World Country Guide

General Information

Area
21.3 sq km (8.2 sq miles).

Population
11,845 (official estimate 2000).

Population Density
556 per sq km.

Capital
Aiwo: 600 (1992).

Geography
Nauru, the world’s smallest republic, is an oval-shaped outcrop, situated in the Central Pacific, west of Kiribati, surrounded by a reef which is exposed at low tide. Although there is no deep-water harbour on the island, offshore moorings are reputedly the deepest in the world. A century of phosphate mining has stripped four-fifths of the land area, and has left the central plateau, which rises to 56m (213ft), infertile and unpopulated: a barren terrain of jagged coral pinnacles which stand 15m (49ft) high. The island has a fertile coastal strip 150 to 300m (492 to 984ft) wide, where there are coconut palms, pandanus trees and indigenous hardwoods such as the tomano. On the land surrounding Buada lagoon, bananas, pineapples and some vegetables are grown. Some secondary vegetation grows over the coral pinnacles which intersperse the island’s beaches.

Government
Republic. Gained independence from Australia in 1968. Head of State and Government: President Ludwig Scotty since 2004.

Language
Nauruan and English are spoken.

Religion
Christian, mostly Nauruan Protestant Church. There is also a significant Roman Catholic minority.

Time
GMT + 12.

Electricity
240 volts AC, 50Hz.

Communications

Telephone
IDD is available. Country code: 674. Outgoing international calls must be made through the operator.

Mobile telephone
Although an AMPS network is in operation, there are no facilities at the moment for travellers to use their handsets on the island.

Fax
Available from post office and some hotels/shops.

Post
Airmail to Europe takes up to one week.

Internet
ISPs include VPM Internet Services; there is one Internet cafe on the island, and access to the Internet may be available in hotels.

Press
The main newspaper is the Nasero Bulletin, published fortnightly in Nauruan and English. Others are the Central Star News and The Nauru Chronicle.

Radio
BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.