Nauru

Nauru Population: 13,770
BackgroundThe exact origins of the Nauruans are unclr, 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 rly in the 20th century by a German-British consortium. Nauru was occupied by Australian forces in World War I and subsequently became a Lgue 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.
Map data ©2009 Europa Technologies - Terms of Use
GeographyNauru is one of the three grt phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocn - the others are Banaba (Ocn Island) in Kiribati and Makat in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator.Loion:Ocnia, island in the South Pacific Ocn, south of the Marshall IslandsGeographic coordinates:0 32 S, 166 55 r:total: 21 sq km
land: 21 sq km
water: 0 sq kmSize comparison: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land Boundaries:0 kmCoastline:30 kmMaritime claims:territorial s: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nmClimate:tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy sson (November to February)Terrain:sandy bch rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate platu in centerElevation extremes:lowest point: Pacific Ocn 0 m
highest point: unnamed loion along platu rim 61 mNatural resources:phosphates, fishLand use:arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)Irrigated land:NANatural hazards:periodic droughtsCurrent Environment Issues: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 yrs - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and thrtens limited remaining land resourcesInternational Environment Agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertifiion, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the S, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
PeoplePopulation:13,770 (July 2008 est.)Age structure:0-14 yrs: 35.5% (male 2,492/female 2,393)
15-64 yrs: 62.5% (male 4,237/female 4,363)
65 yrs and over: 2.1% (male 148/female 137) (2008 est.)Median age:total: 21.3 yrs
male: 20.7 yrs
female: 21.9 yrs (2008 est.)Population growth rate:1.772% (2008 est.)Birth rate:24.26 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)Dth rate:6.54 dths/1,000 population (2008 est.)Net migration rate:NA (2008 est.)Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 yrs: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 yrs: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 yrs and over: 1.08 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)Infant mortality rate:total: 9.43 dths/1,000 live births
male: 11.84 dths/1,000 live births
female: 6.9 dths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)Life expectancy at birth:total population: 63.81 yrs
male: 60.2 yrs
female: 67.6 yrs (2008 est.)Total fertility rate:2.94 children born/woman (2008 est.)HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NAHIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NAHIV/AIDS - dths:NANationality:noun: Nauruan(s)
adjective: NauruanEthnic groups:Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, Europn 8%Religions:Nauru Congregational 35.4%, Roman holic 33.2%, Nauru Independent Church 10.4%, other 14.1%, none 4.5%, unspecified 2.4% (2002 census)Languages:Nauruan (official; a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposesLiteracy:NA
GovernmentCountry name:conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
conventional short form: Nauru
local long form: Republic of Nauru
local short form: Nauru
former: Plsant IslandGovernment type:republicCapital:no official capital; government s in Yaren District
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahd of Washington, DC during Standard Time)Administrative divisions:14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, YarenIndependence: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 (Constitution Day)Legal system:acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservationsSuffrage:20 yrs of age; universal and compulsoryExecutive branch:chief of state: President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and hd of government
hd of government: President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - President Ludwig SCOTTY defted 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-yr term; election last held 19 December 2007 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: NALegislative branch:unicameral Parliament (18 sts; members elected by popular vote to serve three-yr terms)
elections: last held 26 April 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote - NA; sts - independents 18; note - President Marcus STEPHEN called a snap election to brk a parliamentary stalemate blocking legislative actionJudicial branch:Supreme CourtPolitical parties and lders:Democratic Party [Kennan ADNG]; Nauru Party (informal); Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party; note - loose multiparty systemPolitical pressure groups and lders:Woman Information and News Acy (women's issues)International organization participation:ACP, ADB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHODiplomatic 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
EconomyRevenues 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 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. Reserves of phosphates may only last until 2010 at current mining rates. 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 hvy spending from the trust funds, the government faces 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 is deteriorating, and 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):$60 million (2005 est.)GDP (official exchange rate):$NAGDP - rl growth rate:NA%GDP - per capita (PPP):$5,000 (2005 est.)GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%Labor force:
Labor force - by occupation:note: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, eduion, and transportation (1992)Unemployment rate:90% (2004 est.)Population below poverty line:NA%Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%Inflation rate (consumer prices):-3.6% (1993)Budget:revenues: $13.5 million
expenditures: $13.5 million (2005)Agriculture - products:
Industries:phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut productsIndustrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:31 million kWh (2006 est.)Electricity - consumption:28.83 million kWh (2006 est.)Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2007 est.)Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2007 est.)Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2007 est.)Oil - consumption:1,070 bbl/day (2006 est.)Oil - exports:0 bbl/day (2005)Oil - imports:1,049 bbl/day (2005)Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2007 est.)Natural gas - proved reserves:0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)Exports:$64,000 f.o.b. (2005 est.)Exports - commodities:phosphatesImports:$20 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)Imports - commodities:food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machineryDebt - external:$33.3 million (2002)Currency ():Australian dollar (AUD)Exchange rates:Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.2059 (2008 est.), 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004)Fiscal yr:1 July - 30 June
CommuniionsTele in use:1,900 (2002)Cellular in use:1,500 (2002)Telephone system:eral assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communiion provided via Australian facilities
domestic: NA
international: country - 674; satellite rth station - 1 sat (Pacific Ocn)Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)Television broadcast stations:1 (1997)Internet country :.nrInternet hosts:42 (2008)Internet users:300 (2002)
TransportationAirports:1 (2007)Airports (paved runways):total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)Roadways:total: 24 km
paved: 24 km (2002)Ports and terminals:Nauru
MilitaryNauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of AustraliaMilitary branches:no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force (2009)Manpower available for military service:males age 16-49: 3,470 (2008 est.)