Nauru

republic

Nauru as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 68 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

Capitalno capital city as such

Area21 km2

Populationas each edition published it

9,202 people July 1990 · 9,930 in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 1.42% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19.6 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 66.68 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.3 children per woman 1990 · 2.52 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

41 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 7.5 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $10,000 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 8% in 2015

Geography

12 fields

Land useshare of 21 km2

forest and woodland 0%other 100%arable land 0% in all · permanent crops 0% in all · meadows and pastures 0% in all

Total area

21km2

land area: 21 km2Comparative area: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

30km

land boundaries: noneTerritorial sea: 12 nm

Climate

tropical;
monsoonal;
rainy season (November to February)

Terrain

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

Note

one of three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific (others are Banaba or Ocean Island in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia)

People

14 fields

Population

9,202

(July 1990), growth rate 1.5% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

20Death

Ethnic divisions

Nauruan 58%other Pacific Islander 26%Chinese 8%European 8%

Literacy

99%

Religion

Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)

Language

Nauruan, a distinct Pacific Island language (official); English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes

Government

Republic

16 fields

Parliament, 18 seats, elected 9 December 1989one dot, one seat

independents 18

Capital

no capital city as such; government offices in Yaren District

Administrative divisions

14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

Independence

31 January 1968 (from UN trusteeship under Australia, New Zealand, and UK); formerly Pleasant Island

Legal system

own Acts of Parliament and British common law

Judicial branch

Supreme Court Chief of State and Head of Government--President Bernard DOWIYOGO (since 12 December 1989)

Suffrage

universal and compulsory at age 20 President--last held 9 December 1989 (next to be held December 1992);
results--Bernard Dowiyogo elected by Parliament;
Parliament--last held on 9 December 1989 (next to be held December 1992);
results--percent of vote NA;
seats--(18 total) independents 18

Member of

Commonwealth (special member), ESCAP, ICAO, INTERPOL, ITU, SPC, SPF, UPU

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador T. W. STAR resides in Melbourne (Australia);
there is a Nauruan Consulate in Agana (Guam);
US--the US Ambassador to Australia is accredited to Nauru

Flag

blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side;
the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru

Economy

Revenues come from the export of phosphates, the reserves of which are expected to be exhausted by the year 2000.

16 fields

Unemployment rate

External debt

$33.3million

Budget

Revenues

$69.7 millionExpenditures

$51.5 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY86 est.)

Revenues come from the export of phosphates, the reserves of which are expected to be exhausted by the year 2000. Phosphates have given Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the Third World--$10,000 annually. Few other resources exist so most necessities must be imported, including fresh water from Australia.

The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates constitute serious long-term problems. Substantial investment in trust funds, out of phosphate income, will help cushion the transition.

GNP

over $90 million, per capita $10,000; real growth rate NA% (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Exports

$93 million (f.o.b., 1984);
commodities--phosphates;
partners--Australia, NZ

Imports

$73 million (c.i.f., 1984);
commodities--food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery;
partners--Australia, UK, NZ, Japan

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Electricity

13,250 kW capacity; 48 million kWh produced, 5,300 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

phosphate mining, financial services, coconuts

Agriculture

negligible; almost completely dependent on imports for food and water

Aid

none

Currency

Australian dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Australian dollars ($A) per US$1--1.2784 (January 1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986), 1.4269 (1985)

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June

Communications

7 fields

Merchant marine, 4 ships by typeone square, one ship

passenger-cargo 1cargo 1bulk 24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 39,597 GRT/50,729 DWT

adequate intraisland and international radio communications provided via Australian facilities;
1,600 telephones;
4,000 radio receivers;
stations--1 AM, no FM, no TV;
1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station