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Country profile:
Nauru
languages:
Nauruan, English
President:
Marcus Stephens
Republic of Nauru
religion: Christianity
Agro-Industry Development
Since the cultivated area is limited to about
200-240 ha (500- 600 acres), there is little
commercial agriculture. The main crop is
coconuts; in 1999, production amounted to 2,000
tons. Some vegetables are grown, mainly by the
Chinese population.
Named Pleasant
Island by its
first European
visitors, the
former British
colony of
Nauru is the
world's
smallest
republic.
The tiny
Pacific island
once generated
a per capita
income out of
proportion to
its size. But
the source of
this wealth -
phosphates -
is nearing
exhaustion,
leaving the
islanders
facing an
uncertain
future.
While the
mining of 1,000 years'
worth of fossilised bird
droppings has been
lucrative, Nauru relies on
imports for almost
everything - from food and
water to fuel.
Little evidence
remains of the
rich returns from
phosphate
Moreover,
recent financial crises
have precipitated a slide
into bankruptcy and a
dependence on aid. The
country had to sell off
its assets in Australia to
pay off a multi-million
dollar debt to a US
corporation.
Nauru's
government has tried to
develop alternative
industries, including
tourism and offshore
banking. A world body, set
up to fight
money-laundering, removed
Nauru from its list of
uncooperative states in
late 2005.
In 2001
Nauru signed an agreement
with Australia to
accommodate asylum seekers
on the island, in return
for millions of dollars in
aid. However, Australia
ended its controversial
"Pacific Solution" of
detaining asylum seekers
on islands in 2008.
Australia
has sent financial experts
to Nauru to help it
overcome its problems.
Marcus
Stephens was sworn in as
president in December
2007, after his
predecessor, Ludwig
Scotty, lost a
no-confidence vote in the
Pacific island's 18-member
single-chamber parliament.
However,
parliament was deadlocked
for months over the
budget, with the 18 MPs
evenly divided.
To resolve
the impasse, Mr Stephens
declared a state of
emergency and dissolved
parliament. His government
went on to win a majority
in snap elections in April
2008.
Mr
Stephens is a former
professional weightlifter
and multiple Commonwealth
Games medallist.
Ludwig Scotty: A
seasoned player in
Nauru's fluid
politics
He was
elected to parliament in
2003 and served as
education and finance
minister, but stood down
after Mr Scotty was
re-elected to the
presidency in 2004.
As
president, Nauru's
constitution stipulates
that Mr Stephens will be
both head of state and
head of government on the
island.
Mr
Scotty, a seasoned player
in Nauru's fluid politics,
was ousted once before, in
August 2003 and then
re-elected less than a
year later.
State-owned
Radio Nauru carries
material from Radio
Australia and the BBC, and
Nauru TV broadcasts
programmes from New
Zealand sent via satellite
or on videotape.
The press
Bulletin - weekly
Central Star News -
fortnightly
The
Nauru Chronicle
Television
Nauru
Television (NTV) -
government-owned
Radio
Radio
Nauru - non-commercial,
run by government-owned
Nauru Broadcasting
Service
Country profile:
Nauru
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