7% of population
rural: NA
total: 3.7% of population (2017 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: high (2020)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: malaria
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 2.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 1.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use
total: 48.5% (2020 est.)
male: 47.8% (2020 est.)
female: 49.1% (2020 est.)
Literacy
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 26.6%
male: 20.9%
female: 37.5% (2013)
Environment
Environment - current issues
limited natural freshwater resources, roof storage tanks that collect rainwater and desalination plants provide water; a century of intensive phosphate mining beginning in 1906 left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland; cadmium residue, phosphate dust, and other contaminants have caused air and water pollution with negative impacts on health; climate change has brought on rising sea levels and inland water shortages
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 12.53 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 0.05 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 0.01 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February)
Land use
agricultural land: 20% (2018 est.)
arable land: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 20% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
forest: 0% (2018 est.)
other: 80% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 100% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.18% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: high (2020)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: malaria
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 6,192 tons (2016 est.)
Total renewable water resources
10 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
conventional short form: Nauru
local long form: Republic of Nauru
local short form: Nauru
former: Pleasant Island
etymology: the island name may derive from the Nauruan word "anaoero" meaning "I go to the beach"
Government type
parliamentary republic
Capital
name: no official capital; government offices in the Yaren District
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baitsi, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren
Independence
31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday
Independence Day, 31 January (1968)
Constitution
history: effective 29 January 1968
amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament; amendments to constitutional articles, such as the republican form of government, protection of fundamental rights and freedoms, the structure and authorities of the executive and legislative branches, also require two-thirds majority of votes in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2018
Legal system
mixed legal system of common law based on the English model and customary law
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Suffrage
20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch
chief of state: President Russ KUN (since 28 September 2022); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Russ KUN (since 28 September 2022)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among members of Parliament
elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by Parliament (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 September 2022 (next to be held in 2025)
election results:
Russ KUN elected president unopposed
Legislative branch
description: unicameral parliament (19 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by majority vote using the "Dowdall" counting system by which voters rank candidates on their ballots; members serve 3-year terms)
elections: last held on 24 September 2022 (next to be held in September 2025)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 19; composition - men 17, women 2, percent of women 10.5%
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and several justices); note - in late 2017, the Nauruan Government revoked the 1976 High Court Appeals Act, which had allowed appeals beyond the Nauruan Supreme Court, and in early 2018, the government formed its own appeals court
judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president to serve until age 65
subordinate courts: District Court, Family Court
Political parties and leaders
Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party [David ADEANG]
International organization participation
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICCt, IFAD, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Margo DEIYE (since 1 December 2021)
chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Third Floor, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 937-0074
FAX: [1] (212) 937-0079
email address and website:
nauru@onecommonwealth.org
https://www.un.int/nauru/
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru
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 symbol(s)
frigatebird, calophyllum flower; national colors: blue, yellow, white
National anthem
name: "Nauru Bwiema" (Song of Nauru)
lyrics/music: Margaret HENDRIE/Laurence Henry HICKS
note: adopted 1968
Economy
Economic 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.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$150 million (2019 est.)
$150 million (2018 est.)
$137 million (2017 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
4% (2017 est.)
10.4% (2016 est.)
2.8% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$13,500 (2019 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars
$13,600 (2018 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars
$10,667 (2017 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$114 million (2017 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
5.1% (2017 est.)
8.2% (2016 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 6.1% (2009 est.)
industry: 33% (2009 est.)
services: 60.8% (2009 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 98% (2016 est.)
government consumption: 37.6% (2016 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 42.2% (2016 est.)
exports of goods and services: 11.2% (2016 est.)
imports of goods and services: -89.1% (2016 est.)
Agricultural products
coconuts, tropical fruit, vegetables, pork, eggs, pig offals, pig fat, poultry, papayas, cabbages
Industries
phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products
Labor force - by occupation
note: most of the labor force is employed in phosphate mining, public administration, education, and transportation
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 26.6%
male: 20.9%
female: 37.5% (2013)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Budget
revenues: 103 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: 113.4 million (2017 est.)
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
Current account balance
$5 million (2017 est.)
$2 million (2016 est.)
Exports
$30 million (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$110.3 million (2012 est.)
Exports - partners
Thailand 34%, Australia 16%, United States 13%, South Korea 10%, Philippines 9%, Japan 7%, France 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
fish, calcium phosphates, low-voltage protection equipment, air conditioners, leather apparel (2019)
Imports
$90 million (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$64.9 million (2016 est.)
Imports - partners
Taiwan 52%, Australia 28% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, construction vehicles, tug boats, poultry meats, cars (2019)
Exchange rates
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -
1.311 (2017 est.)
1.3452 (2016 est.)
1.3452 (2015 est.)
1.3291 (2014 est.)
1.1094 (2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 99.8% (2018)
electrification - urban areas: 99.4% (2018)
electrification - rural areas: 98.7% (2018)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 15,000 kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 34.216 million kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 400 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
66,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 66,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 1,900 (2009 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19 (2009 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 10,000 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 92 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: relies on satellite as the primary Internet service provider and mobile operator; internet connectivity on the island is very limited and unstable due to the vulnerability of the network infrastructure to bad weather and limited network coverage, with several blind spots (2022)
domestic: fixed-line 0 per 100 and mobile-cellular subscribership approximately 92 per 100 (2020)
international: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
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 users
total: 6,136 (2019 est.)
percent of population: 57% (2019 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 950 (2010 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2010 est.)
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 5
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 45,457 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 7.94 million (2018) mt-km
Airports - with paved runways
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2021)
Roadways
total: 30 km (2002)
paved: 24 km (2002)
unpaved: 6 km (2002)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Nauru
Military and Security
Military and security forces
no regular military forces; the police force, under the Minister for Police and Emergency Services, maintains internal security and, as necessary, external security
Military - note
Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia
Nauru has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Nauru's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2022)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none identified
Refugees and internally displaced persons
stateless persons: 133 (mid-year 2021)