Nauru

American  

[nah-oo-roo] / nɑˈu ru /

noun

1. Republic of Nauru, an island republic in the Pacific, near the equator, west of Kiribati: administered by Australia before 1968. 8¼ sq. mi. (21 sq. km).

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Nauru British  

/ nɑːˈuːruː /

noun

1. Former name: Pleasant Island.  an island republic in the SW Pacific, west of Kiribati: administered jointly by Australia, New Zealand, and Britain as a UN trust territory before becoming independent in 1968; a member of the Commonwealth (formerly a special member not represented at all meetings, until 1999). The economy is based on export of phosphates. Languages: Nauruan (a Malayo-Polynesian language) and English. Religion: Christian. Currency: Australian dollar. Capital: Yaren. Pop: 9 434 (2013 est). Area: 2130 hectares (5263 acres)

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Other Word Forms

• Nauruan
  noun

Example Sentences

Pacific island Nauru said it will hold a referendum to change its official name, described as a colonial relic from a time when "foreign tongues" mangled the native language.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

"Nauru emerged because Naoero could not be properly pronounced by foreign tongues, and was changed not by our choice, but for convenience," the government said in a statement explaining the change.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

The Republic of Nauru, with one of the world’s smallest economies, has signed its own deal with the Metals Company.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 27, 2025

In the Pacific region alone, the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, and Nauru have severed their diplomatic ties with it and switched to Beijing since 2019.

From BBC • Nov. 23, 2025

In recent years Nauru has   encouraged the registration of offshore banks and corporations.

From The 2003 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency