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Nauru
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Customs and Culture
Customs and Culture
About the People
Nauru is an oval-shaped coral island with an area of only eight (8) square miles. About half of Nauru's population are Nauruans or people of mixed Polynesian, Micronesian, and Melanesian ancestry. They follow Christian religion and most speak the Nauruan language and English. The other half of the people are temporary residents from other pacific islands who come to Nauru for limited periods to work in the phosphate industry.
Most of the people live along the coastline.
The government provided Naurans with free medical care and modern homes at low rents. Children between the ages of 6 and 17 attend school. The government pays for students to attend college in other countries. The government has used the revenues for the phosphate exports to provide these services but the deposits on the island are being depleted. When they are gone the people will have to find other ways to support themselves.
Early Nauruans traced their descent on the female side. They believed in a female deity, Eijebong, and a spirit land, also an island, called Buitani. Because of poor diet, alcohol abuse, and a sedentary lifestyle, Nauru has one of the world's highest levels of diabetes, renal failure and heart disease, exceeding 40% of the population.
Cultural Attributes
Nauru is an oval-shaped coral island with an area of only eight (8) square miles. About half of Nauru's population are Nauruans or people of mixed Polynesian, Micronesian, and Melanesian ancestry. They follow Christian religion and most speak the Nauruan language and English. The other half of the people are temporary residents from other pacific islands who come to Nauru for limited periods to work in the phosphate industry.
Most of the people live along the coastline.
The government provided Naurans with free medical care and modern homes at low rents. Children between the ages of 6 and 17 attend school. The government pays for students to attend college in other countries. The government has used the revenues for the phosphate exports to provide these services but the deposits on the island are being depleted. When they are gone the people will have to find other ways to support themselves.
Early Nauruans traced their descent on the female side. They believed in a female deity, Eijebong, and a spirit land, also an island, called Buitani. Because of poor diet, alcohol abuse, and a sedentary lifestyle, Nauru has one of the world's highest levels of diabetes, renal failure and heart disease, exceeding 40% of the population.
The World's Smallest Republic, Rich in Phosphate and Spirit
Greetings, Gestures & Visiting
Children are expected to honor and respect their elders. Mothers are particularly honored.
Diet
Most people live along the 12 mile coastline. In the past the islanders raised their own food, but now, as a result of mining revenues most of the food and other products are imported including a variety of supermarket foods. Rice is a basic staple, and fish with rice is an standard meal.
Native foods include fish and coconut, shellfish, breadfruit, and pandanus. Pandanus is a large shrub or small tree . The fruit pulp is preserved in several different ways. A paste, which is compared to dates in taste, texture, and appearance. Preserved pandanus pulp mixed with coconut cream makes a tasty, sweet food item. Pandanus can also be made into flour that is consumed in different ways, usually prepared as a drink.
Family
All Nauruans belong to a matrilineal group or clan. Each birth and death is publically identified by clan affiliation in a public document. That affiliation lasts the lifetime of the individual and is not altered by marriage. Marriage today is largely a Christian affair, though there are concerns that some young people are opting not to marry; their children belong to the mother's lineage. Households center on the mother, who takes care of and then is cared for by her children. The nominal head of the household is the male, but the decision-making head is the mother, who is largely responsible for economic management as well as social care. Land and other properties are inherited by both sons and daughters, but only daughters can pass on their rights to their children without seeking extended family consent.
Holidays
Independence Day
1/31Independence Day
Dates of Interest
- January 31st
What should I know about eating in Nauru?
Most food is now imported, with rice as a basic staple and fish with rice being a standard meal.
Good to know
- Native foods include fish, coconut, shellfish, breadfruit, and pandanus
- Pandanus pulp is preserved as a date-like paste, mixed with coconut cream as a sweet, or made into flour usually served as a drink
How is family life organized in Nauru?
All Nauruans belong to a matrilineal clan, and households center on the mother, who is the decision-making head and manages economic and social affairs.
Do
- Recognize the mother as the central and honored figure in the household
Good to know
- Clan affiliation is traced through the female line and lasts a lifetime, unchanged by marriage
- Children belong to the mother's lineage
- Land is inherited by both sons and daughters, but only daughters can pass on rights without extended family consent
- Marriage today is largely a Christian affair
What gestures and social respect should I be aware of in Nauru?
Children are expected to honor and respect their elders, and mothers are particularly honored.
Do
- Show respect to elders
- Show particular honor to mothers
What should I know before visiting Nauru?
Nauru is a small oval coral island of about eight square miles where most people live along the coastline; the population is mainly Nauruans of mixed Polynesian, Micronesian, and Melanesian ancestry, plus temporary workers in the phosphate industry.
Good to know
- Most Nauruans follow Christianity
- Most people speak the Nauruan language and English
- Nauru has very high rates of diabetes, renal failure, and heart disease, exceeding 40% of the population
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Sources: CountryReports
Photos of Nauru
Photos of Nauru
Travel and Tourism
Travel and Tourism
- Travel Alert Status
- Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
- Currency
- Australian dollar (AUD)
- Time Difference
- UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Climate
- tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February)
- Airports
- 1
Read the full travel guide — health, safety, vaccinations, disease risk, sanitation, and transit details.
View full travel guideHistory
History
Historical Eras
Prehistoric & Tribal
1000 – 1798
Nauru was settled by Micronesian and Polynesian peoples, likely around 1000 CE, who organized into 12 distinct tribes sharing the small coral island. Society was governed by clan structures and largely peaceful coexistence, with the population reaching approximately 1,400 by the mid-19th century. The island remained almost entirely isolated from outside contact until European navigators arrived in the late 18th century.
European Contact
1798 – 1888
British navigator Captain John Fearn named the island Pleasant Island in 1798, and from the 1830s whalers and traders introduced firearms and alcohol, destabilizing the traditionally peaceful tribal order. A devastating inter-tribal war erupted in 1878 and lasted a decade, reducing the population from roughly 1,400 to around 900. The 1886 Anglo-German Convention assigned Nauru to the German sphere of influence.
German Colonial Rule
1888 – 1914
Germany formally annexed Nauru in 1888 as part of the Marshall Islands Protectorate, imposing colonial administration and ending inter-tribal conflict. Phosphate was discovered around 1900, and by 1906 the Pacific Phosphate Company, operating under an agreement with Germany, had begun systematic extraction of the island's vast phosphate reserves. This resource would define Nauru's economic and political trajectory for over a century.
Mandate Period
1914 – 1968
Australian forces seized Nauru in 1914, and after World War I the League of Nations granted Britain, Australia, and New Zealand a joint trusteeship, with the British Phosphate Commissioners controlling mining revenues. Japan occupied the island from 1942 to 1945, deporting 1,200 Nauruans to the Caroline Islands, of whom 463 perished. After the war Nauru became a UN Trust Territory under Australian administration until independence was achieved in January 1968.
Independence & Phosphate Wealth
1968 – 1995
Nauru became the world's smallest independent republic in 1968, and in 1970 the Nauru Phosphate Corporation assumed full control of mining operations, generating extraordinary per-capita wealth during the 1970s and 1980s. The government invested heavily in overseas assets through the Nauru Phosphate Royalties Trust, though widespread mismanagement eroded these reserves. In 1993 Australia settled Nauru's International Court of Justice claim for mining damages, paying A$107 million in compensation and rehabilitation assistance.
Economic Crisis & Modern Era
1995 – present
Phosphate reserves neared exhaustion by the mid-1990s, and the collapse of trust fund investments plunged Nauru into severe financial crisis. To generate revenue, the government controversially hosted Australian offshore asylum-seeker processing facilities from 2001 onward, a role that drew sustained international scrutiny. Nauru joined the United Nations in 1999 and continues efforts to rehabilitate its mined landscape and diversify its economy amid ongoing environmental and fiscal challenges.
Overview
The island was allocated to Germany under the 1886 Anglo-German Convention. Phosphate was discovered a decade later and the Pacific Phosphate Company started to exploit the reserves in 1906, by agreement with Germany. Following the outbreak of World War I, the island was captured by Australian forces in 1914. After the war the League of Nations gave Britain, Australia, and New Zealand a trustee mandate over the territory. The three governments established the British Phosphate Commissioners, who took over the rights to phosphate mining.
During World War II Japan occupied Nauru in August 1942 and deported 1,200 Nauruans to work as laborers in the Caroline Islands, where 463 died. The survivors returned to Nauru in January 1946.
After the war the island became a UN Trust Territory under Australia, in line with the previous League of Nations mandate, and it remained one until independence in 1968. A plan by the partner governments to resettle the Nauruans (because of disappearing phosphate and damage to the island caused by extensive mining) on Curtis Island, off the north coast of Queensland, Australia, was abandoned in 1964 when the islanders decided to stay put. In 1967, the Nauruans purchased the assets of the British Phosphate Commissioners and in June 1970 control passed to the Nauru Phosphate Corporation. Nauru became an independent republic in 1968.
In 1989 Nauru filed suit against Australia in the International Court of Justice in The Hague for damages caused by mining while the island was under Australian jurisdiction. Australia settled the case out of court in 1993, agreeing to pay A$107 million (U.S.$85.6 million) and to assist Nauru with environmental rehabilitation.
Timeline of Key Events
1798
British navigator Captain John Fearn names it Pleasant Island.
British navigator Captain John Fearn, sailing past Nauru from New Zealand to the China Seas, names it Pleasant Island.
1888
Nauru annexed by Germany as part of the Marshall Islands Protectorate.
Nauru annexed by Germany as part of the Marshall Islands Protectorate.
1900
British company discovers phosphate on the island.
British company discovers phosphate on the island.
1906
Phosphate mining begins. Britain divides profits with German firm.
Phosphate mining begins. Britain divides profits with German firm.
1914
Nauru seized by Australian troops.
Nauru seized by Australian troops.
1942 – 1945
Nauru occupied by the Japanese.
Nauru occupied by the Japanese. Some 1,200 Nauruans - two-thirds of the population - deported to Micronesia to work as forced labourers. Five hundred die from starvation or bombing.
1967
Nauruans gain control of phosphate mining.
Nauruans gain control of phosphate mining.
Read the full history profile — narrative overview, defining eras, and the complete timeline in one place.
View expanded historyInteresting Facts
Interesting Facts
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.
See every fact — trivia, oddities, and curious tidbits gathered from across the country.
View all interesting factsGeography and Environment
Geography and Environment
- Terrain
- sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center
- Climate
- tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February)
- Natural Hazards
- periodic droughts
- Current Environmental Issues
- 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
Read the full geography and environment profile — terrain, climate, natural resources, hazards, land use, and international agreements.
View full geographyPeople & Demographics
People & Demographics
Religion
Languages Spoken
Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes
- Nauruan
Population
- Population
- 14,264
- Nationality Noun
- Nauruan(s)
- Ethnic Groups
- Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%
Education
- Literacy Definition
- NA
Read the full people and society profile — demographics, health, education, religion, languages, and notable people.
View full people and societyGovernment & Politics
Government & Politics
Country Identity
- Country Name
- Nauru
- Full Country Name
- Republic of Nauru
- Former Name
- Pleasant Island
Government Structure
- Government Type
- republic
- Legal System
- acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law
- Executive Branch
- chief of state: President David ADEANG (since 30 October 2023); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President David ADEANG (since 30 October 2023); 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 24 September 2022 (next to be held in 2025) election results: David ADEANG was elected president by Parliament following the resignation of Russ KUN in October 2023
- Legislative Branch
- 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
- Judicial Branch
- Supreme Court
- Suffrage
- 20 years of age; universal and compulsory
- Constitution
- 29-Jan-68
- Independence
- 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)
- National Holiday
- Independence Day, 31 January (1968)
Capital City
- Capital Name
- no official capital; government offices in the Yaren District
- Capital Time Difference
- UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Military
Branches: no regular military forces
Embassy / Diplomatic Mission
There is no U.S. Embassy or diplomatic post in Nauru. The U.S. Embassy in Fiji provides assistance for U.S. citizens in Nauru.
U.S. Embassy Suva
158 Princes Road, Suva, Fiji
(679) 331-4466
Emergency after-hours telephone: (679) 772-8049
Facsimile: (679) 330-2267
Read the full government profile — flag symbolism, national anthem, and other national symbols.
View full government detailsEconomy
Economy
Nauru's economy has historically depended on the mining and export of phosphates, but primary reserves were largely depleted by the early 2000s. A secondary phosphate mining operation, targeting deeper deposits, resumed in the mid-2000s, though output remains modest and the resource is finite. The rehabilitation of mined-out land in the island's interior, known as "Topside," and the replacement of phosphate-derived income remain serious long-term challenges. While phosphate revenues once gave Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the developing world, mismanagement of trust funds and falling production led to severe economic decline by the late 1990s, leaving the country with few resources and reliant on imports for most necessities, including fresh water.
In recent decades, Nauru has diversified its revenue sources. A significant share of government income now comes from hosting Australia's offshore Regional Processing Centre for asylum seekers, which has at times accounted for a substantial portion of GDP and government revenue. Other income streams include fishing license fees, particularly from tuna fleets operating in Nauru's exclusive economic zone under the Parties to the Nauru Agreement, and development assistance from Australia, Taiwan, and other partners.
Earlier attempts to develop Nauru as an offshore financial center attracted international criticism over money laundering concerns, prompting reforms that ended the offshore banking sector in the mid-2000s. The government has worked to restore fiscal stability through public sector reform, debt restructuring, and the establishment of the Nauru Intergenerational Trust Fund in 2015, designed to provide long-term financial security as phosphate resources continue to dwindle. Nauru remains highly vulnerable to external shocks, climate change, and shifts in donor and partner policies, and comprehensive economic statistics are still limited.
Snapshot
- Currency Name and Code
- Australian Dollar (AUD)
Banknotes
Budget & Public Finance
- Fiscal Year
- 1 July - 30 June
- Annual Budget
- $13,500,000 (USD)
- External Debt
- $33,300,000 (USD)
Labor, Industry & Trade
- Labor Force by Occupation
- employed in mining phosphates; public administration; education; and transportation
- Industries
- phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products
- Agriculture Products
- coconuts
- Export Commodities
- phosphates
- Export Partners
- India 44.4%, South Korea 16.7%, Australia 11.1%, Netherlands 5.6%, New Zealand 5.6%, US 5.6% (2002)
- Import Commodities
- food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery
- Import Partners
- Australia 61.3%, US 9.7%, Ireland 6.5%, Malaysia 6.5% (2002)
Energy
- Oil Production
- 0 bbl/day
- Oil Consumption
- 1,000 bbl/day
- Oil Reserves
- 0 bbl/day
- Natural Gas Production
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Consumption
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Imports
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Exports
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Reserves
- 0 cu m
Communications
- Telephone System
- general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities international: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
- Internet Country Code
- .nr
News & Weather
News & Weather
Current Weather
Latest News
World Cup 2026: Will Nauru, a tiny Pacific island, finally take up football? - BBC
BBC · 2h ago
How much does Australia spend on offshore detention in Nauru? | Fiona Katauskas - The Guardian
The Guardian · 1h ago
Refugees expelled from Australia face hunger and violence in Nauru - World Socialist Web Site
World Socialist Web Site · 7h ago
WJC at UNHRC | Statement on the UPR Outcome of Nauru - World Jewish Congress
World Jewish Congress · 21d ago
Nauru’s remarkable recent economic success - Devpolicy Blog from the Development Policy Centre
Devpolicy Blog from the Development Policy Centre · 4d ago
This Pacific Island Nation Hopes You Will Call It by a New Name - The New York Times
The New York Times · 64d ago
Quiet change to Nauru policing powers could thwart legal challenges - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation
ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation · 2d ago
Australia spent more than $9m for each asylum seeker held on Nauru last year – so why can’t they afford to buy food? - The Guardian
The Guardian · 1d ago
News via Google News
Climate Overview
tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February)
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Nauru?
What should I know about eating in Nauru?
How is family life organized in Nauru?
What gestures and social respect should I be aware of in Nauru?
What should I know before visiting Nauru?
What serves as the capital of Nauru?
Where is Nauru located?
What are the ocean borders of Nauru?
What religion is practiced in Nauru?
What currency is used in Nauru?
What language is spoken in Nauru?
How large is Nauru and what is its terrain like?
What is Nauru known for?
Last reviewed 2026