Nauru

Nauru, (English: /nɑːˈuːruː/ (listen) nah-OO-roo) is a island nation in the South Pacific.^[3] Its nearest neighbour is Kiribati, 300 kilometres (190 mi) east. Nauru is the smallest island nation, covering just 21 square kilometres (8 sq mi), the smallest republic, and the only republican state without a capital. With 10,670 residents, it is the third least-populated country after Vatican City and Tuvalu.

Republic of Nauru Repubrikin Naoero  (Nauruan)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "God's will first"
Anthem: Nauru Bwiema "Nauru, our homeland"
Capital	Yaren (de facto) Officialy nonea 0°32′S 166°55′E
Largest city	Denigomodu
Official languages	English Nauruan
Commonly spoken	English
Ethnic groups	58% Nauruan 26% Pacific Islander 8% White 8% Chinese
Demonym(s)	Nauruan
Government	Unitary parliamentary republic under a non-partisan democracy
• President	David Adeang
• Speaker of the Parliament	Marcus Stephen
Legislature	Parliament
Independence
• from UN trusteeship, (from the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand)	31 January 1968
Area
• Total	21 km2 (8.1 sq mi) (193rd)
• Water (%)	0.57
Population
• October 2018 census	11,200[1] (234th)
• Density	480/km2 (1,243.2/sq mi) (25th)
GDP (PPP)	2017 estimate
• Total	$160 million[2] (192nd)
• Per capita	$12,052[2] (94th)
GDP (nominal)	2017 estimate
• Total	$114 million[2]
• Per capita	$8,570[2]
Currency	Australian dollar (AUD)
Time zone	UTC+12
Driving side	left
Calling code	+674
ISO 3166 code	NR
Internet TLD	.nr
Nauru does not have an official capital, but Yaren is the largest settlement and the seat of parliament. English is not an official language, but it is widely spoken by the majority of the population and it is commonly used in government, legislation and commerce alongside Nauruan. Due to Nauru's history and relationship with Australia, Australian English is the dominant variety.[3][4] And is de facto official.

Nauru is a phosphate rock island, and its main export since 1907 has been phosphate.^[5] English and Nauruan are the official languages. The president is David Adeang.

Geography

Aerial view of Nauru

Nauru is a 21 square kilometres (8 sq mi)^[3] oval-shaped island in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, 42 kilometres (26 mi) south of the equator. The island is surrounded by a coral reef, which can be seen during low tide.^[4] Because of this, a harbor can not be built. Canals let small boats get to the island.^[6] A an area of ground where plants can easily grow 150 to 300 metres (490 to 980 ft) wide lies inland from the beach.^[4]

Coral cliffs surround Nauru's plateau (highland). The highest point, the Command Ridge, is 71 metres (233 ft) above sea level.^[7] The only fertile areas are on the coastal belt, where coconut palms flourish. The land surrounding Buada Lagoon supports bananas, pineapples, vegetables, pandanus trees, and hardwoods such as the tomano tree.^[4]

Nauru was one of three great phosphate rock (bird droppings) islands in the Pacific Ocean (the others were Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia). The phosphate reserves on Nauru are now almost used up. Phosphate mining in the plateau has left a bare area of land with limestone peaks up to 15 metres (49 ft) high. Mining has stripped and destroyed about 80 per cent of Nauru's land, and has affected the surrounding Exclusive Economic Zone. About 40 per cent of marine life has been killed by mud and phosphate drainage.^[4][8]

There are only about 60 native vascular plant species on the island. Coconut farming, mining, and introduced species have damaged the island's native vegetation.^[9] There are no native land mammals, but there are native insects, land crabs, and birds, including the Nauru Reed Warbler. The Polynesian rat, cats, dogs, pigs, and chickens have been introduced to Nauru from ships.^[10]

There are only a few fresh water sources on Nauru. Storage tanks collect rainwater, but the islanders usually have to rely on desalination plants at Nauru's Utilities Agency. ^[11]

The island's biggest problems are climate change and rising sea levels. Nauru is the seventh most global warming threatened nation due to flooding.^[12] At least 80 per cent of the land of Nauru is well elevated, but this area will be uninhabitable until the phosphate mining improvement programme is started

Climate

Nauru's climate is hot and very humid year-round because of how close it is to the equator and the ocean. Nauru is hit by monsoon rains between November and February, but does not usually have cyclones. How much rain there is every year is highly variable, and is influenced by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. There have been many droughts in Nauru because of this.^[9][13] The temperature on Nauru ranges between 26 °C (79 °F) and 35 °C (95 °F) during the day, and between 22 °C (72 °F) and 34 °C (93 °F) at night.^[8][14]

Climate data for Yaren District, Nauru
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	34 (93)	37 (99)	35 (95)	35 (95)	32 (90)	32 (90)	35 (95)	33 (91)	35 (95)	34 (93)	36 (97)	35 (95)	37 (99)
Average high °C (°F)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	30 (86)	31 (88)	31 (88)	31 (88)	30 (87)
Average low °C (°F)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)
Record low °C (°F)	21 (70)	21 (70)	21 (70)	21 (70)	20 (68)	21 (70)	20 (68)	21 (70)	20 (68)	21 (70)	21 (70)	21 (70)	20 (68)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	280 (11.0)	250 (9.8)	190 (7.5)	190 (7.5)	120 (4.7)	110 (4.3)	150 (5.9)	130 (5.1)	120 (4.7)	100 (3.9)	120 (4.7)	280 (11.0)	2,080 (81.9)
Average precipitation days	16	14	13	11	9	9	12	14	11	10	13	15	152
Source:

Administrative divisions

See also: List of settlements in Nauru

Nauru is divided into fourteen administrative districts.^[4]

The 14 districts of Nauru.

Nr.	District	Former Name	Area (ha)	Population (2005)	No. of villages	Density persons / ha
1	Aiwo	Aiue	100	1,092	8	10.9
2	Anabar	Anabar	143	502	15	3.5
3	Anetan	Añetañ	100	516	12	5.2
4	Anibare	Anybody	314	160	17	0.5
5	Baiti	Beidi	123	572	15	4.7
6	Boe	Boi	66	795	4	12.0
7	Buada	Buada	266	716	14	2.7
8	Denigomodu	Denikomotu	118	2,827	17	24.0
9	Ewa	Eoa	117	318	12	2.7
10	Ijuw	Ijub	112	303	13	2.7
11	Meneng	Meneñ	288	1,830	18	6.4
12	Nibok	Ennibeck	136	432	11	3.2
13	Uaboe	Ueboi	97	335	6	3.5
14	Yaren	Moqua	150	820	7	5.5
	Nauru	Naoero	2,130	11,218	169	5.3