Nauru
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- 2 Oct 1888 - 4 Aug
1914
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- 4 Aug 1914 - 17
Dec 1920
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- 17 Dec 1920 - 26
Aug 1942;
- 13 Sep 1945 - 31 Jan
1968
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- 26 Aug 1942 - 13 Sep
1945
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- Adopted 31 Jan
1968
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Map
of Nauru
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Hear
National Anthem
"Nauru Bwiema"
(Song of Nauru)
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Text
of National Anthem
Adopted 1968
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Constitution
(29 Jan 1968)
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Capital: no
official capital;
government offices
in Yaren District
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Currency:
Australian Dollar
(AUD); 1942-45 Oceania
Gumpyo Pound (XOGP);
1914-42 Australian Dollar (AUD)
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National
Holiday: 31 Jan (1968)
Independence Day
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Population:
9,892 (2024)
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GDP: $145.9 million (2023)
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Exports:
$187 million (2021)
Imports: $94.2
million (2021)
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Ethnic
groups: Nauruan 94.6%, I-Kiribati
2.2%,
Fijian 1.3%, other 1.9% (2021) |
Total Police
Force: 80 (2012)
No formal agreements
but defense assured by Australia
Merchant marine:
6 ships (2023)
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Religions:
Protestant 60.4% (Nauruan Congregational
34.7%, Assemblies of God 11.6%, Pacific
Light House 6.3%, Nauru Independent
3.6%, Baptist 1.5, Seventh Day Adventist
1.3%, other Protestant 1.4%), Roman
Catholic 33.9%, other 4.2%, none 1.3%,
no answer 0.3% (2021) |
International
Organizations/Treaties: ACP,
ADB, AIIB (applicant), AOSIS, APA
(observer), APM, BTWC, C, CCM,
CTBT, CWC, ESCR (signatory), FAO, G-77,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICSID, IFAD, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU (observer), IRENA, ISA, ITU,
NPT, OPCW, PC, PIDF, PIF, UN, UNCLOS,
UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNFCC, UNFCC-KP, UNFCC-PA, UNHCR,
UPU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO
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Nauru
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Chronology
8 Nov
1798
Visited by British Capt. John Fearn
(b. 1768 -
d. 1838), on whaling ship Hunter,
and names
the island as Pleasant Island.
6 Apr 1886
Western Pacific divided into
U.K./German spheres
of influence, Nauru falling into
German zone of
influence (by U.K./German
declaration).
1878 -
1888
Civil war among the 12 traditional
clans.
16 Apr 1888
Nauru declared a German protectorate,
acting on
imperial authorization of
25 Oct 1887 (effected
on 2 Oct 1888), German
settlers call the island
"Nawodo" or "Onawero."
2 Oct 1888
German protectorate by proclamation
and flag
raising; Bezirk Nauru
(Nauru district); part of
the
Marshall
Islands protectorate
(under the
Jaluit-Gesellschaft
[Jaluit Company] to 1906,
then
direct German Imperial rule).
3 Oct
1888
Civil war, among the 12
traditional clans (ẹaroẹn),
terminated by German intervention.
1900
Phosphate is discovered on Nauru. The
Pacific
Phosphate Company Ltd. started to
exploit the
reserves in 1906 by agreement with
Germany.
1907
Regierungsstation Nauru
established (assigned to
German New Guinea, from 1911
subordinated to
Bezirksamt Jap Caroline
Islands [see Micronesia])
Jul 1907
Pacific Phosphate Company Ltd., an
Anglo-German
venture, begins mining phosphate on
Nauru.
9 Sep 1914 (hours)
British occupation, wireless
station destroyed.
9 Sep 1914 - 6 Nov
1914 German rule (subordinated
to Caroline Islands).
6 Nov 1914 - 10 Jun
1921 Australian military
occupation.
6 Nov 1914 - 10 Jun 1921
Administered under the High
Commissioner for the
British
Western Pacific Territories.
25 Jun
1920
British Phosphate Commission (under
U.K. 42%,
Australia 42%, and New Zealand 16%)
buys all of
the assets of the Pacific Phosphate
Company Ltd.
28 Oct
1920
Territory of Nauru
17 Dec
1920
League of Nations joint mandate given
to United
Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia
(administered
by
Australia).
26 Aug 1942 - 13 Sep
1945 Japanese occupation
(subordinated to Marshall
Islands).
1 Nov 1947 -
31 Jan 1968 United Nations trust
territory under Australia,
New Zealand, and United Kingdom
(administered
by
Australia).
20 Aug
1951
Nauru Local Government
Council, presided over by
Head Chief, established (dissolved 2
Mar 1992).
31 Jan
1968
Independence (Republic of Nauru).
1 Jul
1970
Nauru government purchases and takes
full control
of
the phosphate operations on Nauru.
23 Mar
1992
Nauru Island Council,
presided over by the Head
Chief, established.
1 Jul
1996
Powers of the Local
Government Council are formally
transferred to the Cabinet.
23 Apr 1999
Nauru
Island Council dissolved.
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- Kaiserlicher Kommissar (Imperial
Commissioner)
- 2 Oct 1888
- 3 Oct 1888 Franz Leopold Sonnenschein
(b. 1857 - d. 1897)
- Bezirksamtmänner
Nauru (Nauru
District magistrates of the Jaluit-Gesellschaft)
- 3
Oct 1888 - 14 May 1889 Robert Rasch (acting)
(b.
1852 - d. 1938)
-
14 May 1889 - 1892
Christian
Hermann
Johannsen
(b. 1857 - d. 189.)
-
1892 - 1897
Friedrich "Fritz" Jung
-
1898 - 1906
Ludwig Kaiser
(b. 1862 - d. 1906)
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Stationsleiters Nauru
(Nauru Station chiefs)
- 1 Apr 1906
- 1908
Konrad Geppert
(b. 1859? - d. 1908)
-
1908 -
1911
Joseph Siegwanz (Sigwanz)
-
1911 -
1912
Karl Warnecke
-
1912 - 9 Sep 1914
Wilhelm Carl Friedrich Wostrack
(b. 1870 - d. 1919)
-
(1st time)
-
British Commanding Officer of the Landing Party
- 9 Sep 1914 (hours)
Myles Aldington
Blomfield
(b. 1884 - d. 1941)
- Stationsleiter
Nauru
- 9 Sep 1914
- 6 Nov 1914 Wilhelm Carl Friedrich
Wostrack (s.a.)
-
(2nd time)
- Commanding
Officer of the Australian Naval and Military
Expeditionary Force
6
Nov 1914
William
Holmes
(b. 1862 - d. 1917)
- Commanding Officer of the
Australian Garrison Nauru
- 6
Nov 1914 - 25 Dec 1914 Edward Creer
Norrie
(b. 1885 - d. 1958)
- Administrators
- 25 Dec 1914 - Dec
1917 Charles Rufus
Marshall Workman (b.
1874 - d. 1942)
- Dec 1917 - 9 Jun
1921 Geoffrey
Whistler Bingham Smith- (b. 1879
- d. 1927)
-
Rewse
- 10 Jun 1921 - 27 Jun 1927
Thomas Griffiths
(b. 1865 - d. 1947)
- 27 Jun 1927 - 31 Dec
1932 William Augustin
Newman
(b. 1873 - d. 1955)
- 5 Feb
1929 - 1929 Raymond
Tennyson Allan
(b. 1892 - d. 1950)
-
(acting for Newman)
- 18 Feb
1931 - Jun 1931 C.D. Gable
(acting for Newman)
- 1 Jan 1933 - 17 Jan 1933
.... (acting)
- 17 Jan 1933 - 31
Aug 1938 Rupert Clare Garsia
(b. 1887 - d. 1954)
- 1 Sep
1938 - 22 Oct 1938 Thomas Moore Clouston
(acting) (b. 1906 - d.
....)
- 22 Oct 1938 - 26
Aug 1942 Frederick Royden Chalmers
(b. 1881 - d. 1943)
-
(Japanese prisoner 26 Aug 1942 - 25 Mar
1943)
- Japanese Military
Commanders
26 Aug 1942 - 7 Mar
1943 Hiromi Nakayama
(d. 1946)
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(commander 43rd
Guard Force company)
- 7 Mar 1943 - 13 Jul 1943 Takenao
Takenouchi
(commander 67
Naval Guard Unit)
- 13 Jul 1943 - 13
Sep 1945 Hisayuki Soeda
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(commander 67
Naval Guard Unit)
- Australian
Military Administrator
- 13
Sep 1945 - 31 Oct 1945 Joseph Lawrence
Andrew Kelly
(b. 1907 - d. 1970)
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Administrators
- 1 Nov 1945 - 30 Aug
1949 Mark Ridgway
(b. 1891 - d. 1984)
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31 Aug 1949 - 20 Dec 1949 Harold
Hastings Reeve (acting) (b.
1908 - d. 1973)
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20 Dec 1949 - 31 Oct 1952
Robert Stanley Richards
(b. 1885 - d. 1967)
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Jul 1952 - 30 Jun 1954
John Keith Lawrence
(b.
1910 - d. 2000)
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(acting
[for Richards to 31 Oct 1952])
- Dec 1953 - 30 Jun
1954 Keith Alan Read
(b. 1920 - d.
2014)
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(acting for Lawrence)
- 1
Jul 1954 - 21 Jun 1958 Reginald
Sylvester Leydin
(b. 1905 - d. 1993)
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(1st time)
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19 Jan 1958 - 21 Jun 1958 Duncan Whitecross
(b. 1910 - d. 1998)
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(acting for Leydin)
- 21 Jun 1958 - 30 Apr 1962 John
Preston White
(b. 1914 - d. 1995)
- 1
May 1962 - 31 May 1962 Frederick
William McConaghy
(b. 1919 - d. 2017)
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(acting)
- 1 Jun
1962 - 9 Mar 1966 Reginald
Sylvester Leydin
(s.a.)
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(2nd time)
- 9 Mar 1966 - 19 May 1966
Roy Edward Vizard (acting)
(b. 19.. - d. 2002)
- 19 May 1966 - 30 Jan
1968 Leslie Dudley King
(b. 1909 - d. 2005)
- Chairman
of the Constitutional Convention
31 Jan 1968
Hammer DeRoburt
(b. 1922 - d. 1992) Non-party
(chairman of Legislative
Council 31 Jan 1966 - 31 Jan 1968)
- Chairman of the Council
of State
- 31
Jan 1968 - 17 May 1968 Hammer
DeRoburt
(s.a.)
Non-party
- Presidents
- 17
May 1968 - 22 Dec 1976 Hammer DeRoburt (1st
time)
(s.a.)
Non-party
- 22
Dec 1976 - 19 Apr 1978 Bernard Dabarnen Dowiyogo
(b. 1946 -
d. 2003) NP
-
(1st time)
- 19
Apr 1978 - 11 May 1978 Lagumot Gagiemem Nimidere
Harris (b. 1938 - d. 1999) Non-party
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(1st time)
- 11
May 1978 - 17 Sep 1986 Hammer DeRoburt (2nd
time)
(s.a.)
Non-party
- 17
Sep 1986 - 1 Oct 1986 Kennan Ranibok
Adeang (1st time) (b. 1942 - d. 2011) NP
- 1
Oct 1986 - 12 Dec 1986 Hammer DeRoburt (3rd
time)
(s.a.)
Non-party
- 12
Dec 1986 - 20? Dec 1986 Kennan Ranibok Adeang (2nd
time) (s.a.)
NP
- 20?
Dec 1986 - 17 Aug 1989 Hammer DeRoburt (4th
time)
(s.a.)
Non-party
- 17
Aug 1989 - 12 Dec 1989 Nangindeit Temanimon
Kenas Aroi (b. 1942 - d.
1991) Non-party
- 12
Dec 1989 - 22 Nov 1995 Bernard Dabarnen Dowiyogo
(s.a.)
DPN
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(2nd time)
- 22
Nov 1995 - 12 Nov 1996 Lagumot Gagiemem Nimidere
Harris (s.a.)
Non-party
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(2nd time)
- 12
Nov 1996 - 26 Nov 1996 Bernard Dabarnen Dowiyogo
(s.a.)
DPN
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(3rd time)
- 26
Nov 1996 - 19 Dec 1996 Kennan Ranibok Adeang
(3rd time) (s.a.)
DPN
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19 Dec 1996 - 13 Feb 1997 Reuben James Tullen
Kun (b.
1942 - d. 2014) CP
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13 Feb 1997 - 18 Jun 1998 Kinza Godfrey
Clodumar
(b. 1945 - d. 2021) CP
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18 Jun 1998 - 27 Apr 1999 Bernard Dabarnen
Dowiyogo
(s.a.)
DPN
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(4th time)
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27 Apr 1999 - 20 Apr 2000 René Reynaldo Harris
(1st time) (b. 1947 - d. 2008)
CP
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20 Apr 2000 - 30 Mar 2001 Bernard
Dabarnen Dowiyogo
(s.a.)
DPN
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(5th time)
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30 Mar 2001 - 9 Jan 2003 René Reynaldo
Harris (2nd time) (s.a.)
CP
- 9
Jan 2003 - 17 Jan 2003 Bernard Dabarnen Dowiyogo
(s.a.)
DPN
(6th time)
17
Jan 2003 - 18 Jan 2003 René Reynaldo Harris (3rd
time) (s.a.)
CP
18
Jan 2003 - 10 Mar 2003 Bernard Dabarnen Dowiyogo
(s.a.)
DPN
(7th time)
25
Feb 2003 - 29 May 2003 Derog Gioura
(b. 1932 - d. 2008) Non-party
(acting [for Dowiyogo to 10 Mar] to
20 Mar 2003)
29
May 2003 - 8 Aug 2003 Ludwig Derangadage
Scotty
(b. 1948)
Non-party
(1st time)
8
Aug 2003 - 22 Jun 2004 René Reynaldo Harris (4th
time) (s.a.)
CP
22
Jun 2004 - 19 Dec 2007 Ludwig Derangadage Scotty
(s.a.)
Non-party
(2nd time)
19
Dec 2007 - 10 Nov 2011 Marcus Ajemada Stephen
(b.
1969) Non-party
10
Nov 2011 - 15 Nov 2011 Frederick William Henry
Pitcher (b. 1967)
NA
15
Nov 2011 - 11 Jun 2013 Sprent Jared Brent Arumogo
Dabwido (b. 1972 - d. 2019) NA
11
Jun 2013 - 27 Aug 2019 Baron
Divavesi Waqa
(b. 1959)
Non-party
27 Aug 2019 - 29 Sep 2022
Lionel Rouwen
Aingimea
(b. 1969)
Non-party
29 Sep 2022 - 25 Oct 2023 Russ Joseph Kun
(b. 1975)
Non-party
30 Oct 2023
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David Waiau
Adeang
(b.
1969)
NA
Head Chiefs
1920 - 21 Oct
1930
Daimon
(b. c.1850 - d. 1930)
1930 - 29 Jun
1943
Timothy Detudamo (1st
time) (b.
1888? - d. 1953)
(Tim Tẹdẹdamo)(kaichō of the
Nauruans 1942 - 29 Jun 1943;
in Truk, Micronesia exile 29 Jun 1943 - 31 Jan 1946)
31 Jan 1946 - 11 Apr 1953 Timothy Detudamo
(2nd time)
(s.a.)
Apr 1953 - 10 Dec 1955
Raymond
Gadabu
(b. 1921 -
d. 1964)
10 Dec 1955 - 2 Mar 1992 Hammer
DeRoburt
(s.a.)
2 Mar 1992 - 2 May 1992 Vacant
2 May 1992 - 23 Apr 1999 Paul James
DeLuckner Aingimea (b.
1949 - d. 2004)
23 Apr
1999
Post abolished
![[House Flag British Phosphate Commission] [House Flag British
Phosphate Commission]](nr-BPC.jpg)
British Phosphate Commission Board of
Commissioners¹
-
United Kingdom -
25 Nov
1920 - 1930 Alwin
Robinson Dickinson
(b. 1873 - d. 1944)
(from 3 Jun 1927, Sir Alwin
Robinson Dickinson)
3 Jun 1930 - 22 Mar 1931 Sir
Edward George Saltmarsh
(b. 1869 - d. 1931)
1 Jun 1931 - 1934
Thomas Lodge
(b. 1882 - d. 1958)
26 Mar 1934 -
1946 Arthur
Stretton Gaye
(b. 1881 - d. 1960)
(from 6 Jun 1941, Sir Arthur
Stretton Gaye)
15 Jan 1946 - 1951
William Bankes Amery
(b. 1883 -
d. 1951)
1952 - 31 Dec 1964
George Calder
(b. 1894 - d. 1970)
1 Jan 1965 - 31 Dec 1977
Sir Alexander Nicol Anton Waddell (b. 1913 -
d. 1999)
1 Jan 1978 - Feb 1981
Richard Neil Posnett
(b. 1919 - d. 2009)
(from 31 Dec 1979, Sir Richard
Neil Posnett)
1981 - 1985
C. Malcolm Carruthers
- Australia -
1920
James
Richard Collins (acting) (b.
1869 - d. 1934)
1920 - 1926
Harold
Pope
(b. 1873 - d. 1938)
1926 - 1927
Percival Edgar Deane (acting)
(b. 1890 - d. 1946)
1927 - 1946
Clive McPherson
(b. 1884 - d. 1958)
(from 31 Dec 1940, Sir
Clive McPherson)
1946 - 1952
William Maule McDowell
Webster (b. 1885 - d. 1958)
1952 - 1962
James Reginald Halligan
(b. 1894 - d.
1968)
1962 - 1970
Sir
William Ernest Dunk
(b. 1897 - d. 1984)
1 Jul 1970 - 30
Jun 1976 Sir Allen Stanley Brown
(b. 1911 - d. 1990)
1
Jul 1976 - 1985 Maurice
Carmel Timbs
(b. 1917 - d. 1994)
1980
William Bernard
Marston
(b. 1913 - d. 2006)
(acting for Timbs)
- New
Zealand -
1920 - 1951
Albert
Fuller
Ellis
(b. 1869 - d. 1951)
(from 9 Jun 1938,
Sir Albert Fuller Ellis)
1951 - 1958
Cleave Mackellar
Richwhite
(b. 1890 - d. 1981)
1958 - 1971
Robert
Browne
Tennent
(b. 1893 - d. 1982)
1971 - 1973
Richard Hughes
Bevin
(b. 1901 - d. 1980)
1 Feb 1973 - 1 Jun
1975 Stanley Charles Gainey
(b. 1912 - d. 1975)
1975
Alan Tutton Johns (acting)
(b. 1917 - d. 1997)
1975 - 1985
William Milton Douglas Bremner
(b. 1918 - d. 1991)
- General Managers (in Melbourne, Australia) -
1920 - 1954
Alfred Harold Gaze (acting to
1930)(b. 1885 - d. 1954)
(chief representative to 1931)
1954 - 1966
James Alexander Bissett
(b. 1904 - d. 1985)
13 Aug 1966 - 1974
Leonard Ellis Ravenscroft
(b. 1913 - d. 1996)
1974 - 1975
William Bernard Marston
(s.a.)
1975 - 1981
Alfred Edwards "Fred"
Gaze (b. 1923 -
d. 2008)
- BPC Managers on Nauru -
1919 - 1924
James Milligan
Thompson
(b. 1876 - d. 1940)
1924 - 1933
Matthew
Thom
(b. 1888 - d. 1975)
1933 - 1937
Frederick Fisher Christian
(b. 1890 - d. 1950)
1937 - 28 Feb 1942
William Victor Bott (1st
time) (b. 1893 - d. 1966)
26 Aug 1942 - 13 Sep 1945
Japanese occupation
Sep
1945
William Victor Bott (2nd time)
(s.a.)
Sep 1945 - Aug 1951
Royston Beverly
Kirk
(b. 1903 - d. 1967)
Aug 1951 - 1959
L.E. Cameron
(b.
1903 - d. 19..)
1959
N.C. Anderson
(b. 1899 - d. 19..)
1959 - 1965
John Charles Edward
Taylor
(b. 1912 - d. 1982)
1965 - 1970
William Bernard
Marston
(s.a.)
1970 - 1 Jul 1970
John Francis
Harrington
(b. 1933 - d. 2022)
¹British Phosphate
Commission (BPC), formed in 1920, controlled the
entire economy of Nauru, owned much of its
infrastructure and financed the official
administration, and thus they may be considered as
co-administrators of Nauru. The share of each of the
three powers in the operation was: United
Kingdom 42%, Australia 42%,
and New Zealand 16%. The
phosphate was only to be exported to the three
countries. In 1927, the BPC also formalized the
unofficial habit of paying a royalty to the Nauruans
that existed since the German period. The Commission
also controlled the phosphate mining on Christmas Island
and Ocean
(Banaba) Island.
Territorial Disputes: None
identified.
Party abbreviations: DPN
= Democratic Party of Nauru (successor to NP, est.Feb?
1987); NA = Naoero Amo (Nauru
First, liberal, christian-democratic,
est.2001);
- Former parties: CP
= Centre Party (informal); NP
= Nauru Party (informal, 1975-1987, then DPN)
© Ben Cahoon
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