Pacific Magazine > 2007 Pacific Almanac
Nauru
The Basics
Population: 13,528 (July 2007 est.)
Capital: Government offices in Yaren
Land Area: 21 sq. km.
Political Status and Form of Government: Republic
Languages: Nauruan, English
Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)
Number of Islands: One. Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean.
The Numbers
Gross Domestic Product: A$78.7 million (US$61.9 million) (2004)
Gross Domestic Product per capita: US$5,000 (2005 est.)
Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate: 2.6% (2004)
National Budget: US$13.5 million (2005)
Aid per capita: US$16 million (2003)
Life Expectancy: Male: 58.2 years Female:
Ethnicity: Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%
Nationality: Nauruan
Age Distribution:0-14 years: 36.4%, 15-64 years: 61.6%, 65+: 2% (2005 est.)
Population Growth Rate: 1.781% (2007 est.)
People in Power
Head of Government: President Marcus Stephen (also responsible for puboic service, home affairs and the Nauru Phosphate Royalties Trust.)
Head of State: President Marcus Stephen
Cabinet Members: Dr Kieren Keke, foreign affairs, telecommunications and transport; Frederic Pitcher, finance and economic planning; Fabian Ribauw, commerce, industry and resources; Roland Kun, justice, education and fisheries; Matthew Batsiua, health and sports.
Representative Body: Unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
Regional Organizations
ACP, ADB, C, FAO, FFA, ICAO, ICCT, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, SOPAC, Sparteca, SPC, SPREP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCPFC, WHO
Media & Internet Service Providers
Radio: 1 AM station
TV: 1 TV station
ISP: CenpacNet Inc (Government owned)
Recent News
There was a change of government at the end of 2007 after a group of parliamentarians withdrew their support for the leadership of President Ludwig Scotty and called a no confidence motion.
Former health minister Dr. Kieren Keke, Rehabilitation Minister Frederick Pitcher and the Justice Minister Roland Kun, resigned in November over concerns about the dealings of Finance and Foreign Minister, David Adeang and the president’s refusal to deal with their concerns.
Eventually the dissidents prevailed, with former weightlifter Marcus Stephen being named President.
The turmoil came after President Scotty was returned to power in the polls, along with 14 of the 18 Legislature members. Pacific Islands Forum observers reported some concerns of vote buying and bribery and recommended laws requiring transparency in campaign funding be passed, but generally gave the election the all-clear.
Political circumstances allowing, Nauru will continue considering changes to its Constitution this year. Among the recommendations; that Nauru should have a popularly elected president, rather than one elected by Parliament, and that the Parliamentary Speaker should be someone who is not a Member of Parliament "to avoid the deadlocks that have plagued Nauru in the past."
The Australian offshore processing sector on Nauru held 72 Sri Lankans for much of 2007 despite the fact they were recognized as genuine refugees by the Australian government. But the new Australian administration has indicated it will close the center. The impact of that decision and any associated changes in Australia’s aid assistance to Nauru are yet to be seen.
The Nauru government was also concerned with resolving long standing political and economic issues last year.
In April, a parliamentary select committee delivered an exhaustive report on illegal passport sales of 1997, implicating previous parliamentarians and high level officials.
The government says the report was the result of a drive to unveil the secrecy surrounding the illegal sale of Nauruan Residency Permits and passports. Among the report’s recommendations was the investigation and pressing of criminal charges against those involved in missing passports and outstanding
passport fees; an audit of all the transactions relating to the-then administrating body, the Nauru Citizen’s Investment Program; and the introduction of a bill to stop those found responsible for the scam from standing
for parliament for a period of time. Minister Kieren Keke said on the delivery of the findings, “This Report only skims the surface of a tangled web of corrupt practices that former Ministers have long tried to conceal.
“This must be a lesson to the people of Nauru that in electing responsible people to the Parliament, their motives must be open and scrupulous.
The practices of the past Governments of corruption and stealing have contributed
to the problems Nauru is living with today.”
The government also oversaw the repatriation of I-Kiribati and Tuvaluan workers and their families stranded on Nauru after the collapse of the phosphate industry, and consequently the economy. Some 1060 I-Kiribati workers
and their dependants and 371 Tuvaluans were based on the island.
Australia’s immigration camp on Nauru received some new inmates in 2006 when seven Burmese asylum seekers were placed there. Ongoing operations at the camp prompted President Scotty to defend living conditions there. “The detainees are housed in air conditioned buildings with good food, access to international television and the freedom to wander around our island,” the president said.
He did have one caveat. “My government has made it very clear to the Government of Australia that in the future, we will not tolerate lengthy delays for the processing of detainees. Whilst they are living on Nauru, they will be humanely treated.”
Airlines, Shippers Serving Countrys
Air: Our Airline.
Shippers: Pacific Forum Line, Nauru Pacific Line.
Main Government Contact
Office of the President
Republic of Nauru, Central Pacific
Ph: (674) 444-3772
Fax: (674) 444-3776
Sources and Nauru on the Web
Nauru Bureau Of Statistics
www.spc.int/prism/country/nr/stats/
UNICEF
www.unicef.org/infobycountry/nauru_statistics.html
CenpacNet Inc.
www.cenpac.net.nr/
CIA Factbook
www.cia.gov/
World Bank:
www.worldbank.org
Map courtesy UH Press, The Pacific Islands; an Encyclopedia
Click map for larger image
