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  Nauru  
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This page was last updated on 20 March, 2008


Map of Nauru



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Nauru Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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 and 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 its independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999 as the world's smallest independent republic.
   Geography    Nauru Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
0 32 S, 166 55 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 21 sq km
land: 21 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
30 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February)
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
phosphates, fish
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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    Nauru Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
13,528 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 36.4% (male 2,508/female 2,410)
15-64 years: 61.6% (male 4,111/female 4,224)
65 years and over: 2% (male 144/female 131) (2007 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 21 years
male: 20.4 years
female: 21.5 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
1.781% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
24.47 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.65 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.973 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.099 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 9.6 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 12.07 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 63.44 years
male: 59.85 years
female: 67.21 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.02 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Nauruan(s)
adjective: Nauruan
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Nauruan (official; a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: NA
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
   Government    Nauru Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
conventional short form: Nauru
local long form: Republic of Nauru
local short form: Nauru
former: Pleasant Island
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
republic
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
no official capital; government offices in Yaren District
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Independence Day, 31 January (1968)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968 (Constitution Day)
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 25 August 2007 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 18; note - 15 of 18 incumbents reelected
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal); Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party; note - loose multiparty system
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
NA
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ACP, ADB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Vinci Niel CLODUMAR
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:
Definition Field Listing
the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
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    Nauru Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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. 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. In 2005, the deterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capital plant continued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the government and economy afloat continued to climb. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDP varying widely.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$60 million (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$NA
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$5,000 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
note: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation (1992)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
90% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-3.6% (1993)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $13.5 million
expenditures: $13.5 million (2005)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
coconuts
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
30 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
27.9 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1,050 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1,023 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$64,000 f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
phosphates
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
South Africa 63.7%, South Korea 7.6%, Canada 6.6% (2006)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$20 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
South Korea 43.8%, Australia 36.2%, US 5.9%, Germany 4.3% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$20 million mostly from Australia (2005)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$33.3 million (2002)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
Australian dollar (AUD)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
1 July - 30 June
   Communications    Nauru Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1,500 (2002)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
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)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
1 (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.nr
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
53 (2007)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
300 (2002)
   Transportation    Nauru Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 30 km
paved: 24 km
unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Nauru
   Military    Nauru Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 2,874 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia
   Transnational Issues    Nauru Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none

This page was last updated on 20 March, 2008


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