The Pacific's Oddity: A Country Without Constitution

Nauru is a country in the Pacific with an interesting history and unique characteristics. With a population of about 10,800, it is the world's third-smallest country. Nauru gained its independence in 1968 and has since become a member of various international organizations, including the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations. The country has a high child mortality rate and the world's highest level of type 2 diabetes, with residents relying on imported food due to a loss of arable land. Interestingly, Nauru has no armed forces and relies on Australia for defence.

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Nauru's independence in 1968

The Pacific island country of Nauru gained its independence on 31 January 1968. It is the smallest island republic in the world, with a land area of 8.1 square miles and a population of around 10,000 people.

Nauru has a long history of colonisation and occupation. Settled by Micronesians around 1000 BCE, it was annexed by the German Empire in the late 19th century. After World War I, it became a League of Nations mandate administered by Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. During World War II, it was occupied by Japanese troops. Following the war, the country entered into a United Nations trusteeship agreement involving the same three countries, with Australia taking the lead in administering the island.

The path to independence for Nauru was not without challenges. Phosphate was discovered on the island in 1900, and by the 1960s, extensive mining had left only the coastal strip inhabitable, with 80% of the island's surface mined out. Australia offered to resettle the population on an island off the coast of Queensland, but the Nauruans opted for self-determination and independence. In 1965, the Nauruan Head Chief called for independence by 31 January 1968, which was supported by the United Nations General Assembly in December 1966. The Parliament of Australia passed the Nauru Independence Act 1967, granting independence to Nauru and authorising the establishment of a constitutional convention.

Following independence, Nauru became a self-governing republic with Hammer DeRoburt as its founding president. The people of Nauru purchased the assets of the British Phosphate Commissioners, and income from phosphate mining made Nauruans among the richest people in the world. The country enjoyed a high GDP per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the Third World. The profits from phosphate sales were placed in the Nauru Phosphate Royalties Trust, which funded the development of a vast welfare state, including universal healthcare and compulsory education, without imposing taxes on citizens.

However, the reliance on phosphate exports proved unsustainable in the long term. As phosphate deposits started to run out, the price dropped, and unwise investments by the trust led the government to borrow additional funds and engage in ventures such as offshore banking, leading to the country being identified as a tax haven until 2003. In 1989, Nauru took legal action against Australia in the International Court of Justice, complaining about the failure to remedy environmental damage caused by phosphate mining.

The country's population

Nauru, a country in the Pacific, has a population of about 10,800 people, making it the world's third-smallest population (not including colonies or overseas territories). As of July 2021, the population was 12,511, down from a previous high, due to a repatriation of 1,500 immigrant workers from Kiribati and Tuvalu in 2006. This repatriation was due to significant layoffs in phosphate mining, the main industry of the country.

The country is one of the most densely populated Westernized nations in the South Pacific. The population primarily speaks Nauruan, a Micronesian language, at home, with 96% of ethnic Nauruans speaking it. English is also widely spoken and is the language of government and commerce.

The main religion practised in Nauru is Christianity, with the Nauru Congregational Church being the most common denomination at 35.71%, followed by the Catholic Church at 32.96%, then the Assemblies of God at 12.98%, and Baptists at 1.48%.

Nauru has one of the highest child mortality rates in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) region, with a rate of 2.9% in 2020. Life expectancy in 2009 was 60.6 years for males and 68.0 years for females. Nauruans also have the highest mean BMI in the world, with 97% of men and 93% of women classified as overweight or obese. This is likely due to the country's dependence on imported and processed foods, as 90% of arable land has been lost due to phosphate mining. This has led to a diet high in processed foods like rice and sugar, and the loss of plants that are a large part of Indigenous Nauruan culture.

Languages spoken in Nauru

Nauru, a small island country in the Central Pacific, has two official languages: Nauruan and English. Nauruan is a distinct Micronesian language, recognised by the United Nations, and is spoken by 96% of ethnic Nauruans at home. It is also used in day-to-day communication across the island. English is the language of government, commerce, and the mainstream media. It is widely understood by almost all language groups in the country and is taught in most schools.

The Nauruan language has undergone significant changes since the arrival of foreign influences. Before the island became a German colony in the late 19th century, Nauruan exhibited a great diversity of dialects, with people from different districts often unable to understand each other completely. With the increasing influence of languages like German, English, Gilbertese, and Pama-Nyungan, more letters were incorporated into the Nauruan alphabet, and dialects blended into a standardised language. Today, there is still some dialect variation, with a distinct dialect spoken in the Yaren District and its surrounding areas.

The population of Nauru is around 10,000 people, making it the world's third-smallest country (excluding colonies and overseas territories). The largest ethnic group is Nauruan, followed by Pacific Islanders, who make up 26% of the population and speak mainly Kiribati and Tuvaluan languages. Other minority languages spoken by at least 1,000 people each include Marshallese, Kosraen, and Chinese. The Chinese language has influenced the formation of Nauruan Pidgin English, spoken by some of the population.

Nauru has a unique history and culture. Settled by Micronesians around 1000 BCE, the country gained independence from Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom in 1968 and joined the Commonwealth of Nations as a Special Member the same year. Today, it is a member of various regional organisations and has one of the highest child mortality rates in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories region. The country faces significant health challenges due to the importation of processed and non-native foods, with the highest level of type 2 diabetes in the world and high rates of obesity.

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Nauru's religious freedoms

The Constitution of Nauru provides for freedom of conscience, thought, expression, assembly, and association, as well as freedom to change one’s religion or beliefs. Religious groups are required to register with the government to conduct a full range of activities, including proselytizing, building houses of worship, holding religious services, and officiating at marriages. However, religious leaders have stated that most normal functions, including services and meetings, can be conducted without registration.

As of 2022, religious groups must have 750 members to register, and the head religious leader must be a Nauruan citizen and reside in the country. While the government has been working towards registering new religious groups, there have been concerns expressed by local communities about the number of refugees in the country, many of whom are non-Christian. Despite this, there have been no reports of societal limits on religious freedom in Nauru, and the US embassy has promoted religious pluralism and tolerance across its social media platforms.

Christianity is the largest religion in Nauru, with the Nauru Congregational Church being the largest denomination, encompassing around 35% of the population as of the 2011 census. Other Christian denominations include the Roman Catholic Church, the Nauru Independent Assembly of God, the Nauru Independent Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists, Baptists, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, all of which make up less than 15% of the population combined. There is also a small Muslim population, with most of the refugees coming to the country from Muslim-majority countries.

The ethnic Chinese population, estimated at 5% of the total population, practices Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, or a combination of these with Christianity. There is also a small Baha'i community, and a small percentage of the population has no religious beliefs. Religious groups are allowed to operate private schools, and they are permitted to provide religious studies courses in public schools once a week during school hours, although this is not mandatory.

Health issues in Nauru

Nauru is a small island nation in the Pacific with a population of around 10,000 people. It gained its independence in 1968 and has been a member of the United Nations since 1999. The country has one of the highest child mortality rates in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) region, with a rate of 2.9% in 2020. The life expectancy in Nauru is relatively low, with males expected to live until 60.6 years and females until 68.0 years.

Nauru has a universal healthcare system that provides basic medical and surgical care to all citizens without charge. The single hospital in the country is the Republic of Nauru Hospital in Yaren, which was formed by the amalgamation of the government-run Nauru General Hospital and the private Nauru Phosphate Corporation Hospital in 1999. While the hospital offers essential medical services, patients requiring specialized treatment must travel to Australia.

Nauru faces several significant health issues, including high rates of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. In 2012, the obesity rate in Nauru was 39.7%, four times higher than the global rate. By measure of mean body mass index (BMI), Nauruans are the most overweight people in the world; 97% of men and 93% of women are overweight or obese. The high obesity rate is attributed to poor diet and lack of exercise. The Nauruan diet consists mainly of processed and imported foods, such as white rice, instant noodles, soda, and tinned goods, due to the loss of 90% of arable land from phosphate mining. Binge drinking and tobacco use are also prevalent in the country.

Diabetes is a severe health issue in Nauru, with more than 40% of the population affected by type 2 diabetes. The high prevalence of diabetes has led to common complications such as limb amputations. The Nauru Public Health Centre offers treatments for diabetes and other obesity-related diseases, providing specialized medical care for diabetic patients.

In addition to the health issues mentioned above, Nauru is also vulnerable to the health impacts of climate change. As a phosphate-rock island, the country faces challenges such as water and food insecurity, droughts, and freshwater contamination. These factors contribute to malnutrition and worsen existing health issues. Furthermore, limited health system capacity and workforce gaps constrain the country's ability to address the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

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