Nauru (2008) | Anguilla (2003) | |
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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) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 36.4% (male 2,508/female 2,410)
15-64 years: 61.6% (male 4,111/female 4,224) 65 years and over: 2% (male 144/female 131) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years: 24.3% (male 1,575; female 1,526)
15-64 years: 68.8% (male 4,504; female 4,262) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 387; female 484) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts | small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising |
Airports | 1 (2007) | 3 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total: 21 sq km
land: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC | about half the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear, since their language does not resemble any other in the Pacific. The island was annexed by Germany in 1888 and its phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium. Nauru was occupied by Australian forces in World War I and 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 its independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999 as the world's smallest independent republic. | Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650, Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th century, when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants - was incorporated into a single British dependency, along with Saint Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this arrangement was formally recognized in 1980, with Anguilla becoming a separate British dependency. |
Birth rate | 24.47 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 14.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $13.5 million
expenditures: $13.5 million (2005) |
revenues: $22.8 million
expenditures: $22.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | no official capital; government offices in Yaren District
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
The Valley |
Climate | tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February) | tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds |
Coastline | 30 km | 61 km |
Constitution | 29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968 (Constitution Day) | Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
conventional short form: Nauru local long form: Republic of Nauru local short form: Nauru former: Pleasant Island |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Anguilla |
Currency | - | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
Death rate | 6.65 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 5.42 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $33.3 million (2002) | $8.8 million (1998) |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
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) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Vinci Niel CLODUMAR
chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 937-0074 FAX: [1] (212) 937-0079 consulate(s): Agana (Guam) |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $20 million mostly from Australia (2005) | $3.5 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from exports of phosphates, now significantly depleted. An Australian company in 2005 entered into an agreement intended to exploit remaining supplies. 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 were 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 frozen wages and reduced overstaffed public service departments. In 2005, the deterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capital plant continued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the government and economy afloat continued to climb. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDP varying widely. | Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and remittances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism industry, which has spurred the growth of the construction sector, has contributed to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector, which is small, but growing. In the medium term, prospects for the economy will depend largely on the tourism sector and, therefore, on revived income growth in the industrialized nations as well as on favorable weather conditions. |
Electricity - consumption | 27.9 million kWh (2005) | 42.6 million kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | - |
Electricity - production | 30 million kWh (2005) | NA (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
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: Crocus Hill 65 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 | supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
- |
Ethnic groups | Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8% | black (predominant), mulatto, white |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003) | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - President Ludwig SCOTTY defeated in a no confidence vote in parliament on 19 December 2007 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 19 December 2007 (next to be held in 2010) election results: NA |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Peter JOHNSTONE (since NA February 2000)
head of government: Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March 2000) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the elected members of the House of Assembly elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor |
Exports | 0 bbl/day (2004) | $2.6 million (1999) |
Exports - commodities | phosphates | lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum |
Exports - partners | South Africa 63.7%, South Korea 7.6%, Canada 6.6% (2006) | UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2000) |
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 Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design on a white background with blue wavy water below |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $104 million (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 4%
industry: 18% services: 78% (1997 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $8,600 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 2.8% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 0 32 S, 166 55 E | 18 15 N, 63 10 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 | the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles |
Highways | - | total: 105 km
paved: 65 km unpaved: 40 km (1997) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe |
Imports | 1,023 bbl/day (2004) | $80.9 million (1999) |
Imports - commodities | food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery | fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles |
Imports - partners | South Korea 43.8%, Australia 36.2%, US 5.9%, Germany 4.3% (2006) | US, Puerto Rico, UK (2000) |
Independence | 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 3.1% (1997 est.) |
Industries | phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products | tourism, boat building, offshore financial services |
Infant mortality rate | total: 9.6 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 12.07 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
total: 22.8 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 29.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | -3.6% (1993) | 2.3% |
International organization participation | ACP, ADB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate), ECLAC (associate) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 16 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court | High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court) |
Labor force | - | 6,049 (2001) |
Labor force - by occupation | note: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation (1992) | commerce 36%, services 29%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, manufacturing 3%, agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4% (2000 est,) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds) (1998 est.) |
Languages | Nauruan (official; a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes | English (official) |
Legal system | acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations | based on English common law |
Legislative branch | unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 25 August 2007 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 18; note - 15 of 18 incumbents reelected |
unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total, 7 elected by direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3 March 2000 (next to be held NA June 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANA 3, AUP 2, ADP 1, independent 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 63.44 years
male: 59.85 years female: 67.21 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 76.7 years
male: 73.79 years female: 79.7 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
definition: age 12 and over can read and write
total population: 95% male: 95% female: 95% (1984 est.) |
Location | Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and 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 fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 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 UK |
Military branches | no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force (2008) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 31 January (1968) | Anguilla Day, 30 May |
Nationality | noun: Nauruan(s)
adjective: Nauruan |
noun: Anguillan(s)
adjective: Anguillan |
Natural hazards | periodic droughts | frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) |
Natural resources | phosphates, fish | salt, fish, lobster |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 12.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal); Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party; note - loose multiparty system | Anguilla United Party or AUP [Hubert HUGHES]; The United Front or UF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS], a coalition of the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National Alliance or ANA |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 13,528 (July 2007 est.) | 12,738 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.781% (2007 est.) | 2.21% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Blowing Point, Road Bay |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic) | Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.973 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.099 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: modern internal telephone system international: microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1,900 (2002) | 4,974 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,500 (2002) | 1,629 (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center | flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone |
Total fertility rate | 3.02 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 90% (2004 est.) | 6.7% (2001) |
Waterways | - | none |