Nauru

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Nauru

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Republic of Nauru Area 21 sq km/8.1 sq mi Capital Yaren District (seat of government) Language Nauruan, English (both official) Religion majority Protestant, Roman Catholic Time difference GMT +12 Major holidays 1, 31 January, 17 May, 1 July, 27 October, 25–26 December; variable: Good Friday, Easter Monday, Easter Tuesday


GEOGRAPHY

Physical features tropical coral island in southwest Pacific; plateau encircled by coral cliffs and sandy beaches Airports one international airport; total passengers carried: 164,000 (2001 est) Railways total length: 5.2 km/3.2 mi serving the phosphate works Roads total road network: 30 km/19 mi, of which 80% paved (1999 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state and government Ludwig Scotty from 2004 Political system liberal democracy Political executive limited presidency Administrative divisions 14 districts Political parties candidates are traditionally elected as independents, grouped into pro- and antigovernment factions; Democratic Party of Nauru (DPN), only formal political party, antigovernment Death penalty retains the death penalty for ordinary crimes but can be considered abolitionist in practice Armed forces no standing army; Australia is responsible for Nauru's defence Health spend (% GDP) 11.3 (2000 est)


ECONOMY

Currency Australian dollar GDP (US$) 62 million (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 3 (2005 est) GNI (US$) 220 million (2002 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 5,200 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 4% (2001 est) Unemployment 0% (1996) Foreign debt (US$) 33 million (2002 est) Major trading partners Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Japan Resources phosphates Industries phosphate mining, financial services Exports phosphates. Principal market: South Africa 37.6% (2004) Imports food and live animals, building construction materials, petroleum, machinery, medical supplies. Principal source: Australia 59% (2004) Arable land 0% (2006 est) Agricultural products small-scale production; coconuts, bananas, pineapples, screw-pines, livestock rearing (pigs and chickens); almost all the country's requirements (including most of its drinking water) are imported


POPULATION

Population 13,300 (2006 est) Population growth rate 1.8% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 633 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 100 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 42%, 15–59 54%, 60+ 4% (2001 est) Ethnic groups about 68% indigenous Nauruan (mixture of Micronesian, Polynesian, and Melanesian descent), about 18% Pacific Islander, 8% European, 6% Chinese Life expectancy 59 (men); 66 (women) (2000–05) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 30 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 11 Literacy rate 99% (men); 99% (women) (2003 est)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Radios (per 1,000 people) 609 (1997) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 46 (1997)


CHRONOLOGY

1798 British whaler Capt John Fearn first visited Nauru and named it Pleasant Island. 1830s–80s The island was a haven for white runaway convicts and deserters. 1888 Annexed by Germany at the request of German settlers who sought protection from local clan unrest. 1899 Phosphate deposits discovered; mining began eight years later, with indentured Chinese labourers brought in to work British Australian-owned mines. 1914 Occupied by Australia on the outbreak of World War I. 1920 Administered by Australia on behalf of itself, New Zealand, and the UK until independence, except 1942–43, when occupied by Japan, and two-thirds of the population were deported briefly to Micronesia. 1951 Local Government Council set up to replace Council of Chiefs. 1956 Hammer DeRoburt became head chief of Nauru. 1968 Independence achieved, with ‘special member’ British Commonwealth status. Hammer DeRoburt elected president. 1976 Bernard Dowiyogo elected president for first time. 1987 Kennan Adeang established the Democratic Party of Nauru. 1994 Australia agreed to an out-of-court settlement of A$107 million, payable over 20 years, for environmental damage caused by phosphate mining which had left 80% of land agriculturally barren. 2000 Bernard Dowiyogo elected president for sixth time. General elections saw Rene Harris win the popular vote; he resigned and Dowiyogo was installed. 2001 Dowiyogo ousted in parliamentary vote; Harris re-elected president. Australia paid Nauru to hold asylum seekers apprehended as they tried to enter Australia illegally 2002–03 Nauru continued to hold some 1,000 asylum seekers, after Canberra had promised they would be gone. Some asylum seekers at detention centre staged hunger strike. 2003 Bernard Dowivogo became president; died a few months later. Ludwig Scotty elected president; ousted in vote of no confidence. Rene Harris re-elected president. 2004 Nauru defaulted on loan payments; assets placed in receivership in Australia, who sent officials to take care of Nauru's finances. President Harris lost vote of confidence and was succeeded by Ludwig Scotty. Scotty sacked parliament after it missed deadline to pass reform budget; he won unopposed in general elections. 2005 Nauru angered China by restoring diplomatic ties with Taiwan, after a three-year break. Set up to fight money laundering, Financial Action Task Force removed Nauru from its list of uncooperative nations. A US bank repossessed Air Nauru's only aircraft. 2006–07 Australia continued to send asylum seekers to Nauru, from Myanmar and Sri Lanka.


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