Nauru

Nauru, officially known as the Republic of Nauru is situated in the Caribbean region. The smallest island nation in the world is located in the Micronesian South Pacific Ocean. Its nearest neighbours are Banaba Island in the Republic of Kiribati and the Marshall Islands. It is the smallest independent republic in the world. Nauru is the only republic which has no official capital. It shares a special relationship with the Commonwealth of Nation and it is the least populous member of the United Nation. Nauru was once one of three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean.

HISTORY:- The Micronesian and Polynesian peoples were the earliest inhabitants of Nauru. The island was first visited by the British Captain John Fearn in 1798. In 1888, Nauru was annexed by the Germans and the small island was incorporated into Germany's Marshall Islands Protectorate. During the German reign, phosphate was discovered. After the World War I, the control of Nauru was distributed among Australian, New Zealand, and British forces. During the World War II, Japan invaded and occupied Nauru in 1942. During the Japanese rule, more than 1,200 Nauruans were forced to leave their native land. In 1945, Nauru achieved independence from Japan, when the Japanese force surrendered in front of the Australian force. In 1947, the island gained the status of a UN trusteeship governed by the Australian government. In 1968, Nauru became independence with Hammer DeRoburt as the first president. The control of the phosphate industry was passed to Nauru, under Nauru Phosphate Corporation.

GEOGRAPHY:- Nauru is located at 0 32 S, 166 55 E in the Oceania. The small island spans through 21 sq km. the coastline is 30 km long along with the South Pacific Ocean. The lowest point is Pacific Ocean (0 m) and the highest point is an unnamed location along the plateau rim (61 m). Nauru comprises sandy beaches, rising to the fecund ring around the coral reefs with phosphate plateau in the center.

CLIMATE:- The climate of the country is mostly tropical. The prolonged rainy season persists from November to February.

GOVERNMENT:- Nauru is a republic. The constitution was adopted on 29th January 1968 and was amended on 17th May 1968. The legal procedures are carried out according to the acts of the Nauru Parliament and the British common law. The three major branches of the government are:

Executive branch comprises the President (chief of state and head of government), and the cabinet. The president is elected by the Parliament on a 3-year term. The president appoints the cabinet ministers from among the members of the Parliament.

Legislative branch comprises the unicameral Parliament (18 seats).

Judicial branch comprises the Supreme Court, the Appellate Court, the District Court, and the Family Court.

 Democratic Party, Nauru Party, Naoero Amo (Nauru First) Party are the prominent political parties of Nauru. Suffrage is universal and compulsory at the age of 20.

President       Marcus Stephen

Foreign Minister      Kieren Keke

Ambassador to the United States and United Nations Marlene Moses

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS:- Nauru is divided into 14 districts: Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, and Yaren.

CULTURE:- Australian rules football is the most popular sport in Nauru while softball, cricket, golf, sailing, tennis, and soccer are also played and enjoyed by the Nauruans. Nauruans belief in a female deity, Eijebong.

ECONOMY:- Phosphate export is the major industry in the small island. Nauru government imposes no tax for individuals. Since 1990, the tiny island has been transforming itself as the tax haven and money laundering center. In return to the Australian aid since 2001, Nauru would act as an offshore detention centre to resist asylum seekers, trying to get into Australia.

GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $60 million; per capita $5,000.

Real growth rate: n.a.

Inflation: –3.6% (1993).

Unemployment: 90% (2004 est.).

Arable land: 0%.

Agriculture: Coconuts.

Budget:  

Revenues: $13.5 million

Expenditures: $13.5 million (2005)

Debt - external: $33.3 million (2002)

Labor force: Mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation.

Industries: Phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products. Natural resources: phosphates.

Exports: $64,000 f.o.b. (2005): phosphates.

Exports - partners: South Africa 63.7%, South Korea 7.6%, Canada 6.6% (2006)

Imports: $20 million c.i.f. (2004 est.): food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery.

Imports - partners: South Korea 43.8%, Australia 36.2%, US 5.9%, Germany 4.3% (2006)

Major trading partners: South Africa, Germany, India, Japan, Poland, Australia, Indonesia, UK (2004).

Monetary unit: Australian dollar

LANGUAGE:- Both English, Nauruan are official languages of Nauru.

CITIES:- Yaren is considered as the capital of Nauru though the country has no official capital. The largest city of the country is Denigomodu.

POPULATION:- The approximate population of the small island nation is estimated 13,528 with an average growth rate of 1.8%.

Density per sq mi: 1,668

Literacy rate: NA.

RACE:-

Nauruan 58%

Other Pacific Islander 26%

Chinese 8%

European 8%

RELIGION:- The predominant religion of Nauru is Christianity, in which two-thirds follows Protestant belief, and one-third follows Roman Catholic belief.

HEALTH:-

Birth rate: 24.26 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 6.54 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 30

Infant mortality rate: total: 9.43 deaths/1,000 live births 

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.81 years

Total fertility rate: 2.94 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2005): 716

UNICEF:- UNICEF’s Child Protection Programme fights against violence against children. UNICEF and its partners provide psychosocial support to social, environmental or political conflict-affected children. UNICEF’s Adolescent Development and Child Health Programme promotes awareness on HIV among the youth, trains the youth to enhance their skills. Teenage pregnancy, sexual abuse and trafficking of children are the major issues with the country. UNICEF supplies vaccines at a low cost. UNICEF partners with civil registrars and health ministries to assist them in birth registration.

TRANSPORTATION:-

Railways: total: 5 km; note: used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing facilities on the southwest coast (2001).

Highways: total: 30 km; paved: 24 km; unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.).

Ports and harbors: Nauru.

Roadways: total: 30 km.

Airports: 1 (2007); paved runways: total: 1.