2020 Edition

Background

By 1000 B.C., Micronesian and Polynesian settlers inhabited Nauru, and the island was divided among 12 clans. Nauru developed in relative isolation because ocean currents made landfall on the island difficult. As a result, the Nauruan language does not clearly resemble any other in the Pacific region. In 1798, a British mariner was the first European to spot the island and by 1830, European whalers used Nauru as a supply stop, trading firearms for food. A civil war in 1878 reduced the population by more than a third. Germany forcibly annexed Nauru in 1888 by holding the 12 chiefs under house arrest until they consented to the annexation. Phosphate was discovered in 1900 and was heavily mined, although Nauru and Nauruans earned about one tenth of one percent of the profits from the phosphate deposits. Australian forces captured Nauru from Germany during World War I, and in 1919, it was placed under a joint Australian-British-New Zealand mandate with Australian administration. Japan occupied Nauru during World War II and used its residents as forced labor elsewhere in the Pacific while destroying much of the infrastructure on the island. After the war, Nauru became a UN trust territory under Australian administration. In 1962, recognizing the phosphate stocks would eventually be depleted, Australian Prime Minister Robert MENZIES offered to resettle all Nauruans on Curtis Island in Queensland, but Nauruans rejected that plan and opted for independence, which was achieved in 1968. In 1970, Nauru purchased the phosphate mining assets, and income from the mines made Nauruans among the richest people in the world. However, a series of unwise investments led to near bankruptcy by 2000. Widespread phosphate mining officially ceased in 2006.  As its economy faltered, Nauru briefly tried to rebrand itself as an offshore banking haven, an initiative that ended in 2005, and the country made a successful bid for Russian humanitarian aid in 2008. In 2001, Australia set up the Nauru Regional Processing Center (NRPC), an offshore refugee detention facility, paying Nauru per person at the center. The NRPC closed in 2008 but reopened in 2012. The number of refugees steadily declined after 2014, and in 2020, the remaining people were moved to Brisbane, Australia, effectively shuttering the NRPC. However, in 2023, Australia agreed to continue funding NRPC for two years and restarted settling asylees in the center in mid-2023. The center remains the Government of Nauru’s largest source of income.

Area

land

21 sq km

total

21 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 0.1 times the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate

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

Coastline

30 km

Elevation

highest point

Command Ridge 70 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Geographic coordinates

0 32 S, 166 55 E

Geography - note

Nauru is the third-smallest country in the world behind the Holy See (Vatican City) and Monaco; it is the smallest country in the Pacific Ocean, the smallest country outside Europe, the world's smallest island country, and the world's smallest independent republic; 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

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

20% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0% (2022 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 20% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)

forest

0% (2022 est.)

other

80% (2023 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

periodic droughts

Natural resources

phosphates, fish

Population distribution

most people live in the fertile coastal areas, especially along the southwest coast

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

29.6% (male 1,493/female 1,433)

15-64 years

66% (male 3,220/female 3,309)

65 years and over

4.4% (2024 est.) (male 143/female 294)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

2.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

19.64 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.8% (2023 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

57.7% (2021 est.)

Death rate

6.55 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

7 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

14.4 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

50.7 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

43.7 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 100% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

5.7% of GDP (2023 est.) NA

Education expenditure (% national budget)

6.6% national budget (2025 est.)

Ethnic groups

Nauruan 94.6%, I-Kiribati 2.2%, Fijian 1.3%, other 1.9% (2021 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.24 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

13.1% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

11.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

5.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male

9.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

7.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 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 Gilbertese 2% and Chinese 2%) (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

female

72.3 years

male

65 years

total population

68.6 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

99.7% (2023 est.)

male

93.4% (2023 est.)

total population

96.6% (2023 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

273 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

28.4 years

male

27.3 years

total

28.2 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Nauruan

noun

Nauruan(s)

Net migration rate

-9.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

61% (2016)

Physician density

1.27 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

female

5,056

male

4,874

total

9,930 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.37% (2025 est.)

Religions

Protestant 60.4% (Nauruan Congregational 34.7%, Assemblies of God 11.6%, Pacific Light House 6.3%, Nauru Independent 3.6%, Baptist 1.5, Seventh Day Adventist 1.3%, other Protestant 1.4%), Roman Catholic 33.9%, other 4.2%, none 1.3%, no answer 0.3% (2021 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.49 male(s)/female

at birth

1.04 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

46.1% (2025 est.)

male

49.3% (2025 est.)

total

47.7% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.52 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.18% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

100% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

name

no official capital; government offices in the Yaren District

time difference

UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament; amendments to constitutional articles, such as the republican form of government, protection of fundamental rights and freedoms, the structure and authorities of the executive and legislative branches, also require two-thirds majority of votes in a referendum

history

effective 29 January 1968

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Nauru

conventional short form

Nauru

etymology

the island name may derive from the Nauruan word "anaoero" meaning "I go to the beach"; the former name, Pleasant Island, came from British navigator John Frean, who visited in 1798

former

Pleasant Island

local long form

Republic of Nauru

local short form

Nauru

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

801 2nd Avenue, Third Floor, New York, NY 10017

chief of mission

Ambassador Lara Erab DANIEL (since 13 January 2025); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN

email address and website

nauru@onecommonwealth.org https://www.un.int/nauru/

FAX

[1] (212) 937-0079

telephone

[1] (212) 937-0074

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president from among members of Parliament

chief of state

President David ADEANG (since 30 October 2023)

election results

2025:  David ADEAGN elected president (unopposed) 2023: David ADEAGN elected president over Delvin THOMA, 10-8

election/appointment process

president indirectly elected by Parliament for 3-year term (eligible for a second term)

expected date of next election

2028

head of government

President David ADEANG (since 30 October 2023)

most recent election date

14 October 2025

Flag

description: blue with a narrow horizontal gold stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the left side meaning: blue stands for the Pacific Ocean; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the equator (the gold stripe), and the 12 points stand for the original tribes of Nauru; the star's white color represents phosphate, the basis of the island's wealth

Government type

parliamentary 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, ICCt, IFAD, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and several justices)

judge selection and term of office

judges appointed by the president to serve until age 65

subordinate courts

District Court, Family Court

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

October 2028

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Parliament

most recent election date

10/11/2025

number of seats

19 (all directly elected)

percentage of women in chamber

10.5%

scope of elections

Full renewal

term in office

3 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1968

lyrics/music

Margaret HENDRIE/Laurence Henry HICKS

title

"Nauru Bwiema" (Nauru, Our Homeland)

National color(s)

blue, yellow, white

National holiday

Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

National symbol(s)

frigatebird, calophyllum flower

Political parties

Nauru does not have formal political parties; alliances within the government are often formed based on extended family ties

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agricultural products

coconuts, tropical fruits, pork, eggs, pork offal, pork fat, chicken, papayas, vegetables, cabbages (2023)

Budget

expenditures

$157.86 million (2020 est.)

revenues

$199.74 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

$6.597 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$2.966 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$1.923 million (2023 est.)

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 tax haven; largely dependent on foreign subsidies

Exchange rates

Currency

Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

1.453 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.331 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1.442 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1.505 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

1.515 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$54.403 million (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$78.383 million (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$64.931 million (2023 est.)

Exports - commodities

fish, phosphates (2023)

Exports - partners

Thailand 78%, Philippines 11%, NZ 5%, Japan 1%, Canada 1% (2023)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$160.351 million (2024 est.)

Imports

Imports 2021

$141.185 million (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$165.371 million (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$150.193 million (2023 est.)

Imports - commodities

ships, titanium ore, refined petroleum, plastic products, other foods (2023)

Imports - partners

Australia 50%, Japan 11%, Fiji 9%, Senegal 9%, China 9% (2023)

Industries

phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

1.8% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

2.4% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

2.6% (2022 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

65% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$147.026 million (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$147.976 million (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$150.581 million (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0.6% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

1.8% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$12,500 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$12,500 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$12,600 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

44.4% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Electricity

consumption

37.893 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

19,000 kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

3.922 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

88% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

12% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

500 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

10 (2022 est.)

total

1,000 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

1 state-owned TV station broadcasting programs from New Zealand; 1 state-owned radio station, broadcasting on AM and FM, uses Australian and British programs (2019)

Internet country code

.nr

Internet users

percent of population

82% (2020 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2022 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

0 (2019 est.) 0

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

87 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

10,300 (2022 est.)

Airports

1 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

C2

Merchant marine

by type

other 6

total

6 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Nauru

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

1

small

0

total ports

1 (2024)

very small

1

Military - note

under the terms of a security deal signed in December 2024, Australia and Nauru agreed to “deepen and expand security cooperation” and “consult and consider” in the event of threats; Nauru pledged to seek Australia’s agreement before it signed any bilateral accords on maritime security, defense, and policing, and would receive Australian financial assistance in support of Nauru's police and security needs Nauru has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Nauru's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025)

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

95 (2024 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from petroleum and other liquids

86,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

86,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

limited natural freshwater resources; effects of intensive phosphate mining that left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland; air and water pollution from cadmium residue, phosphate dust, and other contaminants; rising sea levels

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Particulate matter emissions

7.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

10 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

6,200 tons (2024 est.)