Facts about Nauru
What is the capital of Nauru?
Yaren is a district and constituency of the Pacific nation of Nauru. It is the de facto capital, and is located toward the south of the island.
Where is Nauru?
Nauru is an oval-shaped island in the western Pacific Ocean, located just 26 miles south of the Equator. It is one of three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean; the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia.
Who is the President of Nauru?
Marcus Stephen is the current President of the Republic of Nauru.
What currency is used in Nauru?
Nauru uses the Australian dollar as its official currency.
What is the official language of Nauru?
Nauruan is the indigenous language of the Republic of Nauru. English is widely spoken and it is the language of government and commerce, as Nauruan is not common outside of the country.
What is the religion of Nauru?
Christianity is the primary religion in Nauru. About two-third Christians are Protestant and one-third Roman Catholic. There are also members of other religions such as Islam, Buddhist and the Bahai Faith.
What is Angam Day?
It is the main yearly festival, which is held on 26 October. The day commemorates the recovery of the Nauruan population after the two World Wars.
Who named Nauru the ‘Pleasant Island’?
British Captain John Fearn, a whale hunter, was the first Westerner to visit the island in 1798 and named it Pleasant Island.
When did Nauru achieve independence?
The island was originally occupied by Micronesian and Polynesian people. It was in the late 19th century that Nauru was annexed and designated a colony by Germany and became an authorized territory administered by Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, following World War I. During World War II, the country was occupied by Japan, and finally achieved independence in 1968.
What is the economy of Nauru like?
Nauru’s economy depends almost entirely on the phosphate deposits that originate from the droppings of sea birds. Estimates are that the deposits will be exhausted within a few years.
Few other resources exist, with most necessities being imported, mainly from Australia.
How are relations between USA and Nauru?
Relations between the United States and Nauru are cordial. The U.S. has no consular or diplomatic offices in Nauru. Officers of the American Embassy in Suva, Fiji, are concurrently accredited to Nauru and make periodic visits.
Trade between the United States and Nauru is limited by the latter’s small size, remoteness, and economic problems. The value of two-way trade in 2010 was $3.81 million.
