Facts and figures

Government type Unitary parliamentary republic with an executive presidency under a non-partisan democracy

The ‘Know Your Region’ series is designed to support unit and individual professional military education on the Indo-Pacific region. It’s important for all serving members of our military to have a foundational knowledge of the countries and issues in the Indo-Pacific.

On this page:

  • Summary
  • Government
  • Law
  • Diplomacy
  • International forums

Nauru was first settled by Micronesians at least 3,000 years ago. In 1798, British sea captain John Fearn reported sighting Nauru which he named ‘Pleasant Island’ due to its warm tropical climate and lush vegetation. In the 1830s, whaling ships and other traders began visiting the island, bringing with them alcohol, firearms, and foreign diseases. These disruptions caused violence between indigenous clans to escalate and there were many murders.

In 1888, Germany claimed Nauru as a colony and incorporated it into the Marshall Islands Protectorate. This lasted until WW1 when a small Australian force assumed control of the Island and removed most German nationals. Nauru was then initially declared a mandated territory under the league of nations, and later a ‘trusteeship’ from 1914 – with Britain, New Zealand, and Australia assuming responsibility and Australia maintaining administrative control.

In 1899 the geologist Albert Ellis inspected a rock-like object that was propping open a door in the Sydney office of the Pacific Islands Company, a trading and plantation firm, and discovered it was rich in phosphate. The phosphate industry, that was already making good profits, was taken over by the newly formed British Phosphate Commission – a joint Australian, British, and New Zealand enterprise.

During World War II (1945-1942), Nauru was occupied by Japan who forced many of the population to leave the island and work as forced labourers on Chuuk, Micronesia (formally known as Truk). Following Japan’s defeat, a similar administration arrangement resumed with Australia assuming administrative control.

In 1964, The Australian Government proposed relocating the population of Nauru to Curtis Island off the coast of Queensland. It was believed the environmental damage caused by intensive phosphate mining would make the island uninhabitable by the 1990s. Nauru rejected the proposal, instead choosing to become an independent nation with ownership of any future mining.

Nauru became self-governing in January 1966 and gained independence on 31 January 1968.

Politics 

Nauru is an independent republic, and the President is the Head of State and Head of Government. There are 18 Members of Parliament, excluding the Speaker who is the 19th MP. They are elected using the unique ‘Dowdall Borda Count’ electoral system which is an ‘order of merit’ ranking system. There are no political parties in Nauru, so all MPs stand as independent. There are also no subordinate levels of government (provincial, state, or councils). The voting age is 20 and politicians are allowed to be dual Australian citizens.

Nauru's Electro System Borda Count Final

Shifting allegiances among the small number of MPs can lead to instability and changes in the makeup of the government, including who serves as President. The population is so small, there is little to no civil society or private sector leaders which reduces public commentary on political decision-making.

Traditionally Nauru has been closely aligned with Australia politically; however, its ‘switch’ from recognising ‘Taiwan’ to recognising the People’s Republic of China in January 2024 has caused some uncertainty.

Law

After independence, Nauru adopted a written constitution that guaranteed fundamental rights and freedoms. The country's legal framework incorporates common law principles inherited from English and Australian law. The judicial system consists of the Supreme Court, District Court, and subordinate courts. Customary law also plays a limited role, particularly in family and land matters. Nauru has faced international scrutiny over judicial independence, media freedom, and the rule of law – particularly during periods of political tension and in the context of its handling of asylum seekers under Australia’s offshore processing arrangements.

Nauru Government House

Image: Nauru Government House – Wikimapia.org

Diplomacy

Nauru and Australia

Australia is Nauru’s largest trade, investment, and development assistance partner. The ongoing support Australia provides has been critical to sustaining Nauru’s economy, especially after the decline of phosphate mining. In recent years, development programs have focused on improving public financial management, capacity-building, and essential infrastructure projects such as water supply and sanitation.

A new health program, ‘Raña Tsimorum’ (AUD50 million, 2024-2034) will be implemented to strengthen Nauru’s healthcare system, and the Nauru Education Program (AUD20 million, 2022 - 2027) will continue to improve student school enrolment, attendance, and learning outcomes.

Australia’s offshore detention policy

One of the most controversial aspects of Australian-Nauru relations is the hosting of the Regional Processing Centre (RPC) for asylum seekers as part of Australia’s offshore detention policy. Since 2001 Nauru has hosted thousands of migrants who have attempted to enter Australia by boat without a visa. In exchange for hosting the refugees, Nauru has received substantial financial compensation. This arrangement has drawn international criticism due to human rights concerns over the treatment of asylum seekers on the island. Despite this, the policy is ongoing with 100 Asylum seekers remaining at the facility as of 2025.

UN committee calls on Australia to compensate Nauru asylum seekers | ABC NEWS

AFL

Australia and Nauru are united by a shared love of Australian Rules Football (AFL). AFL has been played in Nauru for over a century, brought back home by Nauruans who had spent time at Australian schools. Today, the country is part of the AFL South Pacific High-Performance Pathway, funded by PacificAus Sports and featuring the Nauru AFL Talent Academy for the country’s future stars. The game is played by almost one in three people which makes it the country with the highest AFL participation rate in the world, including Australia.

Nauru and China 

Alongside Australia, China is the only other country with a diplomatic mission in Nauru. After years of diplomatic and economic pressure from Beijing, in January 2024 Nauru announced that it would no longer continue diplomacy with Taiwan and would follow the One China Policy instead. The decision left Taiwan with just 12 formal diplomatic allies globally. Nauru had made a similar diplomatic switch to China in 2002, but it later restored relations with Taiwan in May 2005. The decision to switch came shortly after Taiwan's 2024 presidential election, in which pro-independence candidate William Lai Ching-te was elected.

Among other economic projects, China Harbour Engineering Company has won the contract to deliver two Asia Development Bank (ADB) projects: a solar power development project and a US$80 million port project to convert the Aiwo Boat Harbour into Nauru’s first international and cargo terminal.

Other Pacific Nations

Nauru maintains friendly ties with countries like Fiji, Samoa, and Papua New Guinea. Although its interactions are limited by scale and resources, regional collaboration occurs in areas such as fisheries management, climate change advocacy, and sustainable development.

International Forums

Despite its small size, Nauru participates in international diplomacy, particularly through the United Nations and climate-focused forums.

As a member of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), Nauru champions issues like climate change, sea-level rise, and sustainable development. These are existential concerns for the island, which faces the threat of rising ocean levels. Nauru consistently calls for ambitious international commitments to limit global warming, reduce carbon emissions, and provide financial assistance to vulnerable nations.

Nauru works with institutions such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to secure development financing, technical assistance, and capacity-building support. It also receives support from the European Union and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

For further information on Nauru diplomacy, see the resources below:

Podcasts:

Articles: