1994 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1994 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Administrative divisions
14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren
Agriculture
coconuts; other agricultural activity negligible; almost completely dependent on imports for food and water
Airports
total: 1 usable: 1 with permanent-surface runways: 1 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1
Area
total area: 21 sq km land area: 21 sq km comparative area: about one-tenth the size of Washington, DC
Birth rate
18.03 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Branches
Directorate of the Nauru Police Force note: no regular armed forces
Budget
revenues: $69.7 million expenditures: $51.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1986 est.)
Capital
no official capital; government offices in Yaren District
Climate
tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February)
Coastline
30 km
Constitution
29 January 1968
Currency
1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Death rate
5.1 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures
$NA - no formal defense structure
Digraph
NR
Diplomatic representation in US
consulate(s): Agana (Guam)
Economic aid
recipient: Western (non-US) countries (1970-89), $2 million
Electricity
capacity: 14,000 kW production: 50 million kWh consumption per capita: 5,430 kWh (1990)
Environment
current issues: limited water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater; phosphate mining threatens limited remaining land resources natural hazards: rainfall is erratic international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Marine Dumping; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
Ethnic divisions
Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%
Exchange rates
Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.4364 (January 1994), 1.4704 (1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2834 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989)
Executive branch
chief of state and head of government: President Bernard DOWIYOGO (since 12 December 1989); election last held 19 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1995); results - Bernard DOWIYOGO elected by Parliament cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president from the parliament
Exports
$93 million (f.o.b., 1984) commodities: phosphates partners: Australia, NZ
External debt
$33.3 million
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
Flag
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
Highways
total: 27 km paved: 21 km unpaved: improved earth 6 km
Imports
$73 million (c.i.f., 1984) commodities: food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery partners: Australia, UK, NZ, Japan
Independence
31 January 1968 (from UN trusteeship under Australia, New Zealand, and UK)
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
phosphate mining, financial services, coconut products
Infant mortality rate
40.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Labor force
by occupation: NA
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Languages
Nauruan (official; a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes
Legal system
own Acts of Parliament and British common law
Legislative branch
unicameral
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 66.68 years male: 64.3 years female: 69.18 years (1994 est.)
Literacy
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Location
Oceania, Micronesia, 500 km north-northeast of Papua New Guinea
Map references
Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Member of
AsDB, C (special), ESCAP, ICAO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UPU
Merchant marine
1 bulk ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,426 GRT/5,750 DWT
Names
conventional long form: Republic of Nauru conventional short form: Nauru former: Pleasant Island
National holiday
Independence Day, 31 January (1968)
National product
GNP - exchange rate conversion - $90 million (1989 est.)
National product per capita
$10,000 (1989 est.)
National product real growth rate
NA%
Nationality
noun: Nauruan(s) adjective: Nauruan
Natural resources
phosphates
Net migration rate
0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
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
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.
Parliament
elections last held on 14 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1995); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (18 total) independents 18
Political parties and leaders
none
Population
10,019 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate
1.33% (1994 est.)
Ports
Nauru
Railroads
3.9 km; used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing facilities on the southwest coast
Religions
Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)
Suffrage
20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telecommunications
adequate local and international radio communications provided via Australian facilities; 1,600 telephones; 4,000 radios; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Terrain
sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center
Total fertility rate
2.08 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Type
republic
Unemployment rate
0%
US diplomatic representation
the US Ambassador to Australia is accredited to Nauru