Nauru

Broadcast media

1 government-owned television 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

Internet hosts

4,158 (2010) country comparison to the world: 140

Telephone system

general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities domestic: NA international: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

1,900 (2009) country comparison to the world: 224

Telephones - mobile cellular

6,200 (2010) country comparison to the world: 213

Agriculture - products

coconuts

Budget

revenues: $13.5 million expenditures: $13.5 million (2005)

Debt - external

$33.3 million (2004 est.) (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Economy - overview

Revenues of this tiny island 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. In 2005 an Australian company entered into an agreement to exploit remaining supplies. 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. 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. As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faced virtual bankruptcy. To cut costs the government has frozen wages and reduced overstaffed public service departments. Nauru lost further revenue in 2008 with the closure of Australia's refugee processing center, making it almost totally dependent on food imports and foreign aid. 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.

Electricity - consumption

29.76 million kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - production

32 million kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Exchange rates

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar - 1.0902 (2010) 1.2822 (2009) 1.2059 (2008) 1.2137 (2007) 1.3285 (2006)

Exports

$64,000 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 220

Exports - commodities

phosphates

GDP (official exchange rate)

$NA

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$60 million (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 221

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$5,000 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$20 million (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 219

Imports - commodities

food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Labor force - by occupation

note: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation (1992)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 209

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Oil - consumption

1,300 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Oil - imports

1,044 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

90% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Area

total: 21 sq km country comparison to the world: 239 land: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

30 km

Elevation extremes

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

Environment - current issues

limited natural freshwater resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

0 32 S, 166 55 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Location

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

periodic droughts

Natural resources

phosphates, fish

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

no official capital; government offices in Yaren District time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Marlene I. MOSES chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 937-0074 FAX: [1] (212) 937-0079 consulate(s): Agana (Guam)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Sprent DABWIDO (since 15 November 2011); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Sprent DABWIDO (since 15 November 2011) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of parliament (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: president elected by parliament for a three-year term; election last held on 10 November 2011 (next to be held in 2014) election results: a no-confidence vote on 15 November 2011 removed Frederick PITCHER as president after six days; Sprent DABWIDO elected in a parliamentary vote of 9 to 8

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

Government type

republic

Independence

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

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, ICAO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held on 19 June 2010 (next to be held in 2013) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 18

National anthem

name: "Nauru Bwiema" (Song of Nauru) lyrics/music: Margaret HENDRIE/Laurence Henry HICKS note: adopted 1968

National holiday

Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party; Nauru Party (informal); note - loose multiparty system

Political pressure groups and leaders

Woman Information and News Agency (women's issues)

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Background

The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear since their language does not resemble any other in the Pacific. 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.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 2,542 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,823 females age 16-49: 2,034 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 74 female: 78 (2010 est.)

Military - note

Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia

Military branches

no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force (2009)

Military expenditures

NA

Age structure

0-14 years: 33% (male 1,398/female 1,682) 15-64 years: 65.3% (male 2,996/female 3,093) 65 years and over: 1.6% (male 68/female 85) (2011 est.)

Birth rate

27.78 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Death rate

6.11 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 90% of population total: 90% of population unimproved: urban: 10% of population total: 10% of population (2008)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Health expenditures

12.1% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 10

Infant mortality rate

total: 8.66 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 156 male: 11.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Languages

Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English (widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 65.35 years country comparison to the world: 166 male: 61.27 years female: 68.75 years (2011 est.)

Literacy

NA

Median age

total: 24.2 years male: 24.4 years female: 23.9 years (2011 est.)

Nationality

noun: Nauruan(s) adjective: Nauruan

Net migration rate

-15.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 217

Physicians density

0.714 physicians/1,000 population (2008) country comparison to the world: 114

Population

9,322 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 225

Population growth rate

0.611% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Religions

Protestant 45.8% (Nauru Congregational 35.4%, Nauru Independent Church 10.4%), Roman Catholic 33.2%, other 14.1%, none 4.5%, unspecified 2.4% (2002 census)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 50% of population total: 50% of population unimproved: urban: 50% of population total: 50% of population (2008)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 9 years male: 9 years female: 10 years (2008)

Sex ratio

at birth: 0.837 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.08 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 61

Urbanization

urban population: 100% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

1 (2010) country comparison to the world: 229

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Nauru

Roadways

total: 24 km country comparison to the world: 219 paved: 24 km (2002)