General information: Phosphate deposits on Nauru began to be developed at the beginning of the 20th century. by a non-German-British consortium; the island was occupied by Australian troops during the First World War. After achieving independence in 1968, Nauru became the smallest independent republic in the world, and in 1999 joined the UN.
Geography
Location: Oceania, an island in the South Pacific, south of the Marshall Islands. See franciscogardening.com to know more about Nauru Geography.
Geographic coordinates: 0° 32’S latitude, 166° 55′ E
Reference map: Oceania.
Area: total: 21 km2; land surface area: 21 km2; water surface area: 0 km2
Comparative area: approximately 0.1 of the area of Washington, DC.
Land borders: 0 km.
Coastline: 30 km.
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing rights zone: 200 nautical miles; territorial waters: 12 nautical miles.
Climate: tropical; monsoon; rainy season from November to February.
Relief: the sandy beach gradually rises, turning into a ring of fertile land around coral reefs with a phosphate plateau in the center.
Maximum and minimum heights: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m; highest point: unnamed point 61 m.
Natural resources: phosphates.
Land use: arable land: 0%; cultivated land: 0%; pasture: 0%; forests and plantations: 0%; others: 100% (1993 est.).
Irrigated land: no data.
Natural Hazards: Periodic droughts.
Current environmental issues: limited fresh water resources, rooftop tanks collect rainwater, dependence on a single old desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining over the past 90 years (mainly by an Anglo-Australian-New Zealand consortium) has reduced 90% of Nauru’s area to wasteland and threatens the remaining land.
International agreements on environmental protection: member: Biodiversity, Climate change, Desertification, Law of the sea, Marine pollution; signed but not ratified: no.
Geography note: Nauru is one of three huge phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean; others are Makatea in French Polynesia and Banaba in Kiribati; The island is located 53 km south of the equator.
Population
Population: 12,088 (July 2001 est.).
Age structure: under 14: 40.33% (men 2510; women 2365); 15 to 64 years old: 57.97% (male 3,475; female 3,533); over 65: 1.7% (male 103; female 102) (2001 est.).
Population growth: 2% (2001 est.).
Birth rate: 27.22 newborns / 1000 people. (2001 est.).
Mortality: 7.2 deaths / 1000 people. (2001 est.).
Migration: 0 people /1000 people (2001 est.).
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male/female; under 15: 1.06 male/female; 15 to 64 years old: 0.98 male/female; over 65: 1.01 male/female; for the general population: 1.01 male/female (2001 est.);
Child mortality: 10.71 deaths/1000 live births (2001 est.).
Life expectancy: for the general population: 61.2 years; men: 57.7 years; women: 64.88 years (2001 est.).
Total fertility rate: 3.61 children/wives. (2001 est.).
Proportion of the adult population infected with HIV: no data available.
Number of people infected with HIV: no data.
Mortality due to AIDS: no data available.
Nationality: noun: Naur; adjective: Naur.
Ethnic groups: Naur 58%, other Pacific peoples 26%, Chinese 8%, Europeans 8%.
Believers: Christians (two-thirds Protestants, one-third Catholics).
Languages): Nauru (official), English is widely used, including for government and commercial purposes.
Literacy: definition: no data; for the general population: no data available; men: no data; women: no data.
Politics
Common long form: Republic of Nauru
Common short form: Nauru; former: Pleasant Island (“Pleasant Island”).
State structure: republic.
Capital: no official capital; the government is located in Yaren district.
Administrative division: 14 districts: Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Deni-gomodu, Ijuv, Yaren, Meneng, Nibok, Waboe, Ewa.
Independence: 31 January 1968 (jointly administered by Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom under a UN mandate).
National holiday: Independence Day, January 31 (1968).
Constitution: adopted January 29, 1968
Legal System: Acts of the Parliament of Nauru and English Common Law.
Suffrage: from 20 years old; universal and mandatory.
chief of state: President Bernard DOWIYOGO (since 1999); note – the president is both head of state and head of government;
head of government: President Bernard DO-VIIGOGO (since 1999); note – the president is both head of state and head of government;
Government: the cabinet is appointed by the president from among the members of parliament; elections: the president is elected by the Parliament for 3 years; elections last held 8 April 2000 (next to be held in 2003); election results: Bernard DOVIOYOGO elected president by nine votes to eight; note: Former President Rene HARRIS was ousted in a vote of no confidence; this is the eighth change of government since the Lagumont HARRIS government fell in a vote of no confidence in early November 1996; the same fate befell six of the eight governments.
Legislature: unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote for 3 years); elections: last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held April 2003); election results: percentage of votes: no data; seats: independent 18.
Judiciary: Supreme Court.
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party (Kennan ADEANG [Kennan ADEANG]); Nauru Party (informal) (Bernard DOVIYOGO).
Political influence groups and their leaders:
Participation in international organizations: АСР, AsDB, С, ESCAP, ICAO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO.
Diplomatic representation in the USA: Nauru does not have an embassy in the US, but is due to open a UN office in early 2000: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, New York 10017; telephone: (212) 937-0074; Consulate: Agana (Guam)
US Diplomatic Mission: 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 running through the center of the flag, and with a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the left side; the star shows the country’s location in relation to the equator (yellow stripe) and the 12 rays represent the 12 indigenous tribes of Nauru.
