The smallest state of Nauru. population and placement. Social organization of the pre-colonial inhabitants of the island of Nauru

Basic moments

The island is bordered by an annular shaft of coral reefs, 150-300 m from the coast; behind the reefs begins a steep underwater slope. On the coastal lowland, with a width of 100 to 300, residential and industrial buildings are concentrated, there are plantings of coconut palms, pandanus groves. From the sea, this lowland is bordered by a narrow beach of white coral sand, and from the inner part of the island, which is a flat plateau, it is separated by a rampart of coral limestone, rising 40–50 m above sea level.

On the plateau, under a thin layer of soil, phosphorites lie - the main wealth of the island, which forms the basis of the country's economy. Where the phosphorites have already been worked out, there remain fantastic heaps of limestone battlements and pyramids, reminiscent of a dead "lunar" landscape. Where mining has not yet begun, light hard-leaved forests, light forests and shrubs have been preserved. Nauru is sometimes referred to as "Kuwait Pacific Ocean". This comparison is reminiscent of the rapid enrichment of a backward country, but this wealth is associated with the destruction of the habitat.

Nature

The hilly limestone plateau, located in the central part of the island, slopes down to the coast in ledges and is covered with a thick layer of phosphorites. Along the perimeter of the island stretches a strip of sandy terraces and beaches with a width of 100 to 300 m. The island is bordered by a narrow barrier reef separating the shallow lagoon from the deep water area.

The climate of Nauru is equatorial, hot and humid. Average monthly temperatures approx. 28 ° C. The average annual rainfall is 2000 mm. There are dry years, and in some years up to 4500 mm of precipitation falls. The wettest season lasts from November to February, when the western monsoons prevail.

There are no rivers on Nauru. In the southwestern part of the island there is a small freshwater lake Buada, which is fed by seeping rainwater. Drinking water is obtained from a single desalination plant and imported from Australia. For domestic needs, rainwater flowing from the roofs is collected in containers.

The soils are porous sandy loam, on which coconut palms, pandanuses, ficuses, laurel (calophyllum) and other deciduous trees grow. Also common different types shrub formations. The most dense vegetation is confined to the coastal strip and the vicinity of the lake. Buada. The recultivated quarry dumps are planted with bushes.

The fauna of Nauru is poor. From mammals, rats are found, from reptiles - lizards. The avifauna is more diverse (waders, terns, petrels, frigatebirds, pigeons, etc.). Lots of insects.

Story

Nauru was settled by Micronesians and Polynesians about 3,000 years ago. According to one version, the first settlers arrived in Nauru from the Bismarck Islands and represented the Proto-Oceanic ethnic group, even before its breakup into Melanesians, Micronesians and Polynesians. Traditionally, the islanders considered their maternal lineage. Before the arrival of Europeans, the population of the island of Nauru consisted of 12 tribes, which is reflected in the twelve-pointed star on the modern flag and coat of arms of the Republic of Nauru. On November 8, 1798, English captain John Fearn, sailing from New Zealand to China, was the first among Europeans to discover Nauru, who gave the island the name Pleasant Island, which was actively used for 90 years. At that time, the decomposition of the primitive communal system was observed on Nauru. The main crops were coconut palm and pandanus. Nauruans fished on the reef, with canoes and with the help of specially trained frigates (lat. Fregata minor). They also managed to acclimatize in Lake Buada chanos (English) (lat. Chanos chanos), providing for themselves additional source food. Fishing was done exclusively by men.

In the 19th century, the first Europeans began to settle on the island. They were runaway convicts, deserters from those approaching the island. whaling ships and later individual merchants. Foreigners brought venereal diseases to the island, they soldered the Nauruans, fomented internecine wars, which became incomparably more bloody due to the use of firearms.

On April 16, 1888, the island of Nauru was annexed by Germany and included in the protectorate. Marshall Islands. The population of the island was taxed. But for some time the island continued to live its secluded life. The situation changed after large deposits of phosphorites were discovered here. In 1906, the Australian Pacific Phosphate Company received permission to develop them. This left a deep imprint on the entire subsequent history of Nauru.

On August 17, 1914, the island of Nauru was captured by Australian troops during the First World War. The Australians pursued several goals. First, it was important to disrupt the German Etappendienst system by capturing the transmitting station on the island, which was part of a network of radio stations providing communication with German ships and the courts. Secondly, the Commonwealth government was wary of Japan's actions, quite rightly suspecting the latter of expansionism. As a result of the war in 1923, Nauru received the status of a mandated territory of the League of Nations and was transferred under the joint administration of Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand, but Australia carried out the administration. These countries bought from a private company all its rights to phosphorite deposits and created a joint company, British Phosphate Commission, to develop phosphorite deposits and sell them. Intensive development of phosphorites was carried out until the Second World War, but only meager compensation was paid to the indigenous people.

In early December 1940, the German auxiliary cruisers Komet and Orion sank one Norwegian and several British merchant ships off Nauru. Some of them were waiting for the loading of phosphorites off the coast of the island. The smoke of the burning phosphorite carrier "Triadika" was visible from the coast of Nauru. The island's radio station received alarms sent by the Komata. The information received was transmitted by radiogram to the headquarters of the Australian Navy. The wreckage of sunken ships was thrown by the waves onto the coast of Nauru. Almost all the captured crew members and passengers were landed by the Germans on December 21 on the island of Emirau in the Bismarck archipelago. Some of them were able to quickly reach the city of Kavienga and inform the Australians about the impending attack on the island of Nauru, but Australia did not have warships capable of preventing the raid in this area. On December 27, 1940, the Komet cruiser returned to Nauru to bombard port facilities. Standing abeam the island, the Komet raised the war flag of the Kriegsmarine and sent a radio signal with the order to clear the piers and the oil storage. However, the crowd of curious did not disperse, a warning shot dispersed the islanders. After shelling, only ruins remained on the site of the port. The resulting fire destroyed a large pile of phosphorites, already purchased by the Japanese.

On August 25, 1942, the island of Nauru was captured by Japan and only liberated on September 13, 1945. During the Japanese occupation, 1,200 Nauruans were deported to Chuuk Island (English) (at that time it was called Truk) in the Caroline Islands archipelago, where 463 of them died. In January 1946, the surviving Nauruans returned to their homeland.

Since 1947, Nauru has become a UN Trust Territory, while continuing to be under the joint administration of Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand. In the mid-1970s, up to 2 million tons of phosphorites were mined and exported annually, worth 24 million Australian dollars. In 1927, a Council of Leaders elected by the people was created, which was endowed with only limited deliberative powers. In the 1940s and 1950s, an independence movement took shape on the island. In 1951 the Council of Leaders was transformed into the Nauru Council of Local Government, an advisory body to the colonial administration. By 1966, it was possible to achieve the creation of local Legislative and Executive Councils, which ensured internal self-government in Nauru. Independence was proclaimed on January 31, 1968.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, in the American Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, proposals were made to create a single state on the territory of Micronesia and part of the islands of Polynesia, which was to include Nauru. However, these plans were not destined to come true, and the Trust Territory itself broke up into four states (Marshall Islands, Palau, Northern Mariana Islands And Federated States Micronesia).

Economy

The main source of income in Nauru is the export of high quality phosphate rock. Thanks to this, GDP per person is 13 thousand dollars. Approx. 2 million tons of phosphorites, and their reserves are rapidly depleted. Coconut trees are grown on the island. Developed fishing. The economy largely depends on the influx of labor from outside, mainly from the neighboring island states of Kiribati and Tuvalu.

Food, fuel, machinery and equipment, building materials, and consumer goods are imported into the country. The export value of phosphorites is four times the amount of imports.

The main foreign trade partners are Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Great Britain.

Nauru has a 3.9 km railway linking the phosphorite mining area in the center of the island with a port on the southwest coast. A 19 km long highway has been laid along the coast. There is an airport.

— Island state in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a few kilometers south of the equator. It is an oval-shaped coral island.

The name comes from the ethnonym Naurans.

Official name: Republic of Nauru

Capital - official capital and there are no cities on the island. The seat of government is located in Meneng District, while government offices and parliament are located in Yaren District.

Square - 21 km2.

Population - 13 thousand people

Administrative division - The state is divided into 14 districts.

Form of government - Republic.

head of state - The president.

Official language - Nauru, English.

Religion - 60% - Protestants, 38% - Catholics.

Ethnic composition - 58% - Nauru (Naurians or Naurans), 26% - Melanesians, 8% - Chinese, 8% - Europeans ..

Currency - Australian dollar = 100 cents.

Internet domain: .nr

Mains voltage: ~220 V, 50 Hz

Phone country code: +674

Climate

Equatorial monsoon, very hot and humid.

The island of Nauru lies almost on the equator, so average monthly temperatures- from +28 C to +34 C change little throughout the year. At the same time, the daytime heat, due to the lack of vegetation and the strong heating of the rocky base from the scorching rays of the sun, can reach + 38-41 C, while at night it is only slightly cooler. Only in the period from March to October, when the northeast trade winds blow, the air temperature drops by 3-4 C, but only along the coast - the region of the Central Plateau warms up as significantly as at any other time of the year.

Precipitation falls about 2500 mm per year. From November to February, the cyclone season lasts, when the weather becomes extremely wet, and the island literally "drowns in the rain", but in the rest of the year, due to lack of vegetation and soil characteristics, real droughts are common.

Geography

The island of Nauru lies in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, about 42 km from the equator. nearest island Banaba (Oshen) is located 306 km east of Nauru and belongs to the Republic of Kiribati.

Nauru Island - Raised coral atoll, confined to the top of the volcanic cone. The island has an oval shape, from the east the coast is concave - there is the Gulf of Anibar. Length - 5.6 km, width - 4 km. Length coastline- about 19 km. The most high point- 65 m (according to various sources 61-71 m) - located on the border of the districts of Aivo and Buada. Approximately at a distance of 1 km from the coast, the depth of the ocean reaches more than 1000 m. This is due to the fact that in this place there is a steep cliff that reaches the ocean floor.

The surface of the island is a narrow coastal plain 100-300 m wide, surrounding a limestone plateau, the height of which in the central part of Nauru reaches 30 m. The plateau was previously covered with a thick layer of phosphorites, presumably formed from the excrement of seabirds. The island is bordered by a narrow reef (about 120-300 m wide), exposed at low tide and dotted with reef peaks. There are 16 channels dug into the reef, allowing small boats to approach directly the shore of the island.

Flora and fauna

There are 60 species of plants recorded on the island, but none of them is a natural inhabitant of this land - almost all of them have been introduced by humans to one degree or another. Bananas, pineapples and vegetables are grown on the fertile lands around the Buada lagoon, coral remnants cover small pockets of secondary vegetation. The soils are porous sandy loam, on which coconut palms, pandanuses, ficuses, laurel (calophyllum) and other deciduous trees grow. Various types of shrub formations are also common. The most dense vegetation is confined to the coastal strip and the vicinity of the lake. Buada. The recultivated quarry dumps are planted with bushes.

The fauna is also extremely scarce - only about 20 species of birds can be attributed to the natural inhabitants of the island, including the most famous local inhabitant - the reed nightingale, or the Nauru canary, as well as about a hundred species of insects and earth crabs common to the islands of the region. All other animals (Polynesian rat, pigs, dogs, etc.) were brought here by man. From mammals, rats are found, from reptiles - lizards. The avifauna is more diverse (waders, terns, petrels, frigatebirds, pigeons, etc.). Lots of insects.

Dangerous plants and animals

In the waters around the islands, there are several varieties of sharks and many poisonous sea creatures (primarily sea snakes, some types of fish and corals). Some species marine life contain poisonous toxins in their meat, so it is always recommended to consult with local residents about the safety of a particular product. When swimming, it is better to use wetsuits, and to enter the water on an unequipped coast, wear strong shoes that protect your feet from the needles of marine animals and sharp edges of coral fragments.

Banks and currency

Australian dollar (AUD, A$), equal to 100 cents. In circulation are banknotes in denominations of 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 dollars, as well as coins of 1 and 2 dollars, 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents. You can exchange currency in banks or in any of the hotels on the island.

American Express, Diners Club and Visa credit cards are accepted almost everywhere, but there are no ATMs on the island. Traveler's checks can be cashed at banks and hotels. Despite the widespread use of non-cash means of payment, in many places a clear preference is given to cash.

Branches of the Bank of Nauru are usually open from Monday to Thursday, from 09.00 to 15.00, on Fridays - from 09.00 to 16.30.

Useful information for tourists

Nauru offers little to the traveler - beaches on secluded coral reefs and atolls, themselves colorful Coral reefs, sunken ships and aircraft from the Second World War, which literally surround the island. Pure water and excellent conditions for sport fishing make it attractive for lovers active rest. Drinking water is imported.

The export of samples of plants and animals under state protection, eggs and stuffed birds, as well as products made from leather, bone, bird feathers, shells and corals is prohibited.

Nauru is a coral island in the Western Pacific Ocean in southern Micronesia. The area of ​​the island is 21.3 km². According to a July 2007 estimate, the population of the Republic of Nauru was 13,528, including 6,763 men and 6,765 women. Nauru is a comparatively rare type coral island- raised atoll. In the central part of the island there is a slightly brackish freshwater lake Buada, which is the remnant of an ancient lagoon. In the north of the island there is also a group of small lakes Anabar. Nauru is located 42 km south of the equator. The nearest island - Banaba - is located 306 km east of Nauru and belongs to the Republic of Kiribati. In 1968, the island was proclaimed an independent state, which is the smallest independent republic on the ground. The climate on Nauru is equatorial, humid and hot. Average annual temperature+27.5°C. The average annual amount of precipitation is 2060 mm. The rainy season lasts from November to February.

There are 60 species of plants growing on Nauru. The most common are ficuses, coconut palms, laurel, pandanus, almond tree, mango, as well as some types of shrub formations. The effects of the Second World War, the overexploitation of the coconut palm and the mining of phosphorites damaged the island's vegetation cover. Most of vegetation is located near the coastal strip.
All mammals of Noir were introduced by humans. Polynesian rats, cats, pigs, and chickens are common here. Only one species of birds lives - the warbler. Lots of insects. The coastal waters are home to sharks, shellfish, sea ​​urchins and crabs

History of Nauru

There is no official capital on Nauru. The presidential residence is located in the Meneng district, the main government offices are in the Yaren district. The main population of the island lives off the coast. Nauruans speak the Nauruan language, which was written 100 years ago on the basis of 28 Latin letters. Since, until 1968, Nauru was a common possession of Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand, English language, along with Nauruan, is the state language. Over 3,000 years ago, Nauru was settled by Polynesians and Micronesians. The first settlers arrived from the Bismarck Islands. Before the expansion of Europeans, the population of the island consisted of 12 tribes.
Nauru was discovered on November 8, 1798 by the English captain John Fearn, who gave the island the name Pleasant. The main part of the settlements at that time was located on the seashore. The islanders lived in "estates" united into villages. In total there were 168 villages and 14 regions.
In the 19th century, Europeans began to settle on the island. Mostly they were runaway convicts, deserters, and later enterprising merchants. Europeans brought venereal diseases to the island, actively soldered the Nauruans with alcohol and fomented bloody internecine wars with the use of firearms.
On April 16, 1888, Nauru was annexed by Germany, as a result of which the population of the island began to pay taxes, and serious deposits of phosphorites were discovered on the island itself. The development of phosphorites left a serious imprint on the entire subsequent history of Nauru.
In the 1990s, Nauru was turned into an offshore zone. Many banks were registered here. In 2003, under pressure from the international commission on combating money laundering, offshore banking activities were banned here.
Tourism on the island is difficult due to severe environmental pollution after the development of phosphorites.

Information

• water area: Pacific Ocean
• A country: Nauru
• Square: 21.3 km²
• highest point: 65 m
• Population (2012): 9591 people