Internet country code [time series]

.nr

Internet users [time series]

300 (2002)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities domestic: NA international: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

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

1,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

1,500 (2002)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (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 (2002)

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

$2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.) (2000 est.)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from exports of phosphates, but reserves are now depleted. Few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, mainly from Australia, its former occupier and later major source of support. 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. As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faces virtual bankruptcy. 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. In 2004 the deterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capital plant continued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the government and economy afloat has substantially mounted. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDP varying widely.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

27.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production [time series]

30 million kWh (2001)

Exchange rates [time series]

Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.2641 (2002) 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999)

Exports [time series]

$18 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities [time series]

phosphates

Exports - partners [time series]

Japan 42.3%, India 38.5%, South Korea 7.7% (2003)

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]

$31 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities [time series]

food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Imports - partners [time series]

Australia 67.9%, Indonesia 10.7%, US 7.1% (2003)

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)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Oil - consumption [time series]

1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - imports [time series]

NA (2001)

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA

Unemployment rate [time series]

0% (2002 est.)

Area [time series]

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

Area - comparative [time series]

about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

tropical with a monsoonal pattern; 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% (2001)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 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: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 26 October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 26 October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term; election last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: Ludwig SCOTTY was unopposed in the parliamentary elections for president

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, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, 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 3 May 2003 (next to be held not later than May 2006) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - Nauru First Party 3, independents 15

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) [leader NA]; Naoero Amo (Nauru First) Party [leader NA]

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: 3,275 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 1,810 (2004 est.)

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 38.2% (male 2,516; female 2,372) 15-64 years: 60% (male 3,782; female 3,898) 65 years and over: 1.9% (male 128; female 113) (2004 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

25.61 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.95 deaths/1,000 population (2004 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]

total: 10.14 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 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: 62.33 years male: 58.78 years female: 66.06 years (2004 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Median age [time series]

total: 19.9 years male: 19.5 years female: 20.4 years (2004 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Nauruan(s) adjective: Nauruan

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population [time series]

12,809 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.87% (2004 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: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.29 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Illicit drugs [time series]

offshore banking recently stopped, remains on Financial Action Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime

Airports [time series]

1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 30 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

none

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Nauru