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. Nauru achieved independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999. Nauru is the world's smallest independent republic.
Country profile: Nauru
Named Pleasant Island by its first European visitors, the former British colony of Nauru is the world's smallest republic.
The tiny Pacific island once generated a per capita income out of proportion to its size. But the source of this wealth - phosphates - is nearing exhaustion, leaving the islanders facing an uncertain future.
While the mining of 1,000 years' worth of fossilised bird droppings has been lucrative, Nauru relies on imports for almost everything - from food and water to fuel.
Moreover, recent financial crises have precipitated a slide into bankruptcy and a dependence on aid. The country had to sell off its assets in Australia to pay off a multi-million dollar debt to a US corporation.
Nauru's government has tried to develop alternative industries, including tourism and offshore banking. A world body, set up to fight money-laundering, removed Nauru from its list of uncooperative states in late 2005.
In 2001 Nauru signed an agreement with Australia to accommodate asylum seekers on the island, in return for millions of dollars in aid. Australia has sent financial experts to Nauru to help it overcome its problems.
- Full name: Republic of Nauru
- Population: 9,900 (UN, citing 1992 census)
- Capital: None, administrative centre is Yaren
- Area: 21 sq km (8 sq miles)
- Major languages: Nauruan, English
- Major religion: Christianity
- Life expectancy: n/a
- Monetary unit: 1 Australian dollar = 100 cents
- Main export: Phosphates
- GNI per capita: n/a
- Internet domain: .nr
- International dialling code: +674
President: Ludwig Scotty
Ludwig Scotty was re-elected unopposed by MPs in October 2004. In September he had sacked parliament after it failed to meet a deadline to pass a reform budget. The move precipitated a general election.
Hopes were high that the reformist government's resounding win would give Nauru its most stable administration in years.
The country has seen many governments come and go. Mr Scotty was re-elected by MPs in June 2004, less than a year after being ousted in a no-confidence vote in August 2003.
His predecessor, Rene Harris, lost a confidence vote after his finance minister supported an opposition motion.
Ludwig Scotty was first elected to parliament in 1983.
Nauru's parliament is based on the Westminster model, but MPs are elected as independents.
Nauru has no daily news publication.
State-owned Radio Nauru carries material from Radio Australia and the BBC, and Nauru TV broadcasts programmes from New Zealand sent via satellite or on videotape.
The press
Television
Radio
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.
Nauruan natural resources include phosphates, fish
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
Nauruan religion is Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic).
Natural hazards in Nauru include periodic droughts.
Travel Advice on Nauru
SUMMARY
- There is no consular representation in Nauru. Consular matters are covered by the British High Commission in Fiji. Please see the General section of this travel advice for more details.
- Only a handful of British nationals visit Nauru each year. Most visits are trouble-free. We are not aware of any British nationals who have required consular assistance in Nauru in the past year.
- The threat from terrorism in Nauru is low. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets including places frequented by foreigners.
- The tropical cyclones season in Nauru normally runs from November to April. Please Hurricanes for more information.
- We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. Please see: Travel Insurance.
SAFETY AND SECURITY
The tropical cyclone season in Nauru normally runs from November to April. You should monitor local and international weather updates from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). You can also access http://www.nhc.noaa.gov for updates. Please also see Hurricanes for more detailed information about what to do if you are caught up in a tropical cyclone.
GENERAL
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