One of the smallest nations in the world, Nauru consists of one coral island in the Pacific Ocean. It is the world's smallest republic. Its capital is Yaren administrative center.
Nauru is located in the South Pacific, just south of the equator. The island lies about 2,500 miles (4,025 kilometers) from Hawaii to the northeast and Australia to the southwest. Nauru's total area is only about 8 square miles (21 square kilometers).
Most of Nauru rises sharply from the ocean. There are no harbors or protected places for boats to anchor. Farther inland, coral cliffs rise to a plateau some 100 feet (30 meters) above sea level.
The plateau is largely composed of rock phosphate, formed from guano, or bird droppings. The mineral deposits at one time covered 70 percent of the island. The removal of phosphate from the soil has damaged the environment and given the landscape a bare appearance. There are no rivers or streams in the country. Nauru has a generally hot and humid climate.
There are about 200 varieties of plants and trees in Nauru. Many birds visit the island. There were no mammals in the country until rats, mice, cats, dogs, and pigs were brought in.
About 70 percent of the people are native Nauruans. Most of the rest are from other Pacific Islands or from China. A number of Europeans work for the government of Nauru and in the phosphate industry.
The majority of Nauruans are Christian. Nauruan is the national language, and English also is widely spoken. The people pay no income taxes.
Nauru once had the world's richest deposits of phosphate, a mineral used to make fertilizers. For most of the country of Nauru's existence its economy was almost completely based on the mining, processing, and exporting of the mineral. The country's income per person was among the highest in the world. However, the phosphate deposits had almost run out by the beginning of the 21st century.
Fishing may be the only possible industry to replace mining. In the late 20th century the Nauruan government began investing in shipping and aviation, real estate in Australia, and other ventures to make money in the long term.
Most of Nauru's soil is poor. As a result, agriculture is limited to a small portion of land along the coast. Coconuts, bananas, pineapples, and vegetables are grown, and pigs and chickens are raised. However, these do not meet the island's needs. The country must buy most of its food.
It is not known where the inhabitants of Nauru came from or when they reached the island. In 1798 a British navigator, John Fearn, was the first European to visit Nauru. He named it Pleasant, because of the friendly welcome he received from its inhabitants. In the 1830s Nauru became a port for European ships in search of food and water supplies.
In 1888 Germany took control of Nauru. A British company began mining Nauru's phosphate deposits in 1907. At the start of World War I, a small Australian force occupied Nauru and removed most of the German population.
In 1942, during World War II, Japanese forces occupied Nauru. In the following year, 1,200 Nauruans were taken to the Pacific island of Truk (now Chuuk) to serve as forced laborers for the Japanese military. A Japanese airstrip on Nauru became the target of United States bombers.
In 1945 Australian troops took control of Nauru once again. The Nauruans on Truk were returned home. In 1947 Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom were given authority over Nauru. Australia provided the administration.
Nauru became an independent nation in 1967. In 1999 Nauru became a member of the United Nations and a full member of the Commonwealth, an association of Britain and many of its former possessions. Population (2001 estimate), 12,100.
