Nauru is a small island republic in Micronesia. It has no official capital; government institutions are concentrated in Yaren district.
Oceania and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Yaren; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapNauru is a small raised coral island in the central Pacific. A narrow coastal belt surrounds a higher interior plateau. Much settlement is concentrated near the coast, where access and terrain are more favourable.
Phosphate mining has dramatically altered large parts of the plateau, leaving a rugged limestone landscape. Anibare Bay represents a contrasting coastal setting. The difference between the modified interior and inhabited coastal margin is central to understanding the island.
Nauru is hot and humid throughout the year. Rainfall is variable, with a wetter monsoonal period and the possibility of prolonged dry conditions.
Freshwater resources are limited, and the island has no major rivers. Restoring mined land presents different challenges from managing the coast. Marine habitats and rainfall are particularly important within this small, isolated environment.
Blue with a narrow horizontal gold stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the left side
Rock formations rise from the shallow water beside Nauru’s coast.
Photo: Hadi Zaher from Melbourne, Australia · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Anibare Bay forms part of the island’s narrow coastal fringe.
Photo: Sean Kelleher · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Nauruan is the Indigenous language and the principal language of local everyday life. English is widely used in government, commerce and education.
Nauruan belongs to the Austronesian language family. Other languages, including Kiribati and Chinese languages, are spoken by some resident communities.
Germany annexed Nauru in 1888. After the First World War, Australia administered the island under international mandates and later a UN trusteeship. Japanese occupation during the Second World War brought severe hardship and deportation. Nauru became independent in 1968 and gained control of its phosphate industry in 1970. Extensive mining transformed much of the island’s interior.
Phosphate mining generated substantial wealth but left environmental damage and a difficult economic legacy. Fishing licence revenue, public services, international assistance and activities connected with Australia’s regional processing arrangements support the economy. The small domestic market and dependence on imports constrain diversification.
Phosphate extraction, public services and activities linked to fisheries and regional processing arrangements.
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
| Year | People | Thousands of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6,710 | 6.710 |
| 1980 | 7,649 | 7.649 |
| 1990 | 9,622 | 9.622 |
| 2000 | 10,168 | 10.168 |
| 2010 | 10,043 | 10.043 |
| 2020 | 11,643 | 11.643 |
| 2025 | 12,025 | 12.025 |
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 199,239,203 | 0.199 |
| 1991 | 161,396,099 | 0.161 |
| 1992 | 135,152,666 | 0.135 |
| 1993 | 113,369,618 | 0.113 |
| 1994 | 108,986,615 | 0.109 |
| 1995 | 100,351,115 | 0.100 |
| 1996 | 88,449,903 | 0.088 |
| 1997 | 80,530,467 | 0.081 |
| 1998 | 71,037,539 | 0.071 |
| 1999 | 66,371,652 | 0.066 |
| 2000 | 61,821,105 | 0.062 |
| 2001 | 57,641,293 | 0.058 |
| 2002 | 51,893,687 | 0.052 |
| 2003 | 52,041,366 | 0.052 |
| 2004 | 49,795,903 | 0.050 |
| 2005 | 49,795,903 | 0.050 |
| 2006 | 54,004,008 | 0.054 |
| 2007 | 42,081,045 | 0.042 |
| 2008 | 50,497,254 | 0.050 |
| 2009 | 47,691,851 | 0.048 |
| 2010 | 47,691,851 | 0.048 |
| 2011 | 54,705,358 | 0.055 |
| 2012 | 68,031,023 | 0.068 |
| 2013 | 70,836,426 | 0.071 |
| 2014 | 82,058,038 | 0.082 |
| 2015 | 84,863,441 | 0.085 |
| 2016 | 88,370,194 | 0.088 |
| 2017 | 82,759,388 | 0.083 |
| 2018 | 82,058,038 | 0.082 |
| 2019 | 89,071,545 | 0.089 |
| 2020 | 90,474,247 | 0.090 |
| 2021 | 97,487,754 | 0.097 |
| 2022 | 97,487,754 | 0.097 |
| 2023 | 96,786,403 | 0.097 |
| 2024 | 98,189,105 | 0.098 |
| 2025 | 100,293,157 | 0.100 |
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
A parliamentary republic. The elected single-chamber Parliament chooses a President from among its members. The President serves as both head of state and head of government.
Three questions about Nauru.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.
