Nauru (2005) | Virgin Islands (2002) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
Administrative divisions | 14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren | none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 37.5% (male 2,511/female 2,379)
15-64 years: 60.6% (male 3,895/female 4,012) 65 years and over: 1.9% (male 132/female 119) (2005 est.) |
0-14 years: 26.7% (male 16,926; female 16,012)
15-64 years: 64.2% (male 35,801; female 43,443) 65 years and over: 9.1% (male 4,851; female 6,465) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts | fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle |
Airports | 1 (2004 est.) | 2 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total: 21 sq km
land: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 352 sq km
land: 349 sq km water: 3 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC | twice the size of Washington, DC |
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. | During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848. |
Birth rate | 25.14 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 15.85 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $23.4 million
expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY95/96) |
revenues: $364.4 million
expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.) |
Capital | no official capital; government offices in Yaren District | Charlotte Amalie |
Climate | tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February) | subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November |
Coastline | 30 km | 188 km |
Constitution | 29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968 (Constitution Day) | Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
conventional short form: Nauru former: Pleasant Island |
conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies |
Currency | - | US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | 6.82 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $33.3 million (2002) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior |
Diplomatic representation from the US | the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru | none (territory of the US) |
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): Agana (Guam) |
none (territory of the US) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.) | $NA |
Economy - overview | 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. | Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for more than 70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are a small but growing component of the economy. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The islands are subject to substantial damage from storms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, support construction projects in the private sector, expand tourist facilities, reduce crime, and protect the environment. |
Electricity - consumption | 27.9 million kWh (2002) | 948.6 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 30 million kWh (2002) | 1.02 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 474 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 | lack of natural freshwater resources |
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 |
- |
Ethnic groups | Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8% | black 80%, white 15%, other 5%
note: West Indian (45% born in the Virgin Islands and 29% born elsewhere in the West Indies) 74%, US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 5%, other 8% |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000) | the US dollar is used |
Executive branch | 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 |
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (Since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999) and Lieutenant Governor Gererd LUZ James II (since 5 January 1999) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006) election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL reelected governor; percent of vote - Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (Democrat) 50.5%, John de Jongh 24.4% |
Exports | NA | $NA |
Exports - commodities | phosphates | refined petroleum products |
Exports - partners | South Africa 43.4%, Germany 20.7%, India 11.8%, Japan 7.2%, Poland 4% (2004) | US, Puerto Rico |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | 1 October - 30 September |
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 | white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $1.8 billion (2000 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 - $15,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 0 32 S, 166 55 E | 18 20 N, 64 50 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 | important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean |
Highways | total: 30 km
paved: 24 km unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.) |
total: 856 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: the only US posession where driving on the left side of the road is practiced (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | 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 | - |
Imports | NA | $NA |
Imports - commodities | food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery | crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials |
Imports - partners | Australia 65.6%, Indonesia 5.4%, Germany 5.3%, UK 4.4% (2004) | US, Puerto Rico |
Independence | 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | NA% |
Industries | phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products | tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics |
Infant mortality rate | total: 9.95 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 12.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
9.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | -3.6% (1993) | NA% |
International organization participation | ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO | ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 50 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court | US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms) |
Labor force | - | 48,356 |
Labor force - by occupation | employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation | agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 79% (1990 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
arable land: 15%
permanent crops: 6% other: 79% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes | English (official), Spanish, Creole |
Legal system | acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law | based on US laws |
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 |
unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 8, ICM NA, no party affiliation NA note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); results - Donna M. CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 62.73 years
male: 59.16 years female: 66.48 years (2005 est.) |
total population: 78.43 years
male: 74.55 years female: 82.53 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico |
Map references | Oceania | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia | defense is the responsibility of the US |
Military branches | no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 31 January (1968) | Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) |
Nationality | noun: Nauruan(s)
adjective: Nauruan |
noun: Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: Virgin Islander |
Natural hazards | periodic droughts | several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes |
Natural resources | phosphates, fish | sun, sand, sea, surf |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal) [leader NA]; Naoero Amo (Nauru First) Party [leader NA] | Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 13,048 (July 2005 est.) | 123,498 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.83% (2005 est.) | 1.04% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Nauru | Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002) |
Radios | - | 107,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic) | Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% |
Sex ratio | 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: 1.11 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 20 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections |
Telephone system | 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) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay international: submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations - NA |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1,900 (2002) | 62,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,500 (2002) | 2,000 (1992) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 2 (2002) |
Terrain | sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center | mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land |
Total fertility rate | 3.19 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 2.24 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 90% (2004 est.) | 4.9% (March 1999) |
Waterways | - | none |