1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 21 sq km land area: 21 sq km comparative area: about one-tenth the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February)
Coastline
30 km
Environment
current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater; phosphate mining threatens limited remaining land resources natural hazards: periodic droughts international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Marine Dumping; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Location
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
phosphates
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
Terrain
sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Birth rate
18.03 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
5.1 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%
Infant mortality rate
40.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Labor force
by occupation: NA
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: 66.68 years male: 64.3 years female: 69.18 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
NA%
Nationality
noun: Nauruan(s) adjective: Nauruan
Net migration rate
0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
10,149 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
1.33% (1995 est.)
Religions
Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)
Total fertility rate
2.08 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
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
Constitution
29 January 1968
Digraph
NR
Diplomatic representation in US
consulate(s): Agana (Guam)
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
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
Independence
31 January 1968 (from the Australia, New Zealand, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Legal system
own Acts of Parliament and British common law
Legislative branch
unicameral
Member of
AsDB, C (special), ESCAP, ICAO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UPU
Names
conventional long form: Republic of Nauru conventional short form: Nauru former: Pleasant Island
National holiday
Independence Day, 31 January (1968)
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
Suffrage
20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Type
republic
US diplomatic representation
the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru
Economy
Agriculture
coconuts; other agricultural activity negligible; almost completely dependent on imports for food and water
Budget
revenues: $69.7 million expenditures: $51.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1986 est.)
Currency
1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Economic aid
recipient: Western (non-US) countries (1970-89), $2 million
Electricity
capacity: 14,000 kW production: 30 million kWh consumption per capita: 3,036 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.3058 (January 1995), 1.3667 (1994), 1.4704 (1993), 1.3600 (1992), 1.2834 (1991), 1.2799 (1990)
Exports
$93 million (f.o.b., 1984) commodities: phosphates partners: Australia, NZ
External debt
$33.3 million
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
Imports
$73 million (c.i.f., 1984) commodities: food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery partners: Australia, UK, NZ, Japan
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
phosphate mining, financial services, coconut products
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $100 million (1993 est.)
National product per capita
$10,000 (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate
NA%
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. 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.
Unemployment rate
0%
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: 4,000
Telephone system
1,600 telephones; adequate local and international radio communications provided via Australian facilities local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth station
Television
broadcast stations: 0 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
Highways
total: 27 km paved: 21 km unpaved: improved earth 6 km
Merchant marine
none
Ports
Nauru
Railroads
total: 3.9 km; note - used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing facilities on the southwest coast
Military and Security
Branches
no regular armed forces; Directorate of the Nauru Police Force
Defense expenditures
$NA; note - no formal defense structure ________________________________________________________________________ NAVASSA ISLAND (territory of the US)