Geography Now! NAURU

Summary

This episode explores the remote island nation of Nauru, the least visited country in the world. With a unique geography and a history of phosphate mining that once made it the wealthiest nation per capita, Nauru now faces challenges with depleted resources. The video delves into its culture, demographics, and international relations, highlighting its complex past and present, including its status as a detention center for asylum seekers and its fluctuating diplomatic ties.

Takeaways

• 🏝️ Nauru is a small island country located at the confluence of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, but it is officially categorized under Micronesia.
• 🌍 It is the smallest country in Oceania, with an area of just 8.1 square miles and a perimeter that can be jogged in a few hours.
• 🏛️ Nauru does not have an official capital, but Yaren is often considered the center due to the presence of key government buildings and the only airport.
• 🚧 The country's main source of income was phosphate mining, which at one point made it the wealthiest nation per capita, but the reserves are now nearly depleted.
• 🌱 The landscape of Nauru includes a fertile coastal ring, a central plateau rich in phosphate, and an interior with limited water sources.
• 🚶‍♂️ Public transportation is limited to a community bus that circles the island, and there's one traffic light on the island.
• 🏞️ Nauru has few tourist attractions but offers activities like scuba diving and visiting historical sites like WWII bunkers.
• 🏥 Health issues are prevalent in Nauru, with a high obesity rate linked to a diet that includes a lot of imported and processed foods.
• 👥 The population of Nauru is ethnically diverse, with Nauruans being a mix of Micronesian and Polynesian heritage, and a significant diaspora living abroad.
• 🏦 Nauru has faced economic challenges and has sought various strategies to diversify its economy, including becoming a financial haven and partnering with Australia on immigration policies.

Q & A

Why was this episode of the video filmed in the host's office?

The episode was filmed in the host's office because they did not have time to book the YouTube space.

Why is Nauru considered a special topic for the video?

Nauru is considered a special topic because it is not often covered and is the least visited country in the world, making it difficult to find or visit Nauruans.

What is the correct pronunciation of Nauru?

The correct pronunciation of Nauru is 'Now-roo', not 'Nah-oo-roo'.

How is Nauru geographically unique among the Pacific Islands?

Nauru is unique because it is the smallest country in Oceania, located at the confluence of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, and is the only country in the world without an official capital.

Why is it challenging to visit Nauru by boat?

Visiting Nauru by boat is challenging because the entire country is surrounded by jagged sharp coral reefs that can puncture holes in large commercial ships, and it has no major seaport.

What is the primary mode of transportation within Nauru?

The primary mode of transportation within Nauru is by car, using the single paved road known as the Island Ring Road, or by a community bus that goes around the island.

What is the significance of the phosphate mining industry to Nauru's economy?

Phosphate mining was historically significant to Nauru's economy, as it once led to the country having the highest GDP in the world in 1968. However, with the depletion of phosphate deposits, the industry's importance has diminished.

Why is Nauru not a popular tourist destination?

Nauru is not a popular tourist destination due to its remote location and limited tourist attractions, resulting in fewer than a thousand tourists visiting annually.

What is the demographic makeup of Nauru's population?

Approximately 60% of Nauru's population is ethnically Nauruan, about a quarter are other Pacific Islanders, 8% are European, and about 8% are Han Chinese.

How has Nauru's geopolitical stance shifted over time, particularly in relation to Taiwan and China?

Nauru's geopolitical stance has shifted multiple times, initially recognizing Taiwan, then switching to recognize the PRC in 2002, and later reestablishing ties with Taiwan in 2005.

What is the current relationship between Nauru and Australia?

Australia is considered a major ally and caregiver to Nauru, providing most of its business and aid, and collaborating on solutions for Nauru's economic development.

Outlines

00:00

🏝️ Introduction to Nauru

The video begins with the host, Barb, explaining that the episode will be filmed in her office due to time constraints. She introduces Nauru as a rarely covered location and notes the difficulty in finding Nauruan individuals to contribute to the video. Barb highlights Nauru's uniqueness as the least visited country in the world, with a special focus on its geographical and administrative features. She mentions that Nauru is an island nation situated at the intersection of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, and is part of Micronesia. Despite its small size, Nauru is divided into fourteen administrative districts and eight electoral constituencies. Barb also points out that Nauru lacks an official capital, with Yaren being the de facto capital. The country's transportation infrastructure is discussed, including the single paved road known as the Island Ring Road, and the absence of a major seaport due to the surrounding coral reefs. The video also touches on Nauru's limited accessibility by sea and the unique phosphate cantilever booms once used for mineral transport.

05:03

🌍 Geography and Economy of Nauru

The second paragraph delves into Nauru's geographical features, starting with its location on the Southern Pacific Plate near the equator. It is noted as one of the three great phosphate rock islands in Oceania, rich in guano from bird droppings. The coastal ring of Nauru is its most fertile area, with Buada Lagoon being the largest inland body of water. The central plateau, composed of coral ridges and cliffs, is where the phosphate mining took place, leading to a period of wealth for the country in 1968. However, the depletion of phosphate reserves has led to economic challenges. The video discusses Nauru's attempts to diversify its economy through investments and becoming a financial haven, which faced controversies and ultimately failed. The country now relies on cash transactions, with no ATMs available. Fishing and minor agriculture are the remaining economic activities, with most goods needing to be imported. The video also covers the impact of the typical Nauruan diet, which has contributed to the country being labeled as the most obese nation by the World Health Organization.

10:04

🏗️ Demographics and History of Nauru

The final paragraph covers the demographics of Nauru, which has a population of around 11,300 people, making it the third least populated nation in the world. The ethnic composition includes Nauruans, other Pacific Islanders, Europeans, and Han Chinese. The video discusses the Nauruan language and the historical division of the population into twelve tribes with unique customs and a navigational system. It also mentions the traditional music style 'Teigen' and the practice of frigate bird fishing. The paragraph then moves on to Nauru's history, from the settlement by Micronesians and Polynesians to its colonial past, World War impacts, and the path to independence in 1968. The economic fluctuations due to phosphate mining are also highlighted. The video concludes with a discussion of Nauru's diplomatic relations, including its recognition of certain disputed territories and its shifting alliances, particularly with Australia and Taiwan. The host emphasizes Nauru's resilience and its efforts to find new revenue streams despite its small size and limited resources.

Keywords

💡Nauru

Nauru is a small island country located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the focus of the video as it is explored for its unique geographical, cultural, and historical aspects. The country is noted for being the least visited and having the world's smallest population among nations. In the script, Nauru is described as a 'hidden gem' and 'the least visited country in the world,' highlighting its remoteness and the challenges in accessing it.

💡Phosphate

Phosphate is a key mineral resource that was once abundant in Nauru and played a significant role in its economy. The script mentions that Nauru was once the richest country in the world due to phosphate mining, which is directly linked to the island's history and economic development. The term is used to illustrate the transformation of Nauru from a wealthy nation to one facing economic challenges after the depletion of phosphate reserves.

💡Micronesia

Micronesia is a subregion of Oceania, and Nauru is categorized within it. The script discusses how Nauru is situated at the confluence of three Oceania regions: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, but it is officially part of Micronesia. This term is crucial for understanding Nauru's geographical positioning and its cultural ties to the broader Oceania region.

💡Geographic Isolation

Geographic isolation refers to the state of being far removed from other populated areas, which Nauru exemplifies. The script describes Nauru as 'the least visited country in the world,' emphasizing its isolation. This concept is integral to the video's theme, as it influences Nauru's tourism, accessibility, and its historical development as a nation.

💡Detention Center

The term 'Detention Center' is mentioned in the context of Nauru's cooperation with the Australian government to detain illegal immigrants. This aspect of Nauru's current affairs is significant as it reflects the country's international relations and its role in global migration issues. The script uses this term to discuss Nauru's contemporary social and political landscape.

💡Obesity

Obesity is highlighted in the script as a major health issue in Nauru, with the World Health Organization labeling it 'the most obese country in the world.' This keyword is important as it ties into discussions about Nauru's public health, diet, and lifestyle. The video uses this term to draw attention to the consequences of dietary habits and the reliance on imported foods.

💡Ethnicity and Demographics

Ethnicity and demographics are discussed in the script to describe Nauru's population composition, which includes Nauruans, Pacific Islanders, Europeans, and Han Chinese. Understanding these demographics is essential for grasping Nauru's cultural diversity and the influences that shape its society. The video uses these terms to provide a snapshot of Nauru's people and their origins.

💡Lagoon

A lagoon is a body of water separated from a larger body of water by a shallow or exposed barrier. In the script, Buada Lagoon is mentioned as the largest inland body of water in Nauru. This geographical feature is significant as it contributes to Nauru's unique ecosystem and is part of the country's natural landscape, which is a central theme of the video.

💡Austronesian Languages

Austronesian languages are a large language family that includes the Nauruan language. The script mentions that while Nauruan is technically a Micronesian language, it is distinct and not easily understood by other Micronesians. This term is important for understanding the linguistic uniqueness of Nauru and its place within the broader Austronesian language family.

💡Phosphate Mining

Phosphate mining is the process of extracting phosphate minerals from the ground, which was a major industry in Nauru as discussed in the script. This term is crucial for understanding the historical economic boom and subsequent challenges faced by Nauru. The video uses the concept of phosphate mining to illustrate the transformation of Nauru's economy and environment.

💡Diplomacy

Diplomacy refers to the conduct of relations between nations, which is a key aspect of Nauru's international profile discussed in the script. The video touches on Nauru's diplomatic relations, including its recognition of certain states and its shifting alliances, which are significant for understanding Nauru's position in the global community.

Highlights

This episode is filmed in the host's office due to time constraints.

Nauru is the least visited country in the world, making it hard to find Nauruans for the video.

Nauru is a unique Pacific Island nation with a special administrative structure.

The country is the smallest in Oceania, with a total area of just 8.1 square miles.

Nauru does not have an official capital; Yaren is considered the de facto capital.

Access to Nauru is difficult due to surrounding coral reefs, with no major seaport.

The island has a single paved road, the Island Ring Road, which circles the entire nation.

Nauru has a detention center that cooperates with Australia for illegal immigrants.

Nauru receives less than a thousand tourists a year, making it a non-tourist hotspot.

Nauru sits on the Southern Pacific Plate and is rich in phosphate due to bird droppings.

Nauru once had the highest GDP in the world in 1968 due to phosphate mining.

Nauru's economy is now cash-only, with no ATMs on the island.

Nauru is the most obese country, with over 70% of the population categorized as obese.

Nauru has a unique navigational system with specific cardinal directions only applicable on the island.

Nauruan culture is a mix of Micronesian and Polynesian influences.

Nauru has a history of shifting diplomatic relations, including recognition of Taiwan and then China.

Australia is Nauru's main ally, providing significant business and aid.

Nauru's time to shine is emphasized, highlighting the nation's resilience and potential.

Transcripts

Hey guys, so this episode is gonna be filmed in my office because I didn't have time to book that YouTube space.

Ah, there's gonna be a special one. It's not very often. We cover a place like Nauru.

Usually we get you guys, the Geograpeeps, to help out with these videos

But sadly not a single Nauruan was available to contact us. No surprise.

I mean, there's not many in the world and it's kind of hard to find them or visit them.

Like, literally, this is the least visited country in the world. So NAU we cover NAURU

[Good pun, no punching?]

Hi everybody, I'm host Barb's. Yes. It's pronounced "Now-roo", not "Nah-oo-roo"

The Pacific Islands are always so fun to research because they really are like the hidden gems concealed within the massive expanse of seemingly endless

ocean and with Nauru you find a new type of gem that nobody quite knows how to classify but it's shiny

Let's go treasure hunting on the map now. Shall we?

Linguist speculate that the name Nauru may be derived from the Nauruan word Anaoero

Which means "I go to the beach." Of course most island nations have beaches

But the ones on Nauru are sectioned off in a special way

First of all, the country is literally just one island located on the confluence of all three oceanic regions of Oceania: Melanesia, Micronesia

And Polynesia, however categorically they belong to the region of Micronesia (not to be confused with the Federated States of Micronesia

which is a country within Micronesia. We already talked about it)

Anyway

The country is the smallest country in Oceania and only about 8.1 square miles or 21 square kilometers

The entire perimeter of the country is only about 12 miles or 19 kilometers long

That means you could literally take a nice morning jog around the entire island and make it back in time for lunch

Just a few hours later. The country is divided into fourteen administrative districts

However when election time rolls around, the country is divided into eight constituencies to send representatives to the Parliament and this is where things get weird

Nauru is the only country in the world that doesn't have an official capital

Most sources will tell you that its Yaren simply because that's where the parliament and

administration buildings are as well as the only airport on the island "Nauru International".

However, it is only the de jure capital and only listed as a main district with only about 1300 people

Yaren is actually the third largest town on the island. The largest actually being Arijejen in Aiwo with a whopping

2,400 people and Menen in the Meneng district with about 1,400. Aside from the airport coming into Nauru by boat is nearly impossible

For large commercial ships as the entire country is surrounded by jagged sharp coral reefs that have been known to puncture holes

Which is why they have no major seaport

There are only two small

harbors able to accommodate small or medium sized boats one at Anibare on the east side at Anibare Bay and another one

On the town of Aiwo on the west side of the island. Right below that harbor though

You see these strange long extending pier-looking things and think, "Oh, isn't that like a shipping port?" Well, no

Those are actually really long phosphate cantilever booms that were used to transport.

Phosphate minerals to large ships out to sea past the coral wall.

There's another one further south that is currently being disassembled as neither of them are being used much anymore

Otherwise getting around Nauru is pretty easy

I mean

It's just one island

unlike those confusing

disjointed atolls in Kiribati or Tuvalu. Having one solid chunk of land is quite advantageous in the Pacific because it keeps you stable

and strong. The country has a single paved road that goes around the entire nation known as the island Ring Road

It takes just about an hour to go around the entire country by car

And if you want to take public transport a community bus goes around once every hour or so for less than a dollar in fare

There is only one traffic light at the airport to allow planes to cross the road into the airport terminal

Otherwise, you can take the rugged unpaved gravel path road

Shortcuts through the interior of the island to get to the other sides if you prefer. Not very popular

but still possible. On these paths

You can pass the Nauru Detention Centers which are sites that cooperate with the Australian government to detain illegal immigrants

We'll explain more about this later

The country does have three miles of rail track reserved for phosphate

transport and sometimes people will cling on to this train to move back and forth from the coast of Aiwo to the inland mining areas

Yeah, they actually have a train and it's still kind of running. Nonetheless

Nauru is definitely not quite the tourist hotspot. Annually the country receives on average less than a thousand tourists a year

sometimes as low as

200. Speaking of which if you are one of the lucky few that treks over here some spots of interest might include places like

Yaren's Parliament building. Buada Lagoon. The Moqua Well & Caves.

Frigate bird games. Anabare Bay. The central plateau known as Topside. The old World War II artillery

bunkers near Yaren. The Linkbelt oval sportsfield where you can play sports. And of course, there's scuba diving everywhere.

Alright, so that pretty much rounds up this segment. Let's see what type of landscape they have on this one little island, shall we?

Well, there's gonna be interesting because we only have about eight square miles of land to work with

How can we possibly extract a complex data analysis on such a limited surface area?

I've been doing this show for years guys. Watch me. First of all, Nauru

sits on the middle of the Southern Pacific Plate only about 34 miles (56 kilometers) away from the equator. Out of all the islands in

Oceania, Nauru sticks out as one of the three great phosphate rock islands.

The first one being Kiribati's Banaba Island right next door, and Makatea Island over

3,000 miles away across the International Dateline on Makatea Island in French Polynesia

Why do they have so much phosphate? Simple: bird poop! Over thousands of years

Guano droppings in the inland areas from migrating birds have accumulated making these islands super rich in the limited resource. Going back to Nauru though

After we pass the jagged coral reef barrier

You see that the entire

Coastal ring around Nauru about 300 meters inland is the most fertile part of the country. If you look over here in the south

though you'll see Buada Lagoon, the largest inland body of water

Nauru has no rivers or streams which means the majority people depend on either rain collection

storage tanks on their roofs for water or 3d salinization plants located at the National Utilities

Agency if you move inland further from that though

You'll notice the green fertile strip ends and you reach the grassy shrubby central plateau

Composed of coral ridges and cliffs the highest point being command ridge at about 233 feet 720 meters high

This is the phosphate zone where all the phosphate was mined over the past few decades. Whoo. Yeah, I mean quite a backstory, right?

I mean at one point in 1968

They actually had the highest GDP in the world after they opened up the mines

But now after almost all the phosphate deposits have been depleted

Yeah, not so much. All right, and there's a part where no one usually comes in for the physical geography section

However, he's not here because I kind of forgot to tell him at the last minute that we're gonna fill my house

Which means Ken you're gonna have to be NOAA today. Nice. Wait, is this a promotion? Yeah, no, wait, really?

Yeah

You're promoting the information about Naru to our viewers and get to what they're waiting

Nauru Niue that they're finite phosphate deposits will eventually run thin

So in order to cushion their transition period from over-dependence, they decided to invest heavily into trust funds

The problem was many of these funds ended up mismanage and wasteful investments almost until they went bankrupt

They've tried to become a finance haven, but too many controversies ensued so they had to drop it since 2004

They have been a cash-only exclusive economy. This means you could only use cash on the island

So if you visit get your major ATM transactions in order before boarding the plane

Because none exists on the island. Resource-wise, other than the nearly depleted phosphate reserves,

all they really got going for them is fishing and minor crops that grow on the island,

Like coconuts and fruits, and the Buada lagoon, they do practice aquaculture by raising native mill fish.

It's a tradition that actually predates European contact.

Nonetheless nearly all basic and capital goods must be imported mostly from Australia and New Zealand.

Otherwise with food, it gets kind of...fatty.

Most grocery stores have to wait six weeks for every shipment.

People either have to get their food from what's available on the island or stock up on non-perishables

that might not have the highest nutritional content.

A typical traditional Nauruan meal would probably include grilled or fried fish.

Coconut milk is used very often and possibly some pandanus or pineapple use in some way.

However, the majority of the country prefers to eat Western or Eastern foods regularly.

There are over 130 Chinese restaurants on the island, burgers, pizza, and spam fried rice are typically seen in many houses.

Ah spam! America invented it but Asia glorified it.

This typical diet has been one of the many factors that has led to Nauru becoming what

the World Health Organization labels as

"the most obese country in the world" with over 70 percent of their inhabitants

being categorically obese and 94 percent overweight.

Some of the people here though need to be big because it works to their advantage.

But that's a topic later we will discuss.

In.... DEMOGRAPHICS

Thank you Ken! Follow him on Instagram. Off you go now.

[sound of door closing]

Now Nauru is kind of like... I don't know what's a good analogy.

It's like one of those shrines in the middle of the Patagonian desert in Argentina, you know

They're so far out and remote very few people stop by and visit them yet as small as they are

They're packed with fascinating backstories. Yeah, I think that works

First of all,

the country has about 11 300 people

and is the third least populated nation in the world after Tuvalu and Vatican City.

About 60% of the people in Nauru are ethnically Nauruan,

about a quarter are other Pacific Islanders, 8% are European

and about 8% are Han Chinese.

They use the Australian dollar as their currency.

They use a type I plug outlet

and they drive on the left side of the road.

Now. Here's the thing.

Let's talk about the largest ethnic group, the Nauruans.

If you include the entire global diaspora

It's estimated that there are about 15,000 Nauruans in the entire world.

Apart from the 6,000 or so Nauruans, about a thousand live in Australia,

and about 8,000 in the U.S.

Meaning that there are actually more Nauruans outside of Nauru than in it,

but what exactly is a Nauruan?

You know what?

Ken is usually like the island guy?

So, you know what? Ken, just explain what a Nauruan is.

All right, Nauruans are in themselves kind of a cultural anomaly.

They are genetically kind of a mix between Micronesia and Polynesia.

They don't even know exactly where they belong.

Although everyone on the island speaks English. The Nauruan mother tongue is Nauruan.

Obviously.

Linguists say it is technically classified as a Micronesian language,

but most Micronesians can't understand them.

Historically, the populace prior to outside immigrations was divided to these twelve tribes.

Each with a matrilineal inheritance.

Thank you, Ken. I'll take it from here.

Now, in terms of the tribes,

they each kind of had their own section of the island

and developed their own unique customs.

One of which being the Nauruan navigational system.

It's a unique way of expressing cardinal direction that can only be used on the island.

There are four main directions that cover a quadrant of the island

and a fifth and six direction that traverses the interior.

Sadly over time many of the traditions were lost to Western influence.

Pictures were taken of Nauruan warriors in the 1800s

with armour made of thick coconut fibers

and puffer fish helmets.

Similar to the ones we talked about in the Kiribati(?) episode.

The traditional music style called Teigen is usually performed at celebrations.

Finally every so often certain fishers still practice trained frigate bird fishing.

Otherwise Nauruans love AFL, rugby, weightlifting.

Sometimes weightlifting is considered the national sport.

Even women take part in it

Keep in mind in 2001 Nauru also signed the Pacific Solution agreement with Australia

Which opened up a detention center to hold people that were illegally trying to enter into Australia by sea for asylum.

This means in addition to the population that lives there permanently

Nauru has a temporary fluctuating population of detainees at any given moment.

The highest amount of people held at once was 1233 in 2014

and at the end of 2018, there are about 30.

And speaking of dates and times, History!

In the quickest way, I can put it:

Micronesian and Polynesians settle in and mix.

They have babies.

Boom! Nauruans are born.

Twelve tribes are set.

British whalers stop by and start trading.

Boom! Tribal war in 1878.

Germans come in and annex it.

They establish kings.

Phosphate discovered by this dude.

World War 1, Australia captures it.

Influenza epidemic. Japan takes over in World War 2.

They relocate a ton of Naurans to Chuuk Island.

Australia fights them off. About 800 Nauruans repatriate back to Nauru.

1968 independence, they get super rich!

But then kind of lose it all.

Current dealings with Australia to move forward.

And here we are today!

Now this is kind of a part where I talk about notable famous people and it's interesting because

Almost all the famous people from Nauru have held a position in government. Yeah, it gets interesting!

So here we go King Aweida.

Hammer DeRoburt.

Marlene Moses. Keiren keke. David Adeang.

Itte Detenamo. Alopua Petoa. Yukio Peter.

Rianna Solomon

Yeah, and their former president was an Olympic athlete and he won seven gold medals at the Commonwealth Games

Then he resigned because of a scandal but look at him left!

Speaking of the Commonwealth and activities with other countries abroad

[jingle] Friendzone!

When it comes to diplomacy Nauru is kind of like in the middle of so many

Tug-of-wars and they don't really care who says what just as long as you can kind of invest in the nation

They'll be happy from one

They generally get along with their other ocean neighbors like Kiribati, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Solomon Islands.

Fiji, however, kind of acts as like their hub and gateway to the world.

Most flights to Nauru operate through Fiji and most Nauruans travel to

Fiji to further invest in their schools and education.

When it comes to the big guys though Nauru has a bit of controversy

they are one of the only four nations that recognizes Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent nation states to which Russia in

appreciation gave over fifty million dollars in humanitarian aid in return 1981

They did once recognize the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic but that in 2000, they withdrew the tie in favor to signing Accords with Morocco

Who wanted to invest in there already depleting phosphate mines.

When they joined the UN they had first recognized and supported

Taiwan as a nation state, but then in 2002

They switched that up and signed an agreement to recognize the PRC instead which really pissed off Taiwan and they cut ties

One year later, though Nauru was like, oh shoot. I'm sorry

I changed my mind again and they closed their embassy in Beijing prompting a reestablishment of ties to Taiwan in 2005.

When it comes to their best friends, however

many Nauruans would probably say Austrialia.

Australia is kind of like the caregiver that provides most their business and aid, most of the imports come from Australia and

Foreign ministers have worked together to find solutions to develop new streams of revenue to keep the nation afloat

Apart from the Pacific Solution,

some other ideas include things like a potential boat repair industry

and reclaiming the damaged land for other uses.

In conclusion,

it doesn't matter if it's just a single little green dot in the vast white ocean.

Nauru can still stand up and say Now we are here! Now we are free! And now is Nauru's time to shine!

Stay tuned. Nepal is coming up next!

[End music]