Nauru

Nauru

Introduction

Background

The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear since their language does not resemble any other in the Pacific. 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

Location

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands

Geographic coordinates

0 32 S, 166 55 E

Map references

Oceania

Area

total: 21 sq km
country comparison to the world: 239 land:21 sq km
water:0 sq km

Area – comparative

about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

30 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone:24 nm
exclusive economic zone:200 nm

Climate

tropical with a monsoonal pattern

rainy season (November to February)

Terrain

sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:unnamed elevation along plateau rim 61 m

Natural resources

phosphates, fish

Land use

arable land: 0%
permanent crops:0%
other:100% (2005)

Irrigated land

NA

Natural hazards

periodic droughts

Environment – current issues

limited natural freshwater 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 and Society

Nationality

noun: Nauruan(s)
adjective:Nauruan

Ethnic groups

Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%

Languages

Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English (widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes)

Religions

Protestant 45.8% (Nauru Congregational 35.4%, Nauru Independent Church 10.4%), Roman Catholic 33.2%, other 14.1%, none 4.5%, unspecified 2.4% (2002 census)

Population

9,322 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 225

Age structure

0-14 years: 33% (male 1,398/female 1,682)
15-64 years:65.3% (male 2,996/female 3,093)
65 years and over:1.6% (male 68/female 85) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 24.2 years
male:24.4 years
female:23.9 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

0.611% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142

Birth rate

27.78 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46

Death rate

6.11 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159

Net migration rate

-15.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217

Urbanization

urban population: 100% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:0.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 0.837 male(s)/female
under 15 years:1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over:1 male(s)/female
total population:0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 8.66 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 156 male:11.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female:6.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 65.35 years
country comparison to the world: 166 male:61.27 years
female:68.75 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.08 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61

Health expenditures

12.1% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 10

Physicians density

0.714 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
country comparison to the world: 114

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 90% of population
total: 90% of population
unimproved:
urban: 10% of population
total: 10% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 50% of population
total: 50% of population
unimproved:
urban: 50% of population
total: 50% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

HIV/AIDS – deaths

NA

Education expenditures

NA

Literacy

NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 9 years
male:9 years
female:10 years (2008)

Government

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

Government type

republic

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

Independence

31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday

Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Constitution

29 January 1968

amended 17 May 1968

Legal system

mixed legal system of common law based on the English model and customary law

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration

accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage

20 years of age

universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state: President Frederick PITCHER (since 10 November 2011)

note – the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:President Frederick PITCHER (since 10 November 2011)
cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of parliament
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections:president elected by parliament for a three-year term

election last held on 10 November 2011 (next to be held in 2014)
election results:Marcus STEPHEN resigned on 10 November 2011

Frederick PITCHER elected in a parliamentary vote of 9 to 8

Legislative branch

unicameral parliament (18 seats

members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections:last held on 19 June 2010 (next to be held in 2013)
election results:percent of vote – NA

seats – independents 18

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]

Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party

Nauru Party (informal)

note – loose multiparty system

Political pressure groups and leaders

Woman Information and News Agency (women’s issues)

International organization participation

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, ICAO, 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

blue stands for the Pacific Ocean, 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

National anthem

name: “Nauru Bwiema” (Song of Nauru)
lyrics/music:Margaret HENDRIE/Laurence Henry HICKS
note:adopted 1968

Economy

Economy – overview

Revenues of this tiny island 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. In 2005 an Australian company entered into an agreement to exploit remaining supplies. 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. 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 faced 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 are 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.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$60 million (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 221

GDP (official exchange rate)

$NA

GDP – real growth rate

NA%

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$5,000 (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: NA%
industry:NA%
services:NA%

Labor force – by occupation

note: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation (1992)

Unemployment rate

90% (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198

Population below poverty line

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%:NA%

Budget

revenues: $13.5 million
expenditures:$13.5 million (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Agriculture – products

coconuts

Industries

phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Electricity – production

32 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207

Electricity – consumption

29.76 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207

Electricity – exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Oil – production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209

Oil – consumption

1,300 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194

Oil – exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200

Oil – imports

1,044 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192

Oil – proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175

Natural gas – production

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109

Natural gas – consumption

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154

Natural gas – imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164

Natural gas – proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176

Exports

$64,000 (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 220

Exports – commodities

phosphates

Imports

$20 million (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 219

Imports – commodities

food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Debt – external

$33.3 million (2004 est.) (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193

Exchange rates

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -
1.0902 (2010)
1.2822 (2009)
1.2059 (2008)
1.2137 (2007)
1.3285 (2006)

Transportation

Airports

1 (2010)
country comparison to the world:226

Airports – with paved runways

total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m:1 (2010)

Roadways

total: 24 km
country comparison to the world: 219 paved:24 km (2002)

Ports and terminals

Nauru

Military

Military branches

no regular military forces

Nauru Police Force (2009)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 2,542 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,823
females age 16-49:2,034 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 74
female:78 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures

NA

Military – note

Nauru maintains no defense forces

under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues

Disputes – international

none