Nauru

Republic of Nauru

republic

Nauru as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 76 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 official capital

Area21 sq km

LocationOceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the

Populationas each edition published it

10,149 people July 1995 est. · 9,202 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.33% 1995 est. · 1.42% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19.6 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

66.68 years 1995 est. · 66.68 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.08 children per woman 1995 est. · 2.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

40.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 41 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$10,000 1993 est. · $10,000 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 8% in 2015

Geography

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the | Marshall Islands

14 fields

Land useshare of 21 sq km

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

Area

21sq km

land area: 21 sq kmcomparative area: about one-tenth the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

30km

land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive fishing zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands

Climate

tropical;
monsoonal;
rainy season (November to February)

Terrain

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

Environment

current issues:: limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater; phosphate mining threatens limited remaining land resources
natural hazards:: periodic droughts
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Marine Dumping; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Note

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; only 53 km south of Equator

People

15 fields

Population

10,149

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 1.33% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

18.03Death

5.1Net migration

0.4

Ethnic divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: NA
15-64 years:: NA
65 years and over:: NA

Infant mortality rate

40.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 66.68 years
male:: 64.3 years
female:: 69.18 years (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Nauruan(s)
adjective:: Nauruan

Religions

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

Languages

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

Government

Republic

19 fields

Legislature, 18 seatsone dot, one seat

independents 18

Names

conventional long form:: Republic of Nauru
conventional short form:: Nauru
former:: Pleasant Island

Capital

no official capital; 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 the Australia, New Zealand, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)

Legal system

own Acts of Parliament and British common law

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government:: President Bernard DOWIYOGO (since 12 December 1989);
election last held 19 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1995);
results - Bernard DOWIYOGO elected by Parliament
cabinet:: Cabinet; appointed by the president from the parliament

Parliament

elections last held on 14 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1995);
results - percent of vote NA;
seats - (18 total) independents 18

Member of

AsDB, C (special), ESCAP, ICAO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UPU

Diplomatic representation in US

consulate(s): Agana (Guam)

US diplomatic representation

the US Ambassador to Fiji 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.

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$10,000

(1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

External debt

$33.3million

Budget

Revenues

$69.7 millionExpenditures

$51.5 million (1986 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 14,000 kW

Electricity production

30 millionElectricity consumption per capita

3,036 (1993)

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. 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 are serious long-term problems. Substantial amounts of phosphate income are invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $100 million (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

NA%

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

Industries

phosphate mining, financial services, coconut products

Agriculture

coconuts;
other agricultural activity negligible;
almost completely dependent on imports for food and water

Economic aid

recipient: Western (non-US) countries (1970-89), $2 million

Currency

1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.3058 (January 1995), 1.3667 (1994), 1.4704 (1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2834 (1991), 1.2799 (1990)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Transportation

5 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 1 in all

1,524 to 2,437 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

27Railroads

3.9

Highways: paved: 21 km · unpaved: improved earth 6 km · Railroads: ; note - used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing facilities on the southwest coast