Nauru – General Information

Asya — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 08:11:13 +0000

The Republic of Nauru is a small oval-shaped island in the western Pacific Ocean, located just 42 kilometers south of the Equator. The nearest neighbor is Banaba Island in the Republic of Kiribati. One of the world’s smallest island nation, the smallest independent republic, and the only republican state in the world without an official capital, Nauru offers travelers a truly unique Pacific Island visit.

Total area: 8 sq mi (21 sq km)
Population (2007 est.): 13,528
Largest city (2003 est.): Yaren
Languages: Nauruan (official), English
Religions: Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)
Currency: Australian dollar.

The Nauruans originated from a mixture of people from Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia. During the early 1800′s, Nauru was a base for American whalers. In the late 1800′s it came under German administration. In 1914 it was surrendered to Australia and eventually became independent in 1968, the world’s smallest. The country’s predominant economic development has been based on phosphate exports, which has given Nauruans one of the highest living standards in the world.

The island is surrounded by a coral reef, exposed at low tide and dotted with pinnacles. The reef is bounded seaward by deep water, inside by a narrow sandy beach. A 150-300-meter wide fertile coastal strip lies landward from the coast, ending in forested coral cliffs that rise to the now mined-out central plateau. Nauru has limited tourism activities, however, those in the know recognize the diving and fishing conditions here are world class. Discover excellent deep sea fishing, scuba dive amazing ocean depths, take a tour of the island’s past economic mainstay the phosphate mines or simply experience a holiday in a world far from your own.

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Nauru – General Information