The Pacific Island nation of Nauru has officially adopted the name Republic of Naoero, a decision intended to better reflect the country's native language and traditional pronunciation. President David Adeang announced the shift, noting that the change aligns the nation's international designation with its local heritage. While the country has long been known internationally as Nauru—a name adopted for the sake of foreign convenience—the traditional term Naoero is already present on the national coat of arms and used within local communities.
As part of this transition, the country's international code will move from NRU to NRO, and its citizens will now be identified as dei-Naoero instead of Nauruan. The pronunciation also shifts from the common “Now-roo” to “Now-ero.” President Adeang first proposed the constitutional amendment in January, arguing that the change would more faithfully honor the nation's identity. Although the document required two rounds of legislative voting, the government confirmed that lawmakers have endorsed the shift and decided a public referendum was unnecessary, stating that the name Naoero had never been lost to the people.
Nauru, which is home to 12,000 residents, currently holds the status of the world's third-smallest country by population, following Tuvalu and Vatican City. The nation’s history has been marked by significant volatility, including a period of intense wealth from phosphate mining in the 1970s that led to an industrial collapse and economic crisis in the 1990s. Today, the coral limestone atoll faces severe threats from climate change and rising sea levels. The government is currently managing a paid citizenship program to secure overseas investment, which is intended to fund infrastructure and the relocation of residents away from the encroaching ocean.
The name change will necessitate the rebranding of the nation's aircraft and ships. International recognition is already underway, with the United Nations recording the new name following a formal request in June. Additionally, the foreign ministries of Australia and New Zealand, as well as the embassies of the United States and China, have updated their records to reflect the Republic of Naoero. The country, which was previously colonized by Germany and administered by Australia before gaining independence in 1968, continues to work toward broader international acknowledgment of the change.
FILE – Nauru President David Adeang speaks at the opening ceremony of Boao Forum of Asia, in Boao in southern China's Hainan province on Thursday, March 28, 2024. Tian Macleod Ji/AP hide caption
The move would return the remote South Pacific island nation to its traditional name, a statement posted Thursday to the government's Facebook account said. The country became known internationally as Nauru only because its local name was difficult for foreigners to pronounce and was a matter of convenience rather than one of choice, according to an earlier government statement.
