Nauru (2002) | Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2005) | |
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Administrative divisions | 14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) |
Age structure | 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.) |
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts | fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products |
Airports | 1 (2001) | 5 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 21 sq km
land: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 12,173 sq km
land: 12,173 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands |
Area - comparative | about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Connecticut |
Background | 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. | Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982. |
Birth rate | 26.6 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $23.4 million
expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96) |
revenues: $66.2 million
expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2 million (FY98/99 est.) |
Capital | no official capital; government offices in Yaren District | Stanley |
Climate | tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February) | cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate |
Coastline | 30 km | 1,288 km |
Constitution | 29 January 1968 | 3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
conventional short form: Nauru former: Pleasant Island |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) |
Currency | Australian dollar (AUD) | - |
Death rate | 7.06 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $33.3 million | $NA |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina |
Diplomatic representation from the US | the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | 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) |
none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) |
Disputes - international | none | Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied the islands by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks |
Economic aid - recipient | $2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.) | $0 (1997 est.) |
Economy - overview | 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. | The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which goes to support the island's health, education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date no exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides a sizeable economic boost. |
Electricity - consumption | 27.9 million kWh (2000) | 17.72 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | 30 million kWh (2000) | 19.06 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m |
Environment - current 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 | overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the Chornobyl disaster |
Environment - international agreements | 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 |
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Ethnic groups | Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8% | British |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002) 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997) | Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)
note: the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound |
Executive branch | 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
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 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 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 |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor Howard PEARCE (since 3 December 2002); Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since NA March 2003); Financial Secretary Derek F. HOWATT (since NA) cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch |
Exports | $25.3 million f.o.b. (1991) | NA |
Exports - commodities | phosphates | wool, hides, meat |
Exports - partners | NZ, Australia, South Korea, US (2000) | Spain 77.4%, UK 9.4%, US 4.9% (2004) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | 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 | blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $60 million (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 0 32 S, 166 55 E | 51 45 S, 59 00 W |
Geography - note | 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 | deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season |
Highways | total: 30 km
paved: 24 km unpaved: 6 km (1998 est.) |
total: 440 km
paved: 50 km unpaved: 390 km (2002) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | broad-based money-laundering center | - |
Imports | $21.1 million c.i.f. (1991) | NA |
Imports - commodities | food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery | fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing |
Imports - partners | Australia, US, UK, Indonesia, India (2000) | UK 63.2%, Spain 30.3%, France 3.6% (2004) |
Independence | 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship) | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products | fish and wool processing; tourism |
Infant mortality rate | 10.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: NA
male: NA female: NA (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | -3.6% (1993) (1993) | 3.6% (1998) |
International organization participation | ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, ICAO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO | ICFTU, UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court | Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction |
Labor force | - | 1,100 (est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation | agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2001) |
Languages | Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes | English |
Legal system | acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law | English common law |
Legislative branch | 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 |
unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats - 2 ex officio, 8 elected by popular vote, members serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor
elections: last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held November 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 8; note - 71% voter turnout |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 61.57 years
male: 58.05 years female: 65.26 years (2002 est.) |
total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
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Location | Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands | Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina |
Map references | Oceania | South America |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | none |
Military - note | Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force | no regular military forces |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | NA |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 3,103 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,710 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 31 January (1968) | Liberation Day, 14 June (1982) |
Nationality | noun: Nauruan(s)
adjective: Nauruan |
noun: Falkland Islander(s)
adjective: Falkland Island |
Natural hazards | periodic droughts | strong winds persist throughout the year |
Natural resources | phosphates, fish | fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal) [Bernard DOWIYOGO] | none; all independents |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 12,329 (July 2002 est.) | 2,967 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
Population growth rate | 1.96% (2002 est.) | 2.44% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Nauru | Stanley |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 7,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | total: 5 km
note: gauge unknown; used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing facilities on the southwest coast (2001) |
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Religions | Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic) | primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist |
Sex ratio | 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.) |
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Suffrage | 20 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries |
Telephones - main lines in use | 2,000 (1996) | 2,400 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 450 (1994) | 0 (2001) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 2 (operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service)
note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002) |
Terrain | sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center | rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains |
Total fertility rate | 3.5 children born/woman (2002 est.) | NA children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 0% | full employment; labor shortage (2001) |
Waterways | none | - |