Nauru Becomes Republic of Naoero: A Return to Tradition
Wellington, New Zealand (AP) — Nauru, a Pacific Island nation, announced its official name change to the Republic of Naoero. President David Adeang confirmed this, aligning with the spelling and pronunciation of the national language. Consequently, the international code will shift from NRU to NRO, and the people will be called dei-Naoero instead of Nauruan.
Traditionally known abroad as Now-roo, the new pronunciation is Now-ero. This change restores the island’s traditional name, according to a government statement posted on its Facebook account. Historically, Nauru became globally known in this way because the original name was challenging for foreigners to pronounce, serving as a convenience rather than a choice.
This proposed change seeks to more faithfully honor our nation’s heritage, our language, and our identity.
President Adeang referred to these sentiments in January when proposing the change to Parliament. The constitutional amendment received backing from lawmakers in two voting rounds, although it was not immediately clear if the formal amendment was complete.
With a population of 12,000, Nauru ranks as the world’s third-smallest country by population, after Tuvalu and Vatican City. Historically, Germany colonized this coral limestone atoll, with Australia administering it before gaining independence in 1968.
Nauru faced upheaval as phosphate mining led to prosperity in the 1970s but collapsed by the 1990s, nearly ruining its economy. Today, it is highly vulnerable to rising sea levels, prompting policies to secure overseas investment through paid citizenship programs for migration and infrastructure.
In his latest announcement, President Adeang highlighted the name change as “the beginning of renewed national pride.” A referendum was initially announced when lawmakers voted for the name change in May. However, after “extensive discussions,” the government decided a public vote was unnecessary.
While a referendum is intended to determine the will of the people, the name Naoero has never been lost, but rather waiting to be fully embraced.
According to the statement, this designation has always been a part of their identity, appearing on the national coat of arms and spoken within the community, while also being constitutionally permissible. By changing its name, Nauru joins other countries distancing themselves from colonial influences. Eswatini returned to its historic name from Swaziland in 2018, and Turkey rebranded internationally as Türkiye with the UN recognizing it in 2022.
The name change involves renaming national aircraft and ships. The government initiated recognition efforts from other countries and international bodies, including the UN, which now lists the country as the Republic of Naoero. Australia and New Zealand’s foreign ministries, along with the U.S. and Chinese embassies, already update this naming convention on their websites.