Country Summary
Introduction
Background
Nauru was inhabited by Micronesian and Polynesian settlers by around 1000 B.C. In 1798, the British spotted the island. Germany annexed Nauru in 1888. Australia captured Nauru from Germany during World War I, and in 1919, it became a joint Australian-British-New Zealand mandate with Australian administration. Nauru opted for independence in 1968.
Geography
Area
total: 21 sq km
land: 21 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Climate
tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February)
Natural resources
phosphates, fish
People and Society
Population
9,811 (2022 est.)
Ethnic groups
Nauruan 88.9%, part Nauruan 6.6%, I-Kiribati 2%, other 2.5% (2007 est.)
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%) (2011 est.)
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 0.7%), Roman Catholic 33%, other 3.7%, none 1.8%, unspecified 1.1% (2011 est.)
Population growth rate
0.42% (2022 est.)
Government
Government type
parliamentary republic
Capital
name: no official capital; government offices in the Yaren District
Executive branch
chief of state: President Russ KUN (since 28 September 2022); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Russ KUN (since 28 September 2022)
Legislative branch
description: unicameral parliament (19 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by majority vote using the "Dowdall" counting system by which voters rank candidates on their ballots; members serve 3-year terms)
Economy
Economic overview
upper-middle-income Pacific island country; phosphate resource exhaustion made island interior uninhabitable; licenses fishing rights; houses Australia’s Regional Processing Centre; former known tax haven; largely dependent on foreign subsidies
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$150 million (2019 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$13,500 (2019 est.)
Agricultural products
coconuts, tropical fruit, vegetables, pork, eggs, pig offals, pig fat, poultry, papayas, cabbages
Industries
phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products
Exports
$30 million (2018 est.)
Exports - partners
Thailand 34%, Australia 16%, United States 13%, South Korea 10%, Philippines 9%, Japan 7%, France 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
fish, calcium phosphates, low-voltage protection equipment, air conditioners, leather apparel (2019)
Imports
$90 million (2018 est.)
Imports - partners
Taiwan 52%, Australia 28% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, construction vehicles, tug boats, poultry meats, cars (2019)
Exchange rates
Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -
Page last updated: Wednesday, September 28, 2022
