Nauru
Republic of Nauru
parliamentary republic
Nauru as the 2017 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 137 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 region. Germany annexed the island in 1888. A German-British consortium began mining the island's phosphate deposits early in the 20th century. Australian forces occupied Nauru in World War I; it 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
19 fieldsLand use
- agricultural land:
- 20%;
- arable land 0%;
- permanent crops 20%;
- permanent pasture 0%
- forest:
- 0%
- other:
- 80% (2011 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
Environment - current issues
- limited natural freshwater resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination plant;
- a century of intensive phosphate mining beginning in 1906 - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - 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
- world's smallest island country;
- 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
31 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2017 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2017 est.)
Male · female
Religions(2011 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%) note: percentages represent main language spoken at home; Nauruan is spoken by 95% of the population, English by 66%, and other languages by 12% (2011 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
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 0.83 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 0.77 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 0.64 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.63 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.89 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
22.1 years note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2007 est.)
Government
Parliamentary republic; President Baron WAQA (since 11 June 2013); President Baron WAQA (since 11 June 2013)
21 fieldsLegislature, 19 seats, elected 9 July 2016one 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
- etymology:
- the island name may derive from the Nauruan word "anaoero" meaning "I go to the beach"
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, Baitsi, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Baron WAQA (since 11 June 2013); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
- head of government:
- President Baron WAQA (since 11 June 2013)
- 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 11 June 2013 (next to be held in 2016)
- election results:
- Baron WAQA reelected president on 11 June 2013; Parliament vote - Baron WAQA (independent) 13, Roland KUN (Nauru First) 5
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 9 July 2016 (next to be held in 2019)
- election results:
- percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 19
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- Supreme Court (consists of a chief justice and 1 judge)
- 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
- Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]
- Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party
- Nauru Party (informal)
note: loose multiparty system
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 Marlene Inemwin MOSES (since 13 March 2006)
- chancery:
- 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, NY 10017
- telephone:
- [1] (212) 937-0074
- FAX:
- [1] (212) 937-0079
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, 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 white star color represents phosphate, the basis of the island's wealth
National anthem
- name:
- "Nauru Bwiema" (Song of Nauru)
- lyrics/music:
- Margaret HENDRIE/Laurence Henry HICKS
note: adopted 1968
Economy
Revenues of this tiny island - a coral atoll with a land area of 21 square kilometers - traditionally have come from exports of phosphates.
27 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2009 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Economy - 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.
Labor force - by occupation
note: most of the labor force is employed in phosphate mining, public administration, education, and transportation
Current account balance
$2 million (2016 est.); $-10 million (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 58
Exchange rates
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.3442 (2016 est.) · 1.3452 (2015 est.) · 1.3291 (2014 est.) · 1.1094 (2013 est.) · 0.9695 (2012 est.)
Energy
23 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 5,000 kW(2015 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels
100% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 15
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 157
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 194
Electricity - from other renewable sources
20% of total installed capacity (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
200,000 Mt (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 202
Communications
6 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(July 2016 est.)
Telephone system
- general assessment:
- adequate local and international radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities
- international:
- country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
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 (2009)
Transportation
6 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved only
National air transport system
- number of registered air carriers:
- 1; inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 5
- annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:
- 38,858
- annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:
- 7,793,474 mt-km (2015)
Military and Security
No regular military forces (2012)
2 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 2017. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/nauru/2017.