Statistical information Nauru 1999

Nauru in the World
Nauru - Introduction 1999
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; it joined the UN in 1999.
top of pageLocation: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands
Geographic coordinates: 0 32 S, 166 55 E
Map reference:
OceaniaAreaTotal: 21 km²
Land: 21 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 30 km
Maritime claimsExclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February)
Terrain: sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m
Natural resources: phosphates
Land useArable land: NA%
Permanent crops: NA%
Permanent pastures: NA%
Forests and woodland: NA%
Other: 100% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: periodic droughts
GeographyNote: 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; only 53 km south of Equator
top of pagePopulation: 10,605 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 0% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%
NationalityNoun: Nauruan(s)
Adjective: Nauruan
Ethnic groups: Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%
Languages: Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes
Religions: Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: NA
Death rate: 0 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years_mainly by a UK, Australia, and New Zealand consortium_has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: NA deaths/1000 live births
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA
Total fertility rate: NA children born/woman
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: NA
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of Nauru
Conventional short form: Nauru
Former: Pleasant Island
Government type: republic
Capital: no official capital; government offices in Yaren District
Administrative divisions: 14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren
Dependent areasIndependence: 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, New Zealand-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday: Independence Day, 31 January (1968)
Constitution: 29 January 1968
Legal system: acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branchChief of state: President Bernard DOWIYOGO (since 17 June 1998); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Bernard DOWIYOGO (since 17 June 1998); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of Parliament
Elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term; election last held 17 June 1998 (next to be held NA 2001)
Election results: Bernard DOWIYOGO elected president; percent of Parliament vote_NA
Note: former President Kinza CLODUMAR was deposed in a no-confidence vote
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
Elections: last held 8 February 1997 (next to be held NA February 2000)
Election results: percent of vote_NA; seats_independents 18
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: AsDB, C (special), ESCAP, ICAO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: Nauru does not have an embassy in the US
In the us consulates: Hagatna (Guam)
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru
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 Nauru
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Revenues come from exports of phosphates, but reserves are expected to be exhausted by the year 2000. Phosphates have given Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the Third World. Few other resources exist, thus 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. The government also has been borrowing heavily from the trusts to finance fiscal deficits. To cut costs the government has called a freezing of wages, a reduction of over-staffed public service departments, privatization of numerous government agencies, and closure of some overseas consulates.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: NA%
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $10,000 (1993 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%
Agriculture products: coconuts
Industries: phosphate mining, financial services, coconut products
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Labor forceNote: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education and transportation
Unemployment rate: 0%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: NA%
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $23.4 million
Expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of $N/A (FY95/96)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 July_30 June
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $25.3 million (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodities: phosphates
Partners: Australia, NZ
Imports: $21.1 million (c.i.f., 1991)
Commodities: food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery
Partners: Australia, UK, NZ, Japan
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $33.3 million
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1: 1.5853 (January 1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996), 1.3486 (1995), 1.3667 (1994)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 32 million kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 100%
Production by source hydro: 0%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1996)
Consumption: 32 million kWh (1996)
Exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Imports: 0 kWh (1996)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaNauru - Communication 1999
top of pageTelephones: 2,000 (1989 est.)
Telephone system: adequate local and international radiotelephone communications provided via Australian facilities
Domestic: NA
International: satellite earth station_1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $NA
Percent of gdp: NA%
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsNauru - Transportation 1999
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 1 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailways: total:3.9 km; note_used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing facilities on the southwest coast
RoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine: none
Ports and terminalsNauru - Transnational issues 1999
top of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs