Ripublik Naoero Republic of Nauru
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "God's Will First"
Anthem: Nauru Bwiema
Capital		none1 0°32′S 166°55′E / -0.533, 166.917
Largest city		Yaren
Official languages		English, Nauruan
Demonym		Nauruan
Government		Republic
-	President	Marcus Stephen
Independence
-	from the Australia, NZ, and UK-administered UN trusteeship. Following the indepencence of Nauru, the flag of Nauru was raised for the first time The design of the Coat of arms of Nauru originated in 1968 following the declaration of independence and it began to be used officially in the early 1970s A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's "Nauru Bwiema" ("Song of Nauru" is the National anthem of Nauru. As of July 2002 the population of Nauru is estimated at 12329 Yaren may refer to Yaren District Yaren Constituency Yaren Ensemble Aylin Yaren An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The Nauruan language ( dorerin Naoero) is an Austronesian language spoken in Nauru. A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place The indigenous peoples of Nauru are an Ethnicity, which inhabit the Pacific Island of Nauru. For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. Marcus Stephen (born October 1, 1969) is the current President of the Republic of Nauru, having taken office in December 2007 Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising	31 January 1968
Area
-	Total	21 km² (227th) 8. Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare sizes of different geographic regions we list here Areas between 10 km² (1000 Hectares and 100 km² (10000 hectares This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. 1 sq mi
-	Water (%)	negligible
Population
-	November 2007 estimate	9,275 (215th)
-	Density	442/km² (23rd) 1,144/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2006 estimate
-	Total	$36. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 9 million (192nd)
-	Per capita	$2,500 (2006 est. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' ) (135th)
HDI (2003)		n/a (unranked) (n/a)
Currency		Australian dollar (AUD)
Time zone		(UTC+12)
Internet TLD		.nr
Calling code		+674
1 Yaren is the largest settlement and the seat of Parliament; it is often cited as capital, but Nauru does not have an officially designated capital. This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The Australian dollar ( sign: $; code: AUD) is the Currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E

Nauru (pronounced /nɑːˈuːruː/), officially the Republic of Nauru, is an island nation in the Micronesian South Pacific. An island country is a Country that is wholly confined to an Island, several islands an Island group or several island groups and has no territory on Micronesia, from the Greek mikros (μικρός (meaning small) and nesos (νῆσος (meaning island) is a Subregion The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in the Republic of Kiribati, 300 km due east. Banaba Island (bəˈnɑːbə (also Ocean Island) an island in the Pacific Ocean, is a solitary raised Kiribati or ( kirr-i-bas or KEE-ree-buhss ˈkiɾibas in Gilbertese) officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an Island nation located in Nauru is the world's smallest island nation, covering just 21 km² (8. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 1 sq. mi), the smallest independent republic, and the only republican state in the world without an official capital. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its ^[1] It is the least populous member of the United Nations. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security

Initially inhabited by Micronesian and Polynesian peoples, Nauru was annexed and designated a colony by Germany in the late 19th century, and became a mandate territory administered by Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom following World War I. Micronesia, from the Greek mikros (μικρός (meaning small) and nesos (νῆσος (meaning island) is a Subregion Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) is a Subregion of Oceania, comprising a large grouping of over This article is about a type of political territory For other uses see Colony (disambiguation. The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification The League of Nations was an International organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The island was occupied by Japan during World War II, and after the war entered into trusteeship again. An island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significant The Empire of Japan ( {{unicode|Kyūjitai}}: ja 大日本帝國 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国 pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Nauru achieved independence in 1968.

Nauru is a phosphate rock island, and its primary economic activity since 1907 has been the export of phosphate mined from the island. Phosphate rock or Phosphorite is a general description applied to several kinds of rock which contain significant concentrations of Phosphate minerals An island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significant ^[2] With the exhaustion of phosphate reserves, its environment severely degraded by mining, and the trust established to manage the island's wealth significantly reduced in value, the government of Nauru has resorted to unusual measures to obtain income. In the 1990s, Nauru briefly became a tax haven and money laundering center. A tax haven is a place where certain Taxes are levied at a low rate or not at all Money laundering is the practice of engaging in financial Transactions in order to conceal the Identity, source and/or destination of Money, Since 2001, it has accepted aid from the Australian government; in exchange for this aid, Nauru housed, until early 2008, an offshore detention centre that held and processed asylum seekers trying to enter Australia. The detention center on the South Pacific island nation of Nauru was based on a Statement of Principles signed on 10 September2001 by the President of Nauru René Harris, and Right of asylum (or political asylum) is an ancient Judicial notion under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. ^[3]

History

Main article: History of Nauru

Nauru was first inhabited by Micronesian and Polynesian people at least 3,000 years ago. The history of Nauru has been intrinsically linked with the extraction of phosphate ^[4] There were traditionally 12 clans or tribes on Nauru, which are represented in the 12-pointed star in the nation's flag. Following the indepencence of Nauru, the flag of Nauru was raised for the first time The Nauruan people called their island "Naoero"; the word "Nauru" was later created from "Naoero" so that English speakers could easily pronounce the name. The indigenous peoples of Nauru are an Ethnicity, which inhabit the Pacific Island of Nauru. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Nauruans traced their descent on the female side. Matrilineality is a system in which lineage is traced through the mother and maternal ancestors Naurans subsisted on coconut and pandanus fruit, and caught juvenile ibija fish, acclimated them to fresh water conditions and raised them in Buada Lagoon, providing an additional reliable source of food. The Coconut Palm ( Cocos nucifera) is a member of the Family Arecaceae (palm family Pandanus tectorius is a species of Pandanus (screwpine occurring in northern Queensland, Australia and Indonesia The milkfish, ( Chanos chanos) is an important food Fish in Southeast Asia and is the sole living Species in the family Chanidae Acclimatization is the process of an organism adjusting to chronic change in its environment, often involving temperature moisture food often relating to seasonal Climate Buada Lagoon is a landlocked slightly brackish, freshwater lake on the island Nauru. ^[5]

British Captain John Fearn, a whale hunter, became the first Westerner to visit the island in 1798, and named it Pleasant Island. John Fearn (born in 1768 died in 1837 was a British Royal Navy officer, ship captain and Explorer. From around the 1830s, Nauruans had contact with Europeans from whaling ships and traders who replenished their supplies at the island. Around this time, beachcombers and deserters began to live on the island. The islanders traded food for alcoholic toddy and firearms; the firearms were used during the 10-year war which began in 1878 and by 1888 had resulted in a reduction of the population from 1400 to 900 persons. Palm Wine also called Palm Toddy or simply Toddy is an Alcoholic beverage created from the Sap of various species of Palm tree such The Nauruan Tribal War was a Conflict among the twelve indigenous tribes of Nauru between 1878 and 1888

Nauru annexed in 1888 by Germany.

The island was annexed by Germany in 1888 and incorporated into Germany's Marshall Islands Protectorate; they called the island Nawodo or Onawero. The Marshall Islands, officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI is a Micronesian nation of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean The arrival of the Germans ended the war; social changes brought about by the war established Kings as rulers of the island, the most widely known being King Auweyida. King Aweida (born in Boe, in 1850 - died at Gabab channel in 1921 was a royal man in the Pacific nation of Nauru. Christian missionaries from the Gilbert Islands also arrived at the island in 1888. ^[6] The Germans ruled Nauru for almost 3 decades.

Phosphate was discovered on the island in 1900 by prospector Albert Ellis and the Pacific Phosphate Company started to exploit the reserves in 1906 by agreement with Germany; they exported their first shipment in 1907. Sir Albert Fuller Ellis (28 August 1869 - 11 July 1951 was a prospector in the Pacific, he discovered Phosphate deposits on the Pacific islands Nauru ^[7] Following the outbreak of World War I, the island was captured by Australian forces in 1914. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All After the war, the League of Nations gave Australia a trustee mandate over Nauru; the UK and New Zealand were also co-trustees. The League of Nations was an International organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island ^[8][9] The three governments signed a Nauru Island Agreement in 1919, creating a board known as the British Phosphate Commission (BPC), which took over the rights to phosphate mining. The British Phosphate Commission (BPC was a board comprised of Australian British and New Zealand representatives who managed extraction of phosphate from

A Nauruan warrior in 1880

Nauru Island under attack by B-24 Liberator bombers of the US Seventh Air Force. The Seventh Air Force is a United States Air Force Numbered Air Force (NAF under Pacific Air Forces.

Japanese forces occupied the island on August 26, 1942. The Empire of Japan ( {{unicode|Kyūjitai}}: ja 大日本帝國 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国 pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku Events 1071 - Battle of Manzikert: The Seljuk Turks defeat the Byzantine Army at Manzikert. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[10] The Japanese-built airfield on the island was bombed in March 1943, preventing food supplies from reaching the island. The Japanese deported 1,200 Nauruans to work as labourers in the Chuuk islands, where 463 died. Chuuk &mdash formerly Truk, Ruk, Hogoleu, Torres, Ugulat, and Lugulus &mdash is an island group in the south western ^[11] The island was liberated on September 13, 1945 when the Australian warship HMAS Diamantina approached the island and Japanese forces surrendered. Events 509 BC - The Temple of Jupiter on Rome 's Capitoline Hill is dedicated on the ides of September Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Construction Diamantina was laid down on 12 April 1943 at Walkers Ltd Arrangements were made by the BPC to repatriate Nauruans from Chuuk, and they were returned to Nauru by the BPC ship Trienza in January 1946. ^[12] In 1947, a trusteeship was approved by the United Nations, and Australia, NZ and the UK again became trustees of the island. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Nauru became self-governing in January 1966, and following a two-year constitutional convention, became independent in 1968, led by founding president Hammer DeRoburt. HE Hammer DeRoburt, KBE ( September 25, 1922 &ndash July 15, 1992) was the founding President of the Republic of Nauru In 1967, the people of Nauru purchased the assets of the British Phosphate Commissioners, and in June 1970, control passed to the locally owned Nauru Phosphate Corporation. The Nauru Phosphate Corporation (NPC was a government-owned company controlling Phosphate mining in Nauru, now known as the Republic of Nauru Phosphate Income from the exploitation of phosphate gave Nauruans one of the highest living standards in the Pacific and per capita, in the world. ^[13]

In 1989, the country took legal action against Australia in the International Court of Justice over Australia's actions during its administration of Nauru, in particular, Australia's failure to remedy the environmental damage caused by phosphate mining. See also International Commission of Jurists The International Court of Justice (known colloquially as the World Court or ICJ; Cour ^[14] The action led to an out-of-court settlement to rehabilitate the mined-out areas of Nauru. Diminishing phosphate reserves has led to economic decline in Nauru, which has brought increasing political instability since the mid-1980s. Nauru had 17 changes of administration between 1989 and 2003. ^[15] Between 1999 and 2003, a series of no-confidence votes and elections resulted in two people, René Harris and Bernard Dowiyogo, leading the country for alternating periods. HE René Reynaldo Harris MP ( November 11, 1947 &ndash July 5, 2008) was President of the Republic of Nauru four HE Bernard Annen Auwen Dowiyogo ( February 14, 1946 &ndash March 9, 2003) was President of the Republic of Nauru. Dowiyogo died in office in March 2003 and Ludwig Scotty was elected President. Ludwig Derangadage Scotty (born June 20, 1948, in Anabar) is a political figure from the Pacific nation of Nauru and was President Scotty was re-elected to serve a full term in October 2004.

In recent times, a significant proportion of the country's income has been in the form of aid from Australia. In 2001, the MV Tampa, a Norwegian ship which had rescued 433^[16] refugees (from various countries including Afghanistan) from a stranded 20-metre (65 ft) boat and was seeking to dock in Australia, was diverted to Nauru as part of the Pacific Solution. The MV Tampa is a Norwegian Cargo ship. In August 2001 under Captain Arne Rinnan, a diplomatic dispute brewed between Australia Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The Pacific Solution was the name given to the Australian government policy ( 2001 - 2007) of transporting Asylum seekers to detention camps on Nauru operated the detention centre in exchange for Australian aid. In November 2005, two refugees remained on Nauru from those first sent there in 2001,^[17] and the last of them finally achieved resettlement at the end of 2006. The Australian government sent further groups of asylum seekers to Nauru in late 2006 and early 2007. ^[18] In late January 2008, following Australia's decision to close the processing centre, Nauru announced that they will request a new aid deal to ease the resulting blow to the economy. ^[19]

Politics

Main article: Politics of Nauru

Ludwig Scotty, former president (2004-2007)

Nauru is a republic with a parliamentary system of government. Politics of Nauru takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic Republic, whereby the President of Nauru is the Ludwig Derangadage Scotty (born June 20, 1948, in Anabar) is a political figure from the Pacific nation of Nauru and was President A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which The president is both the head of state and of government. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State An 18-member unicameral parliament is elected every three years. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber The parliament elects a president from its members, who appoints a cabinet of five to six members. Nauru does not have a formal structure for political parties; candidates typically stand as independents. 15 of the 18 members of the current parliament are independents, and alliances within the government are often formed on the basis of extended family ties. ^[15] Three parties that have been active in Nauruan politics are the Democratic Party, Nauru First and the Centre Party. The Democratic Party of Nauru (DPN is a Political party in the Pacific nation of Nauru. Nauru First (Naoero Amo is the only formal political party in the Republic of Nauru. The Centre Party is an informal Political party in the Pacific nation of Nauru. The fact that Nauru is a democracy makes Nauru a counterexample of the traditional theory of the rentier state, as the sale of Nauru's natural resource has not led to authoritarianism. A rentier (pronounced / 'rɒntɪeɪ / or / rɑ̃'tɪeɪ / is an individual who depends on income derived from rents which in turn are defined as “a reward for ownership ^[20]

Nauru parliament

Since 1992, local government has been the responsibility of the Nauru Island Council (NIC). The NIC has limited powers and functions as an advisor to the national government on local matters. The role of the NIC is to concentrate its efforts on local activities relevant to Nauruans. An elected member of the Nauru Island Council cannot simultaneously be a member of parliament. ^[21] Land tenure in Nauru is unusual: all Nauruans have certain rights to all land on the island, which is owned by individuals and family groups; government and corporate entities do not own land and must enter into a lease arrangement with the landowners to use land. Land tenure is the name given particularly in Common law systems to the legal regime in which land is owned by an individual who is said to "hold" the land Non-Nauruans cannot own lands. ^[4]

Nauru has a complex legal system. The Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice, is paramount on constitutional issues. The Constitution of the Republic of Nauru was adopted following national independence on 31 January 1968 Other cases can be appealed to the two-judge Appellate Court. Parliament cannot overturn court decisions, but Appellate Court rulings can be appealed to the High Court of Australia;^[22] in practice, this rarely happens. The High Court of Australia is the final court of appeal in Australia the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy. Lower courts consist of the District Court and the Family Court, both of which are headed by a Resident Magistrate, who also is the Registrar of the Supreme Court. Finally, there also are two quasi-courts: the Public Service Appeal Board and the Police Appeal Board, both of which are presided over by the Chief Justice. ^[23]

Nauru has no armed forces; under an informal agreement, defence is the responsibility of Australia. There is a small police force under civilian control. ^[1]

Districts

Main article: Districts of Nauru

Map of Nauru

Nauru is divided into fourteen administrative districts which are grouped into eight electoral constituencies. |||}There are 14 Districts in the Republic of Nauru. Aiwo Anabar Anetan Anibare Districts are a type of Administrative division, in some countries managed by a Local government. The districts are:

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Nauru

Following independence in 1968, Nauru joined the Commonwealth as a Special Member, and became a full member in 2000. Aiwo may refer to Aiwo District Aiwo Constituency Anetan my refer to Anetan District Anetan Constituency Anibare may refer to Anibare District Anibare Bay Buada may refer to Buada District Buada Constituency Buada Lagoon Sébastien Buada Ijuw may refer to Ijuw District Ijuw (village Cape Ijuw Meneng District Meneng Constituency Meneng Hotel Meneng Stadium Yaren may refer to Yaren District Yaren Constituency Yaren Ensemble Aylin Yaren ^[2] Nauru was admitted to the Asian Development Bank in 1991 and to the UN in 1999. Asian Development Bank (ADB is a regional development bank established in 1966 to promote economic and social development in Asian and Pacific countries through loans and technical It is a member of the Pacific Islands Forum, the South Pacific Regional Environmental Program, the South Pacific Commission, and the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission. The Pacific Islands Forum is an inter-governmental Organization which aims to enhance cooperation between the independent countries of the Pacific The US Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program operates a climate-monitoring facility on the island. The Department of Energy 's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement ( ARM) Program uses state-of-the-art active and passive remote sensing instrumentation to study the fundamental

Nauru and Australia have close diplomatic ties. In addition to informal defence arrangements, the September 2005 Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries provides Nauru with financial aid and technical assistance, including a Secretary of Finance to prepare Nauru's budget, and advisers on health and education. This aid is in return for Nauru's housing of asylum seekers while their applications for entry into Australia are processed. ^[15] Nauru uses the Australian dollar as its official currency. The Australian dollar ( sign: $; code: AUD) is the Currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas

Nauru has used its position as a member of the UN to gain financial support from both Taiwan and the People's Republic of China by changing its position on the political status of Taiwan. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, including the Pescadores (Penghu should remain effectively independent as territory During 2002, Nauru signed an agreement to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China on 21 July. Events 356 BC - Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World This move followed China's promise to provide more than US$60 million in aid. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been In response, Taiwan severed diplomatic relations with Nauru two days later. Nauru later re-established links with Taiwan on 14 May 2005,^[24] and diplomatic ties with China were officially severed on 31 May 2005; however, the PRC continues to maintain a diplomatic presence in the island nation. Events 1264 - Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured in France making Simon de Montfort the Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Nauru

Aiwo

Nauru is a small, oval-shaped island in the western Pacific Ocean, 42 km (26 mi. Nauru is a tiny phosphate rock island located in the South Pacific Ocean south of the Marshall Islands in Oceania. ) south of the Equator. The equator (sometimes referred to colloquially as "the Line") is the intersection of the Earth 's surface with the plane perpendicular to the The island is surrounded by a coral reef, exposed at low tide and dotted with pinnacles. The reef is bound seaward by deep water, and inside by a sandy beach. The presence of the reef has prevented the establishment of a seaport, although sixteen artificial canals have been made in the reef to allow small boats to access the island. ||-||-|-||-||-||-||-||-||-|} A port is a facility for receiving Ships and transferring cargo Canals in Nauru have been artificially created to allow boats access to the small island A 150–300 m (about 500–1000 ft. ) wide fertile coastal strip lies landward from the beach. Coral cliffs surround the central plateau, which is known on the island as Topside. The highest point of the plateau is 65 m (213 ft) above sea level. The only fertile areas are the narrow coastal belt, where coconut palms flourish. The Coconut Palm ( Cocos nucifera) is a member of the Family Arecaceae (palm family The land surrounding Buada Lagoon supports bananas, pineapples; vegetable, pandanus trees and indigenous hardwoods such as the tomano tree are cultivated. Buada Lagoon is a landlocked slightly brackish, freshwater lake on the island Nauru. For the fruit see Banana. For other meanings see Banana (disambiguation. Pineapple ( Ananas comosus) is the common name for an edible Tropical Plant and also its Fruit It is native to the southern part of Brazil Pandanus tectorius is a species of Pandanus (screwpine occurring in northern Queensland, Australia and Indonesia Calophyllum inophyllum is a large Evergreen tree in the family Clusiaceae, native from East Africa, southern coastal India The population of the island is concentrated in this coastal belt and around Buada Lagoon.

An aerial image of Nauru in 2002 from the U. S. Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program. Regenerated vegetation covers 63% of land that was mined. ^[25]

Nauru was one of three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean (the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia); however, the phosphate reserves are nearly depleted. Guano (from the Quechua 'wanu' via Spanish) is the Feces of Seabirds Bats and seals Kiribati or ( kirr-i-bas or KEE-ree-buhss ˈkiɾibas in Gilbertese) officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an Island nation located in French Polynesia ( French: Polynésie française, Tahitian: Pōrīnetia Farāni) is a French Overseas collectivity in the Phosphate mining in the central plateau has left a barren terrain of jagged limestone pinnacles up to 15 m (49 ft) high. A century of mining has stripped and devastated four-fifths of the land area. Mining has also had an impact on the surrounding Exclusive Economic Zone with 40% of marine life considered to have been killed by silt and phosphate runoff. Under the law of the sea, an Exclusive Economic Zone ( EEZ) is a seazone over which a State has special rights over the exploration and use of marine ^[25]

There are limited natural fresh water resources on Nauru. Roof storage tanks collect rainwater, but islanders are mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination plant. Contamination and maintenance If rainwater is used for drinking it is often filtered first Desalination, desalinization, or desalinisation refers to any of several processes that remove excess salt and other Minerals from Water Nauru's climate is hot and extremely humid year-round, because of the proximity of the land to the Equator and the ocean. The equator (sometimes referred to colloquially as "the Line") is the intersection of the Earth 's surface with the plane perpendicular to the The island is affected by monsoonal rains between November and February. A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months Annual rainfall is highly variable and influenced by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, with several recorded droughts. El Niño-Southern Oscillation ( ENSO; commonly referred to as simply El Niño) is a global coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon ^[4] The temperature ranges between 26 and 35 °C (79 and 95 °F) during the day and between 25 and 28 °C (77 and 82 °F) at night. As an island nation, Nauru may be vulnerable to climate and sea level change, but to what degree is difficult to predict; at least 80% of the land area of Nauru is well elevated, but this area will be uninhabitable until the phosphate mining rehabilitation program is implemented. Climate change is any long-term significant change in the “average weather” that a given region experiences Sea-level rise is an increase in Sea level. Multiple complex factors may influence this change ^[25]

There are only sixty recorded vascular plant species native to the island, none of which are endemic. Vascular plants (also known as tracheophytes or higher plants) are those Plants that have lignified tissues for conducting Endemism is the Ecological state of being unique to a place Endemic species are not naturally found elsewhere Coconut farming, mining and introduced species have caused serious disturbance to the native vegetation. ^[4] There are no native land mammals; there are native birds, including the endemic Nauru Reed Warbler, insects and land crabs. The Nauru Reed Warbler ( Acrocephalus rehsei) is a species of Old World warbler and the only bird species endemic to the island Nauru. The Polynesian Rat, cats, dogs, pigs and chickens have been introduced to the island. The Polynesian Rat, or Pacific Rat ( Rattus exulans) known to the Māori as kiore, is the third most widespread species of Rat in

Economy

Limestone pinnacles remain after phosphate mining. Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3

Main article: Economy of Nauru

Nauru's economy depends almost entirely on declining phosphate deposits; there are few other resources, and most necessities are imported. Economic Overview Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from exports of Phosphate rock. ^[26] Small-scale mining is still conducted by the NPC. The government places a percentage of the NPC's earnings in the Nauru Phosphate Royalties Trust. The Trust manages long-term investments, intended to support the citizens once the phosphate reserves have been exhausted. However, a history of bad investments, financial mismanagement, overspending and corruption has reduced the Trust's fixed and current assets. In Accounting, a current asset is an Asset on the Balance sheet which is expected to be sold or otherwise used up in the near future usually within one For example, Nauru House in Melbourne was sold in 2004 to finance debts and Air Nauru's only Boeing 737-400 was repossessed in December 2005 - though the aircraft was replaced in June of the next year with a Boeing 737-300 model, and normal service was resumed by the company. Nauru House (also called 80 Collins Street) is a landmark 52 storey building in downtown Melbourne Australia. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 Our Airline (formerly known as Air Nauru) is the national Airline of the Republic of Nauru. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout ^[27][28] The value of the Trust is estimated to have shrunk from A$1,300 million in 1991 to A$138 million in 2002. The Australian dollar ( sign: $; code: AUD) is the Currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas ^[29] Nauru currently lacks money to perform many of the basic functions of government, the national Bank of Nauru is insolvent, and GDP per capita has fallen to US$2038 per annum, from its peak in the early 1980s. ^[30].

There are no personal taxes in Nauru, and the government employs 95% of those Nauruans who work; unemployment is estimated to be 90%. ^[31][1] The Asian Development Bank notes that although the administration has a strong public mandate to implement economic reforms, in the absence of an alternative to phosphate mining, the medium-term outlook is for continued dependence on external assistance. ^[29] The sale of deep-sea fishing rights may generate some revenue. Tourism is not a major contributor to the economy, because there are few facilities for tourists; the Menen Hotel and OD-N-Aiwo Hotel are the only hotels on the island. The Menen Hotel is the largest of two hotels in the Republic of Nauru. The OD-N-Aiwo Hotel is located in Aiwo on the Pacific island state of Nauru; it is one of only two hotels in Nauru the other being the Menen Hotel.

In the 1990s, Nauru became a tax haven and offered passports to foreign nationals for a fee. A tax haven is a place where certain Taxes are levied at a low rate or not at all The inter-governmental Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) then identified Nauru as one of 15 "non-cooperative" countries in its fight against money laundering. The Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF also known by its French name Groupe d'action financière sur le blanchiment de capitaux (GAFI is an Money laundering is the practice of engaging in financial Transactions in order to conceal the Identity, source and/or destination of Money, Under pressure from FATF, Nauru introduced anti-avoidance legislation in 2003, following which foreign hot money flowed out of the country. Hot money is a phrase that may take on different meanings in different contexts In October 2005, this legislation—and its effective enforcement—led the FATF to lift the non-cooperative designation. ^[32]

From 2001 to 2007, the Nauru detention centre provided a source of income for the small country. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The detention center on the South Pacific island nation of Nauru was based on a Statement of Principles signed on 10 September2001 by the President of Nauru René Harris, and The Nauruan authorities reacted with concern to its closure by Australia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. ^[33] In February 2008, foreign affairs minister Dr. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Kieren Keke stated that it would result in 100 Nauruans losing their jobs, and would affect 10% of the island's population directly or indirectly:

"We have got a huge number of families that are suddenly going to be without any income. Kieren Aedogan Keke (born 1971 in Yaren) is a Nauruan politician and medical doctor We are looking at ways we can try and provide some welfare assistance but our capacity to do that is very limited. Literally we have got a major unemployment crisis in front of us. "^[34]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Nauru

Nauruan districts of Denigomodu and Nibok. As of July 2002 the population of Nauru is estimated at 12329

The island had 9265 residents at end 2006, and 96 percent speak Nauruan at home. ^[30] The population was previously higher but in 2006 some 1500 people left the island during a repatriation of immigrant workers from Kiribati and Tuvalu. Kiribati or ( kirr-i-bas or KEE-ree-buhss ˈkiɾibas in Gilbertese) officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an Island nation located in Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian Island nation located in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and The repatriation was motivated by widescale redundancies in the phosphate industry. ^[30] The official language of Nauru is Nauruan, a distinct Pacific island language. The Nauruan language ( dorerin Naoero) is an Austronesian language spoken in Nauru. English is widely spoken and is the language of government and commerce. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States

The main religion practiced on the island is Christianity (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic). Christianity is the primary religion in Nauru. According to the 2002 census approximately two-thirds of Christians are Protestant, and the remainder Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. There is also a sizable Bahá'í population (10 percent of the population) and a Buddhist population (3%). The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the government restricts this right in some circumstances, and has restricted the practice of religion by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and members of Jehovah's Witnesses, most of whom are foreign workers employed by the Nauru Phosphate Corporation. Freedom of religion is the freedom of an individual or community in public or private to manifest religion or belief in teaching practice worship and observance The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known Jehovah's Witnesses is a restorationist, millenialist Christian denomination ^[35]

Nauruan people

An increased standard of living since independence has had some negative effects on the population. Nauruans are among the most obese people in the world, with 90% of adults overweight. Obesity is a condition in which excess Body fat has accumulated to such an extent that health may be negatively affected ^[36] Nauru has the world's highest level of type 2 diabetes, with more than 40% of the population affected. Diabetes mellitus type 2 or Type 2 Diabetes (formerly called non - Insulin -dependent Diabetes mellitus (NIDDM or adult-onset diabetes is a metabolic ^[37] Other significant diet-related problems on Nauru include renal failure and heart disease. Renal failure or kidney Heart disease is an Umbrella term for a variety for different diseases affecting the Heart. Life expectancy has fallen to 58. 0 years for males and 65. 0 years for females. ^[38]

Literacy on the island is 97%, education is compulsory for children from six to 15 years of age (years 1–10), and two non-compulsory years are taught (Years 11 and 12). ^[39] There is a campus of the University of the South Pacific on the island; before the campus was built, students traveled to Australia for their university education. The University of the South Pacific ( USP) is a Public university with a number of locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Nauru

The 1999 Australian rules football grand final, played at Linkbelt Oval

Nauruans descended from Polynesian and Micronesian seafarers who believed in a female deity, Eijebong, and a spirit land, an island called Buitani. The displacement of the conventional Culture of Nauru by contemporary western influences is very clearly visible on the island Australian (rules football, or simply known as football, footy or Aussie rules, is a Team sport played between two teams of 18 players The Nauruan indigenous Religion is a monotheistic system of belief that includes a female Deity called Eijebong and an island of spirits Two of the 12 original tribal groups became extinct in the 20th century. Angam Day, held on October 26, celebrates the recovery of the Nauruan population after the two world wars, which together reduced the indigenous population to fewer than 1500. Angam Day is a Holiday recognized in the Republic of Nauru. It is celebrated yearly on October 26. Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death The displacement of the indigenous culture by colonial and contemporary, western influences is palpable. Few of the old customs have been preserved, but some forms of traditional music, arts and crafts, and fishing are still practised.

Nauru Airport

There is no daily news publication, but there are several weekly or fortnightly publications, including the Bulletin, the Central Star News and The Nauru Chronicle. Nauru International Airport is the sole airport on the island of the Republic of Nauru Location and designation The airport is located in the Yaren There is a state-owned television station, Nauru Television (NTV) which broadcasts programmes from New Zealand, and there is a state-owned non-commercial radio station, Radio Nauru, which carries items from Radio Australia and the BBC. ABC Radio Australia is the international broadcasting and online service operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia 's public broadcaster ^[40]

Australian rules football is the most popular sport in Nauru; there is an elite national league with seven teams. Australian (rules football, or simply known as football, footy or Aussie rules, is a Team sport played between two teams of 18 players Australian rules football in Nauru dates back to the 1930s and quickly established itself along with olympic Weightlifting as the National All games are played at the island's only stadium, Linkbelt Oval. Linkbelt Oval is currently the only sports Stadium of the Island nation of Nauru, besides Menen Stadium. Other sports popular in Nauru include softball, cricket, golf, sailing, tennis, and soccer. Softball is a team Sport popular especially in the United States. Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries Sailing is the art of controlling a Sailing vessel. By changing the Rigging, Rudder and dagger or centre board a Sailor manages the force Tennis is a sport played between two players ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles) Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Nauru participates in the Commonwealth and Summer Olympic Games, where it has been successful in weightlifting; Marcus Stephen has been a prominent medallist and was elected to parliament in 2003 and was elected president of Nauru in 2007. The Commonwealth Games is a multinational Multi-sport event. Held every four years it involves the elite athletes of the Commonwealth of Nations. The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an International Multi-sport event, usually quadrennial organised by the International Weightlifting, also called Olympic weightlifting or Olympic-style weightlifting, is a sport in which participants attempt a maximum weight single lift of a barbell Marcus Stephen (born October 1, 1969) is the current President of the Republic of Nauru, having taken office in December 2007 Nauru's two best tennis players, David Detudamo and his sister Angelita Detudamo, are currently under athletic scholarships in the United States. Angelita Detudamo (born October 31 1986, Denigomodu) is a Nauruan Tennis player David plays for Cameron University in Oklahoma and Angelita plays for Collin County Community College in Texas. The Collin County Community College District is a Community college district which serves Collin and Rockwall Counties located north and northeast

A traditional activity is catching noddy birds when they return from foraging at sea. Noddies are members of the Tern family Sternidae in the genera Anous, Procelsterna, and Gygis. At sunset, men stand on the beach ready to throw their lasso at the incoming birds. Reata redirects here For the comic book character see Reata (comics A lasso, lariat, or riata (from the Spanish reata The Nauruan lasso is supple rope with a weight at the end. When a bird approaches, the lasso is thrown up, hits or drapes itself over the bird, and then falls to the ground. The captured noddies are cooked and eaten. ^[41]

References

External links

• Nauru, Permanent Mission to the United Nations
• Asian Development Bank Country Economic Report, Nauru, November, 2007
• Our Airline - the former Air Nauru
• Our Airline Flight Schedule
• Discover Nauru The Official Nauru Tourism Website
• CenPac - The ISP of the Republic of Nauru
• Radio program "This American Life" featured a 30-minute story on Nauru
• Open Directory Project - Nauru directory category
• High resolution aerial views of Nauru on Google Maps
• Nauru country information on globalEDGE