- The island nation has officially changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, aligning with the spelling and pronunciation in the national language, as announced by President David Adeang.
- The name change is seen as a signal of renewed national pride, according to President Adeang.
- The country's international code will change from NRU to NRO, and its people will now be referred to as dei-Naoero instead of Nauruan.
- Lawmakers decided that a public vote was not necessary for the name change after extensive discussions, as stated in a government announcement.
- Nauru, with a population of 12,000 residents, is recognized as the world's third-smallest country by population size, following Tuvalu and Vatican City.
- The island was colonized by Germany and later administered by Australia before achieving independence in 1968.
- In the 1970s, phosphate mining brought significant wealth to Nauru, but the industry collapsed in the 1990s, leading to economic ruin.
- The name Nauru became widely used internationally due to its difficult pronunciation for foreigners, as noted in an earlier government statement.
Nauru has officially changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, aligning with its traditional language. President David Adeang emphasized that this change signifies 'the beginning of renewed national pride' and aims to honor the nation's heritage and identity.1
The country's international code will shift from NRU to NRO, and its citizens will now be referred to as dei-Naoero instead of Nauruan. This name change is a return to the island's traditional name, as noted in a government statement, which highlighted that the name Nauru was adopted for convenience due to its pronunciation challenges for foreigners.3
Adeang stated, 'This proposed change seeks to more faithfully honor our nation’s heritage, our language, and our identity.' The constitutional amendment has been endorsed by lawmakers, although it remains unclear if it has been formally amended. The government decided against a public vote, asserting that the name Naoero has always been part of the national identity.4
With a population of approximately 12,000, Nauru is the world's third-smallest country, following Tuvalu and Vatican City. The island has a tumultuous history, having been colonized by Germany and later administered by Australia before gaining independence in 1968. Today, it faces significant challenges from climate change, prompting efforts to secure international recognition of its new name.56
The government is actively seeking recognition of the name change from other countries and international institutions, with Australia, New Zealand, the U.S., and China already updating their designations to Naoero on their official websites.
“Nauru was colonized by Germany and later administered by Australia before becoming independent in 1968, and its phosphate boom collapsed into economic ruin in the 1990s. The country's international code changes from NRU to NRO, its people become dei-Naoero, and the UN and U.S., Chinese, Australian and New Zealand missions already use Naoero.”
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