Nauru facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 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) 00°31′39″S 166°56′06″E / 0.52750°S 166.93500°E / -0.52750; 166.93500
Largest city	Denigomodu
Official languages	Nauruan English
Demonym(s)	Nauruan
Government	Unitary parliamentary republic with an executive presidency 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
• 2020 estimate	10,834 (227th)
• 2011 census	10,084
• Density	480/km2 (1,243.2/sq mi) (25th)
GDP (PPP)	2021 estimate
• Total	$132 million (192nd)
• Per capita	$9,995 (94th)
GDP (nominal)	2021 estimate
• Total	$133 million
• Per capita	$10,125
Currency	Australian dollar (AUD)
Time zone	UTC+12
Driving side	left
Calling code	+674
ISO 3166 code	NR
Internet TLD	.nr

Nauru, officially the Republic of Nauru, is a sovereign island nation located in the Micronesian South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in the Republic of Kiribati, 300 kilometres (190 mi) due east. Nauru is the world's smallest island nation, covering just 21 square kilometres (8 sq mi), the smallest independent republic, and the only republican state in the world without an official capital. With 10,670 residents, it is the third least-populated country after Vatican City and Tuvalu.

It sells phosphate (a chemical) to Australia. English and Nauruan are the official languages of Nauru. The current president of Nauru is Lionel Aingimea.

History

Nauru was invaded by Germany in 1888, and a Germany and Britain began mining the island's phosphate together early in the 20th century. Japan invaded Nauru in 1942 and left the island in 1945. It became a country in 1968 and joined the United Nations in 1999.

Geography

Aerial view of Nauru

Nauru is a 21 square kilometres (8 sq mi) 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 is exposed at low tide and dotted with pinnacles. The presence of the reef has prevented the establishment of a seaport, although channels in the reef allow small boats access to the island. A fertile coastal strip 150 to 300 metres (490 to 980 ft) wide lies inland from the beach.

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

Nauru was one of three great phosphate rock 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 entirely depleted. Phosphate mining in the central plateau has left a barren terrain of jagged limestone pinnacles up to 15 metres (49 ft) high. Mining has stripped and devastated about 80 per cent of Nauru's land area, and has also affected the surrounding Exclusive Economic Zone; 40 per cent of marine life is estimated to have been killed by silt and phosphate runoff.

There are only about 60 recorded vascular plant species native to the island, none of which are endemic. Coconut farming, mining, and introduced species have caused serious disturbance to the native vegetation. There are no native land mammals, but there are native insects, land crabs, and birds, including the endemic Nauru Reed Warbler. The Polynesian rat, cats, dogs, pigs, and chickens have been introduced to Nauru from ships.

There are limited natural fresh water resources on Nauru. Rooftop storage tanks collect rainwater, but the islanders are mostly dependent on three desalination plants housed at Nauru's Utilities Agency. Nauru's climate is hot and very humid year-round because of its proximity to the equator and the ocean. Nauru is hit by monsoon rains between November and February, but does not typically experience cyclones. Annual rainfall is highly variable and is influenced by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, with several significant recorded droughts. 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.

As an island, Nauru is vulnerable to climate and sea level change. Nauru is the seventh most global warming threatened nation due to flooding. At least 80 per cent of the land of Nauru is well elevated, but this area will be uninhabitable until the phosphate mining rehabilitation programme is implemented.

Administrative divisions

Nauru is divided into fourteen administrative districts which are grouped into eight electoral constituencies.

Nauru flag

Flag at the Parliament of Nauru

Following the independence of Nauru, the flag of Nauru (Nauruan: anidenin Naoero) was raised for the first time. The flag, chosen in a local design competition, was adopted on independence day, 31 January 1968. The design symbolically depicts Nauru's geographical position, with a star just south of the Equator.

The flag reflects the geographical location of the island nation.

The narrow gold stripe with a width of 1⁄12 of the length of the flag represents the Equator. The stripe along with the star signifies the location of the island in the Pacific Ocean one degree south of the Equator. The separation of the blue flag cloth into two equal parts recalls the saga, that the first inhabitants were to have been brought to Earth from two boulders.

Nauru itself is symbolised by a white 12-pointed star. The twelve points on the star represent the island's twelve original tribes.

The blue signifies the Pacific Ocean, while the white colour of the star represents phosphate, a former major natural resource of the country.

The flag was created by a resident employed by the Australian flag manufacturer Evans. It was officially adopted on 31 January 1968. Unlike some flags of Pacific nations (e.g., that of Tuvalu), Nauru's flag has evoked little controversy.

Images for kids

• 

  Photo of a Nauruan warrior during the Nauruan Civil War around 1880

• 

  US Army Air Force bombing the Japanese airstrip on Nauru, 1943.

• 

  Map of Nauru

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  A satellite image of Nauru, 2002

• 

  Limestone pinnacles remain after phosphate mining at the site of one of Nauru's secondary mines

• 

  Church in Nauru

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  Australian rules football, played at Linkbelt Oval

• 

  View of Nauru International Airport

See also

In Spanish: Nauru para niños