Nauru Changes Name to Republic of Naoero to Reflect Traditional Identity
The Pacific island nation of Nauru has officially changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, with President David Adeang saying the move reflects the country’s traditional language, heritage and identity.
With the change, the country’s international code will be updated from NRU to NRO, while its citizens will now be referred to as dei-Naoero instead of Nauruans.
The country’s commonly used pronunciation, “Now-roo,” will also be replaced with the traditional pronunciation, “Now-ero.”
According to a statement shared on the government’s official Facebook page, the name change restores the island’s original identity, which was altered over time because foreigners found the traditional name difficult to pronounce.
The government said the name Nauru became widely used mainly for convenience rather than by choice.
When President Adeang first introduced the proposal to Parliament in January, he said the amendment was aimed at preserving the nation’s heritage.
“This proposed change seeks to faithfully honour our nation’s heritage, our language, and our identity,” he said.
The constitutional amendment received approval from lawmakers after two rounds of voting, although it was not immediately confirmed whether the document had been formally updated.
Naoero, home to about 12,000 people, is the world’s third-smallest country by population, behind Tuvalu and Vatican City.
The small coral island was once colonised by Germany and later administered by Australia before gaining independence in 1968.
The country experienced a period of great wealth in the 1970s due to phosphate mining, but later faced economic challenges as its natural resources declined.
