According to estatelearning, Nauru is located in the South Pacific Ocean, just south of the equator and east of the Solomon Islands. The total area of Nauru is 21 square kilometers (8 sq mi). The terrain consists mostly of coral reefs with some low-lying hills in the central region. The highest point in Nauru is Command Ridge at 65 meters (213 ft) above sea level. Nauru has a tropical climate with temperatures ranging from an average low of 24°C (75°F) during winter months to an average high of 30°C (86°F) during summer months. Rainfall occurs mainly between October and March with some areas receiving up to 1,000 mm (39 in) annually.
Prehistory
The date of the first possession of Nauru is unknown; However, eastern Micronesia was populated later than many of the islands in western Micronesia, possibly only around Kr.f. The native population of Nauru exhibits a physical and linguistic mix of Micronesian, Polynesian and Melanesian elements. Before 1900, two physically distinct population groups could be discerned on the island.
- Countryaah: Check to see the location of Nauru on the world map. Also covers major mountains, rivers and lakes in Nauru.
History
As the first Europeans, British came to the island in 1798. Clan struggles in the late 1800s resulted in German colonizers incorporating Nauru in the German protectorate of the Marshall Islands in 1888. Christian mission began in the years around 1900, and mining for phosphate extraction began in 1906. Nauru became a mandate in 1919 under the joint management of Britain, Australia and New Zealand. It was occupied in 1942-45 by Japan, which deported two-thirds of the population. Nauru was transferred to the UN in 1947 and placed under Australian administration. To see more information other than history, please visit Abbreviationfinder to learn more about climate, population, government, and economy for the country of Nauru.
The country became independent in 1968 and a special member of the Commonwealth in 1969. Naurus’s standard of living is considered to be the highest in the Third World, but phosphate mining causes such serious environmental problems that, alongside most groceries, fresh water must also be imported from Australia. In recent years, several corruption scandals have been revealed, and political instability has increased.
At the end of the first decade of the 21st century, Nauru was heavily dependent on foreign aid and in difficulty due to the high public debt and the lack of stable sources of income. The phosphate mines, on whose exploitation the local economy had long been based, were almost exhausted; the country had also abolished the offshore banking sector and suffered the repercussions of the Australian decision to discontinue the Pacific solution (see Australia), which provided for the transfer of irregular immigrants – including asylum seekers – to extraterritorial centers, including the one located in Nauru which represented a source of income and jobs for the small atoll. The center, which closed in 2008, was then reopened in 2012, but was severely damaged following an uprising in July 2013. Both Amnesty international and the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) had denounced the harsh living conditions of the migrants gathered there. In August 2013, an agreement was reached according to which the refugees who arrived in Australia and transferred to Nauru could then, once they ascertain their actual need for international protection, settle in the small Republic; Australia provided economic aid to Nauru in exchange.
Internally, political instability remained high, with frequent recourse to early voting and motions of no confidence in presidents. Between 2007 and 2015, five elections were held for the renewal of Parliament (2007, 2008, twice in 2010 and 2013) and five heads of state alternated: Ludwig Scotty (in office since 2004 and reconfirmed in 2007), Marcus Stephen (Dec 2007 – Nov 2011), Freddie Pitcher (less than a week in Nov 2011), Sprent Dabwido (Nov 2011 – Jun 2013) and Baron Waqa (from June 2013).