Nauru
Republic of Nauru
republic
Nauru as the 2009 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 112 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear since their language does not resemble any other in the Pacific. The island was annexed by Germany in 1888. Its phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium. Nauru was occupied by Australian forces in World War I and 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 joined the UN in 1999 as the world's smallest independent republic.
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 NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
- 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
22 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2009 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Religions(2002 census)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.97 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Languages
Nauruan (official; a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes
Government
Republic; President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007)
18 fieldsLegislature, 18 seats, elected 26 April 2008one dot, one seat
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
Capital
no official capital; government offices in Yaren District; time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren
Legal system
acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
- head of government:
- President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - President Ludwig SCOTTY defeated in a no confidence vote in parliament on 19 December 2007
- 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 19 December 2007 (next to be held in 2010)
- election results:
- NA
Legislative branch
unicameral parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
- elections:
- last held 26 April 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
- election results:
- percent of vote - NA;
- seats - independents 18;
- note - President Marcus STEPHEN called a snap election to break a parliamentary stalemate blocking legislative action
Political parties and leaders
- Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG];
- Nauru Party (informal);
- Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party;
- note - loose multiparty system
International organization participation
ACP, ADB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Marlene I. MOSES
- chancery:
- 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, NY 10017
- telephone:
- [1] (212) 937-0074
- FAX:
- [1] (212) 937-0079
- 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 have traditionally come from exports of phosphates now significantly depleted.
35 fieldsElectricity
Economy - overview
Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from exports of phosphates now significantly depleted. An Australian company in 2005 entered into an agreement intended to exploit remaining supplies. Few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, mainly from Australia its former occupier and later major source of support.
The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. Reserves of phosphates may only last until 2010 at current mining rates. 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.
As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faces virtual bankruptcy. To cut costs the government has frozen wages and reduced overstaffed public service departments. Nauru lost further revenue in 2008 with the closure of Australia's refugee processing center, making it almost totally dependent on food imports and foreign aid.
Housing, hospitals, and other capital plant is deteriorating. The cost to Australia of keeping the government and economy afloat continues to climb. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist with estimates of Nauru's GDP varying widely.
Labor force - by occupation
note: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation (1992)
Exchange rates
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2059 (2008 est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004)
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- adequate local and international radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities
- domestic:
- NA
- international:
- country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Transportation
4 fieldsMilitary
No regular military forces; Nauru Police Force (2009)
6 fieldsMilitary - note
Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia
Transnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Nauru.” The World Factbook 2009. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/nauru/2009.