Background: The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear since their language does not resemble any other in the Pacific region. Germany annexed the island in 1888. A German-British consortium began mining the island's phosphate deposits early in the 20th century. Australian forces occupied Nauru in World War I; it subsequently became a League of Nations mandate. After the Second World War - and a brutal occupation by Japan - Nauru became a UN trust territory. It achieved independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999 as the world's smallest independent republic.

Geographic coordinates: 0 32 S 166 55 E

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 21 km²
Land: 21 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 240
Comparative: about 0.1 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 30 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February)

Terrain: sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: unnamed elevation along plateau rim 61 m

Natural resources: phosphates fish

Land use
Agricultural land: 20%
Forest: 0%
Other: 80%

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Geography
Note: world's smallest island country; situated just 53 km south of the Equator; 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

Population: 9,540 (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 225
Growth rate: 0.55% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 154
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Nauruan
Adjective: Nauruan

Ethnic groups: Nauruan 58% other Pacific Islander 26% Chinese 8% European 8%

Languages: Nauruan 93% (official a distinct Pacific Island language) English 2% (widely understood spoken and used for most government and commercial purposes) other 5% (includes I-Kiribati 2% and Chinese 2%)
Note: percentages represent main language spoken at home; Nauruan is spoken by 95% of the population English by 66% and other languages by 12%

Religions: Protestant 60.4% (includes Nauru Congregational 35.7% Assembly of God 13% Nauru Independent Church 9.5% Baptist 1.5% and Seventh Day Adventist .7%) Roman Catholic 33% other 3.7% none 1.8% unspecified 1.1% (2011 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 32.45%
15-24 years: 16.13%
25-54 years: 43.19%
55-64 years: 6.11%
65 years and over: 2.12% (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 25.7 years
Male: 26.1 years
Female: 25.3 years

Population growth rate: 0.55% (2015 est.)
Rank: 154

Birth rate: 24.95 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 52

Death rate: 5.87 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 171

Net migration rate: -13.63 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 218

Urbanization
Urban population: 100% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.19% annual rate of change

Environment
Current issues: limited natural freshwater resources roof storage tanks collect rainwater but mostly dependent on a single aging desalination plant; a century of intensive phosphate mining beginning in 1906 - mainly by a UK Australia and NZ consortium - left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Marine Dumping Ozone Layer Protection Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 0.83 male/female
0-14 years: 0.78 male/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male/female
25-54 years: 1 male/female
55-64 years: 0.66 male/female
65 years and over: 0.63 male/female
Total population: 0.9 male/female

Infant mortality rate
Total: 8.07 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 10.34 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 6.17 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 154

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 66.75 years
Male: 62.64 years
Female: 70.19 years
Rank: 170

Total fertility rate: 2.88 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 58

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 35.6% (2007)

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 0.71 physicians/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 45.1% (2014)
Rank: 2

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 4.8% (2007)
Rank: 91

Education expenditures: NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 9 years
Male: 9 years
Female: 10 years

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
Conventional short form: Nauru
Local long form: Republic of Nauru
Local short form: Nauru
Former: Pleasant Island

Government type: republic

Capital: no official capital; government offices in Yaren District
Time difference: UTC+12

Administrative divisions: 14 districts; Aiwo Anabar Anetan Anibare Baiti Boe Buada Denigomodu Ewa Ijuw Meneng Nibok Uaboe Yaren

Independence: 31 January 1968 (from the Australia- NZ- and UK-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Independence Day 31 January (1968)

Constitution: effective 29 January 1968; amended 1968 2009 2014 (2015)

Legal system: mixed legal system of common law based on the English model and customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Baron WAQA ; note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Baron WAQA
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among members of Parliament
Electionsappointments: president indirectly elected by Parliament for a 3-year renewable term; election last held on 11 June 2013
Election results: Baron WAQA reelected president on 11 June 2013; Parliament vote - Baron WAQA 13 Roland KUN (Nauru First) 5

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral parliament
Elections: last held on 8 June 2013
Election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 19

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court
Judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president to serve until age 65
Subordinate courts: District Court Family Court

Political parties and leaders:
Note: loose multiparty system

International organization participation: ACP ADB AOSIS C FAO G-77 ICAO ICCt IFAD Interpol IOC IOM ITU OPCW PIF Sparteca SPC UN UNCTAD UNESCO UPU WHO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Marlene Inemwin MOSES
In the us chancery: 800 2nd Avenue Suite 400 D New York NY 10,017
In the us telephone: [1] 937-0074
In the us FAX: [1] 937-0079
In the us consulate: Agana
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; blue stands for the Pacific Ocean 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 symbols: frigatebird calophyllum flower; national colors: blue yellow white

National anthem
Name: 'Nauru Bwiema'
Lyrics and music: Margaret HENDRIE/Laurence Henry HICKS
Note: adopted 1968

Economy overview: Revenues of this tiny island - a coral atoll with a land area of 21 square kilometers - traditionally have come from exports of phosphates. Few other resources exist with most necessities being imported mainly from Australia its former occupier and later major source of support. Primary reserves of phosphates were exhausted and mining ceased in 2006 but mining of a deeper layer of 'secondary phosphate' in the interior of the island began the following year. The secondary phosphate deposits may last another 30 years. Earnings from Nauru’s export of phosphate remains an important source of income. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits substantial amounts of phosphate income were invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. Although revenue sources for government are limited the opening of the Australian Regional Processing Center for asylum seekers since 2012 has sparked growth in the economy. Revenue derived from fishing licenses under the vessel day scheme has also boosted government income. Housing hospitals and other capital plant are deteriorating. The cost to Australia of keeping the government and economy afloat continues to climb. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist with estimates of Nauru's GDP varying widely.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 224

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 10

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 107

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6.1%
Industry: 33%
Services: 60.8%

Agriculture products: coconuts

Industries: phosphate mining offshore banking coconut products

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: NA
By occupation note: most of the labor force is employed in phosphate mining public administration education and transportation

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 172

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $57.8 million
Expenditures: $51.8 million

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 201

Exports:
Rank: 192
Commodities: phosphates

Imports:
Rank: 212
Commodities: food fuel manufactures building materials machinery

Debt external: $33.3 million (2004 est.)
Rank: 198

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 25 million kWh (2012 est.)
Production rank: 214
Consumption: 23.25 million kWh (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 213
Exports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 179
Imports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 184
Installed generating capacity: 6,000 kW (2012 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 210
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 24
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 157
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 193
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 209

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 177
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 171
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 110
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 176

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products production rank: 120
Products consumption: 1000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 200
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products exports rank: 208
Products imports: 1075 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products imports rank: 195

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 113
Consumption: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 181
Exports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 156
Imports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 113
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 179

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 168,700 Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 197

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 0
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1
Fixed lines rank: 218
Mobile cellular total: 6,800
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 73
Mobile cellular rank: 214

Telephone system
General assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities
International: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat

Broadcast media: 1 government-owned TV station broadcasting programs from New Zealand sent via satellite or on videotape; 1 government-owned radio station broadcasting on AM and FM utilizes Australian and British programs (2009)

Internet
Country code: .nr

Airports: 1 (2013)
Rank: 227
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1

Roadways
Total: 30 km
Paved: 24 km
Unpaved: 6 km
Rank: 220

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Nauru

Disputes international: none