Statistical information Nauru 1992
Nauru in the World
Nauru - Introduction 1992
top of pageBackground: Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied by Australian forces in World War I. Upon achieving independence in 1968 Nauru became the smallest independent republic in the world.
Nauru - Geography 1992
top of pageLocation
Geographic coordinates
Map reference
Area
Total: 21 km²
Land: 21 km²
Comparative: about one-tenth the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 30 km
Maritime claims
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: none
Climate: tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February)
Terrain: sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center
Elevation
Natural resources: phosphates
Land use
Land use: arable land: 0%; permanent crops: 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
Irrigated land
Major rivers
Major watersheds area km²
Total water withdrawal
Total renewable water resources
Natural hazards
Geography
Nauru - People 1992
top of pagePopulation: 9,460 (July 1992), growth rate 1.3% (1992)
Nationality: noun - Nauruan(s; adjective - Nauruan
Ethnic groups:
Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%,
European 8%
European 8%
Languages:
Nauruan, a distinct Pacific Island language (official);
English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes
English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes
Religions: Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)
Demographic profile
Age structure
Age structure
Dependency ratios
Median age
Population growth rate
Birth rate: 18 births/1000 population (1992)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1000 population (1992)
Net migration rate: NEGL migrants/1000 population (1992)
Population distribution
Urbanization
Major urban areas
Environment
Current issues: only 53 km south of Equator
Current issues note: located 500 km north-northeast of Papua New Guinea, Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia
Air pollutants
Sex ratio
Mothers mean age at first birth
Maternal mortality ratio
Infant mortality rate: 41 deaths/1000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth: 64 years male, 69 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate: 2.1 children born/woman (1992)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
Drinking water source
Current health expenditure
Physicians density
Hospital bed density
Sanitation facility access
Hiv/Aids
Major infectious diseases
Obesity adult prevalence rate
Alcohol consumption
Tobacco use
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
Education expenditures
Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Youth unemployment
Nauru - Government 1992
top of pageCountry name
Conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
Government type: republic
Capital: no capital city as such; government offices in Yaren District
Administrative divisions:
14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare,
Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren
Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren
Dependent areas
Independence:
31 January 1968 (from UN trusteeship under Australia, New
Zealand, and UK); formerly Pleasant Island
Zealand, and UK); formerly Pleasant Island
National holiday: Independence Day, 31 January (1968)
Constitution: 29 January 1968
Legal system: own Acts of Parliament and British common law
International law organization participation
Citizenship
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 20
Parliament: last held on 9 December 1989 (next to be held December 1992); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (18 total) independents 18
President: last held 9 December 1989 (next to be held December 1992); results - Bernard DOWIYOGO elected by Parliament
Executive branch: president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders
International organization participation: C (special), ESCAP, ICAO, INTERPOL, ITU, SPC, SPF, UPU
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador-designate Theodore Conrad MOSES resident in Melbourne (Australia); there is a Nauruan Consulate in Agana (Guam)
US: the US Ambassador to Australia is accredited to Nauru
Diplomatic representation
Flag description
: blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of NauruNational symbols
National anthem
National heritage
Nauru - Economy 1992
top of pageEconomy overview:
Revenues come from the export of phosphates, the reserves of which are expected to be exhausted by the year 2000. Phosphates have given
Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the Third World - $10,000 annually. Few other resources exist, so most necessities must be imported, including fresh water from Australia. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems.
Substantial amounts of phosphate income are invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition.
Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the Third World - $10,000 annually. Few other resources exist, so most necessities must be imported, including fresh water from Australia. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems.
Substantial amounts of phosphate income are invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition.
GNP: exchange rate conversion - over $90 million, per capita $10,000; real growth rate NA% (1989)
Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real gdp growth rate
Real gdp per capita
Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end use
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture products: negligible; almost completely dependent on imports for food and water
Industries: phosphate mining, financial services, coconuts
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate NA%
Labor force: NA
Organized labor: NA
Labor force
Unemployment rate: 0%
Youth unemployment
Population below poverty line
Gini index
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Distribution of family income gini index
Budget: revenues $69.7 million; expenditures $51.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY86 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
Public debt
Revenue
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Inflation rate consumer prices
Central bank discount rate
Commercial bank prime lending rate
Stock of narrow money
Stock of broad money
Stock of domestic credit
Market value of publicly traded shares
Current account balance
Exports: $93 million (f.o.b., 1984)
Commodoties: phosphates
Partners: Australia, NZ
Imports: $73 million (c.i.f., 1984)
Commodoties: food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery
Partners: Australia, UK, NZ, Japan
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Debt external
Stock of direct foreign investment at home
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad
Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.3177 (March 1992), 1.2834 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987)
Nauru - Energy 1992
top of pageElectricity
Production: 14,000 kW capacity; 50 million kWh produced, 5,430 kWh per capita (1990)
Coal
Petroleum
Crude oil
Refined petroleum
Natural gas
Carbon dioxide emissions
Energy consumption per capita
Nauru - Communication 1992
top of pageTelephones
Telephone system
Broadcast media
Internet
Broadband fixed subscriptions
Nauru - Military 1992
top of pageMilitary expenditures
Percent of gdp: $NA - no formal defense structure
Military and security forces
Military service age and obligation
Space program
Terrorist groups
Nauru - Transportation 1992
top of pageNational air transport system
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m
Heliports
Pipelines
Railways
Roadways
Waterways
Merchant marine:
1 bulk ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,426
GRT/5,750 DWT
GRT/5,750 DWT
Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft, one on order
Ports and terminals
Nauru - Transnational issues 1992
top of pageDisputes international
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Illicit drugs
