Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

1 (2000)

Internet country code [time series]

.nr

Internet users [time series]

NA

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios [time series]

7,000 (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

2,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

450 (1994)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

500 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

coconuts

Budget [time series]

revenues: $23.4 million expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Australian dollar (AUD)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

AUD

Debt - external [time series]

$33.3 million

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Revenues of this tiny island have come from exports of phosphates, but reserves are expected to be exhausted within a few years. Phosphate production has declined since 1989, as demand has fallen in traditional markets and as the marginal cost of extracting the remaining phosphate increases, making it less internationally competitive. While phosphates have given Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the Third World, few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, including fresh water from Australia. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income have been invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. The government has been borrowing heavily from the trusts to finance fiscal deficits. To cut costs the government has called for a freeze on wages, a reduction of over-staffed public service departments, privatization of numerous government agencies, and closure of some overseas consulates. In recent years Nauru has encouraged the registration of offshore banks and corporations. Tens of billions of dollars have been channeled through their accounts. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's per capita GDP varying widely.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

27.9 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - production [time series]

30 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates [time series]

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002) 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)

Exports [time series]

$25.3 million f.o.b. (1991)

Exports - commodities [time series]

phosphates

Exports - partners [time series]

NZ, Australia, South Korea, US (2000)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $60 million (2001 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$21.1 million c.i.f. (1991)

Imports - commodities [time series]

food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Imports - partners [time series]

Australia, US, UK, Indonesia, India (2000)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

-3.6% (1993) (1993)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

0%

Area [time series]

total: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 21 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February)

Coastline [time series]

30 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

0 32 S, 166 55 E

Geography - note [time series]

Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

Location [time series]

Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Natural hazards [time series]

periodic droughts

Natural resources [time series]

phosphates, fish

Terrain [time series]

sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center

Administrative divisions [time series]

14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

Capital [time series]

no official capital; government offices in Yaren District

Constitution [time series]

29 January 1968

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Nauru conventional short form: Nauru former: Pleasant Island

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

Nauru does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a UN office at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, New York 10017; telephone: (212) 937-0074 consulate(s): Hagatna (Guam)

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Acting President Derog GIOURA (since 10 March 2003) following death of President Bernard DOWIYOGO note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term; election last held 8 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2004); following Rene HARRIS' resignation, Bernard DOWIYOGO was elected president election results: Rene HARRIS elected president; percent of Parliamentary vote - NA%; replaced by Bernard DOWIYOGO 9 January 2003 following a no-confidence vote; HARRIS reinstated 17 January 2003, then gives up presidency 18 January and DOWIYOGO is elected president; DOWIYOGO dies 10 March 2003; with 9 votes over 8 for Kinza CLODUMAR, Derog GIOURA was named acting president cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of Parliament head of government: Acting President Derog GIOURA (since 10 March 2003) following death of President Bernard DOWIYOGO note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru

Government type [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, ICAO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held NA April 2003) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 18

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal) [Bernard DOWIYOGO]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

NA

Suffrage [time series]

20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Background [time series]

Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied by Australian forces in World War I. Nauru achieved independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999. Nauru is the world's smallest independent republic.

Military - note [time series]

Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$NA

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 3,103 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 1,710 (2002 est.)

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 39.6% (male 2,515; female 2,366) 15-64 years: 58.7% (male 3,578; female 3,656) 65 years and over: 1.7% (male 108; female 106) (2002 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

26.6 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate [time series]

7.06 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

NA

Infant mortality rate [time series]

10.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages [time series]

Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 61.57 years female: 65.26 years (2002 est.) male: 58.05 years

Literacy [time series]

definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Nauruan(s) adjective: Nauruan

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population [time series]

12,329 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.96% (2002 est.)

Religions [time series]

Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.5 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Illicit drugs [time series]

broad-based money-laundering center

Airports [time series]

1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 30 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 6 km (1998 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

none (2002 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Nauru

Railways [time series]

total: 5 km note: gauge unknown; used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing facilities on the southwest coast (2001)

Waterways [time series]

none