Title: The Republic of Nauru
Population: 9,770
Population Change: 0.63
National Average Age:
Urban Percentage:
Christian Population: 0
Christian Percentage:
Introduction: 'Nauru is a tiny island country in Micronesia northeast of Australia. It features a coral reef and white-sand beaches fringed with palms including Anibare Bay on the east coast. Inland tropical vegetation surrounds Buada Lagoon. The rocky outcrop of Command Ridge the island''s highest point has a rusty Japanese outpost from WWII. The underground freshwater lake of Moqua Well lies amid the limestone Moqua Caves.'
Overview: The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear since their language does not resemble any other in the Pacific region. Germany annexed the island in 1888. A German-British consortium began mining the island's phosphate deposits early in the 20th century. Australian forces occupied Nauru in World War I; it subsequently became a League of Nations mandate. After the Second World War - and a brutal occupation by Japan - Nauru became a UN trust territory. It achieved independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999 as the world's smallest independent republic.
