Nauru
Republic of Nauru
republic
Nauru as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 103 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied by Australian forces in World War I. Upon achieving independence in 1968, Nauru became the smallest independent republic in the world; it joined the UN in 1999.
Geography
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands
18 fieldsLand useshare of 21 sq km
Environment - current issues
- limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination plant;
- intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and New Zealand consortium - has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Geography - 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 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2000 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 40.99% (male 2,494; female 2,361)
- 15-64 years:
- 57.37% (male 3,383; female 3,413)
- 65 years and over:
- 1.64% (male 97; female 97) (2000 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.99 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 1 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.02 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Languages
Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes
Government
Republic; President Rene HARRIS (since NA 1999); President Rene HARRIS (since NA 1999)
18 fieldsParliament, 18 seats, elected 8 February 1997one dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Nauru
- conventional short form:
- Nauru
- former:
- Pleasant Island
Administrative divisions
14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Rene HARRIS (since NA 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
- head of government:
- President Rene HARRIS (since NA 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
- cabinet:
- Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of Parliament
- elections:
- president elected by Parliament for a three-year term; election last held 27 April 1999 (next to be held NA 2002)
- election results:
- Rene HARRIS elected president; percent of Parliament vote - NA
note: former President Bernard DOWIYOGO was deposed in a no-confidence vote
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
- elections:
- last held 8 February 1997 (next to be held NA February 2000)
- election results:
- percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 18
Political parties and leaders
- loose multiparty system;
- Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG];
- Nauru Party (informal) [Bernard DOWIYOGO]
International organization participation
AsDB, C, ESCAP, ICAO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US
Nauru does not have an embassy in the US, but will open a UN office early in 2000 at 800 2nd Avenue, New York, New York; consulate(s): Agana (Guam)
Diplomatic representation from the US
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, 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 of this tiny island come from exports of phosphates, but reserves are expected to be exhausted in the year 2000.
30 fieldsElectricity
Economy - overview
Revenues of this tiny island come from exports of phosphates, but reserves are expected to be exhausted in the year 2000. Phosphates have given Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the Third World, with estimates of GDP varying widely. Few other resources exist, thus 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. The government also has been borrowing heavily from the trusts to finance fiscal deficits.
To cut costs the government has called for a freezing of wages, a reduction of over-staffed public service departments, privatization of numerous government agencies, and closure of some overseas consulates. In recent years Nauru has encouraged the registration of offshore banks and corporations. Tens of billions of dollars have been channeled through their accounts.
Labor force - by occupation
employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation
Exchange rates
Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.5207 (January 2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
adequate local and international radiotelephone communications provided via Australian facilities
- domestic:
- NA
- international:
- satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Transportation
6 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved only
Networkskm
Railways
total: 3.9 km; note - used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing facilities on the southwest coast
Military
No regular armed forces; Directorate of the Nauru Police Force
6 fieldsMilitary - note
Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, Australia is responsible for defense of the island
Transnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Nauru.” The World Factbook 2000. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/nauru/2000.