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| Flag of The Republic of Nauru |
Background.
The Republic of Nauru is the smallest republic in the world. Sure, there are smaller countries, like my own, but they are either monarchies or dependent territories of other nations. This one of the things that makes Nauru quite unique.
The country does not have an official capital. The largest settlement is Yaren and it is the
de facto capital.
Nauru was formerly known Pleasant Island.
The country is a small island in the South Pacific Ocean. Nauru lies South of The Marshall Islands. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati which is 300 km to the east.
After the Vatican, Nauru is the second least populated country with less than 10,000 people. The total area of this tiny country is just 21 sq km (about 8.1 sq mi).
Nauru was annexed and claimed as a colony by the German Empire in the late 19th century. After WW I this tiny country became a League of Nations Mandate administered by Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Nauru's fortunes didn't fare much better when it was occupied by the Japanese in WW II. Nauru then became a UN trusteeship after the war, and finally gained independence only in 1968.
Up until 2011, The mainstay of the economy was strip mining of abundant phosphates which were primarily to Australia, New Zealand and South Korea as well as other countries. As the phosphate deposits were running out this small island nation then became for a short while a "tax haven" and a money laundering centre.
Nauru is heavily dependent on foreign aid and development finance, and it is widely thought that unemployment is running at about 90%. Unlike many areas that have this sort of level of unemployment, Nauru is relatively safe and the country is renowned for its warmth and friendliness.
As Nauru lies 24kms south of the Equator, the climate is tropical with rain falling between November and February.
What to do and see.
Nauru is so small that it takes less than an hour to drive right round it! The 19 km "Beltway" ring road circles the island and the only traffic lights are used to stop the traffic to allow the plane to cross the road to get to the airport terminal. The airport runway cuts across 3 kms of the 19km route. In fact the aircraft crossing is a favourite souvenir snapshot taken by visitors. You can also hire bikes from Capelle and Partners, the largest local supermarket, to do the same trip. Keep an eye out for animals and pedestrians while on the beltway. The car trip will take about 25 minutes non-stop, and the bike will get you round in about 2-3 hours. Your can also walk round in about 4-6 hours. There is a lot of nice scenery and plenty of views.
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| Nauru Parliament Building |
Exploring the main settlement and capital, Yaren where you can see the remains of Japanese guns, bunkers and pillboxes left over from WWII. A visit to the parliamentary buildings is also a worthwhile sight to see
Hiking into the interior of Nauru will give you some idea of what environmental damage can be done by extensive strip mining. Much of the native flora and fauna was destroyed by the phosphate mining operations, and it can be understood why Nauru took the Australian Government to court for damages to its nation during the height of phosphate mining. For the most part, there are an abundance of limestone pinnacles which were once covered by phosphates. Some of these pinnacles can be 15m in height. You can also climb to the highest point on Nauru, Command Ridge, which is 71m above sea level. About 80% of Nauru's environment has been stripped and devastated by the phosphate mining industry, and it has been estimated that 40% of marine life has been wiped out by the effect of silting and phosphate run off.
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| Buada Lagoon |
The Buada Lagoon is the only body of water on the island. It is very picturesque and is situated in the lower middle of Nauru. The lagoon is freshwater and surrounded on all sides by dense palm trees and other vegetation, you can walk all the way round it as there is a tarred road that encircles it. The water is, however very dirty and totally unsuitable for swimming in or entering.
The national sport, Australian Rules Football is a must see. The local teams battle it out all Saturday at the Linkbelt Oval sports field and is a popular event.
Nauru is surrounded by coral reefs, so the scuba diving and snorkeling is quite spectacular. It goes without saying that fishing is very popular, drawing many fishermen to try their hand as well as attend fishing conventions.
The only department store and the largest business in Nauru is Capelle and Partners, and is situated at the top of the island in Ewa Province, it provides for a welcome break in your circumnavigation of the country.
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| Nauru Beach |
Nauru is a Pacific Island nation and as such you will find that the beaches are to put it bluntly, stunning. Having said that, be aware of the dangers of some of the marine life that lives around the reefs and also of strong currents. Take the advice of the local people, remember, they live there and will certainly know more about the sea than you will. The best area for tropical beaches is in Anabare Bay which is literally up the road from Yaren on the eastern side of the island. There is also the Anabare Harbour project to have a look at, if you get bored of the sea, sand and sunshine.
Currency.
Nauru uses the Australian Dollar for its currency. Cards are very very rarely accepted and there are no ATMs in Nauru. Cash is king in this country.
Language.
The official language is Nauruan, however, English is very widely spoken and understood, it used for most government and commercial purposes.
Visa requirements.
All non Nauru citizens require visas. Visas must be obtained before arriving in Nauru. As you might imagine there are not that many Nauru embassies around the world. However for details about embassy location and prices just visit:
www.visahq.com
Where to stay.
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| Hotel Menen, Nauru |
Accommodation is quite limited for the visitor. There are at present only two hotels. The Menen Hotel which is about 2-3km outside Yaren. It is a resort hotel situated on the eastern side of the island over looking the beaches. The hotel boasts 2 bars and a restaurant. For the latest tariffs and bookings e-mail:
menenhotel@gmail.com
The other hotel is the slightly cheaper Od-n Aiwo Hotel which is "in town" (Yaren) not far from the airport.
Again the hotel boasts 2 bars and a restaurant, but it also has a convenience store for daily needs. The latest tariffs and bookings can be obtained by e-mail:
odnaiwohotel@yahoo.com
Capelle and Partners offer self contained self catering apartments at Ewa Lodge for full details just visit:
www.capellepartner.com
However if you're looking for self catering in Yaren, Ianepe Court is right in the middle of town. For more information and bookings e-mail:
pfcmnauru@gmail.com
How to get there.
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| "Our Airline" |
Nauru is VERY remote. The country is served by just one airline, the somewhat cutely named "Our Airline" which is Nauru's national carrier. The airline operates a scheduled service between Brisbane and Nauru. You will have to first fly to Brisbane, Australia then onwards to Nauru on "Our Airline"
For the best prices for flights and Brisbane hotel stopover tariffs just click on
http://www.globaltraveldeals.biz
And finally................................
Hardly anyone has ever heard of The Republic of Nauru, and coupled with the fact that it is very remote, it sadly holds the record in 2012 of being the least visited country in the world (Less than North Korea!) with about 200 visitors or so for the year.
Given its beauty, its people and where it is, this is a very great pity....
For the traveller that wants to see the real Pacific, Nauru has to right at the top of the list.
Bon voyage!
