什麼是諾魯

諾魯語作Naoero

正式名稱諾魯共和國（Republic of Nauru）

南太平洋上，密克羅尼西亞東南方的島國。面積21平方公里。人口約12,100（2001）。首都：亞倫。約3/4的本土諾魯人為玻里尼西亞、密克羅尼西亞和美拉尼西亞人後裔。語言︰諾魯語和英語。宗教︰主要為基督教。貨幣︰澳大利亞元（A$）。諾魯為珊瑚島，中央有一海拔30～60公尺的高原。圍繞島嶼的一狹長帶狀肥沃土地是主要的居住區。由於缺乏港口，船隻需在沙洲外浮標處下錨停泊。該國為世界最大的磷酸鹽礦物產地。其經濟過去主要是靠礦業，由於礦藏量已大大減少，如今主要經濟來源已轉至漁業和其他事業。政府形式為共和國，一院制。國家元首暨政府首腦為總統。

第一批英國探險家在1798年登陸時，該島居民為太平洋島民。在受到島上居民友善的歡迎後，英國人稱其為「歡樂島」。1888年被德國併吞，第一次世界大戰開始時被澳大利亞佔領，1919年則受到不列顛、澳大利亞和紐西蘭三國的聯合委任統治。第二次世界大戰時又遭到日本佔領。1947年成為澳大利亞政府下的聯合國託管地，1968年完全獨立，1969年加入大英國協。1990年代中期歷經政治動亂。

Nauru

officiallyRepublic of NauruIsland republic, southeastern Micronesia, South Pacific Ocean. Area: 8 sq mi (21 sq km). Population (1997 est.): 10,000. Capital: Yaren. About three-fifths of the population are indigenous Nauruans of Polynesian, Micronesian, and Melanesian ancestry. Language: Nauruan, English. Religion: Christianity (predominantly). Currency: Australian dollar. Nauru is a coral island with a central plateau 100-200 ft (30-60 m) high. A thin strip of fertile land encircling the island is the major zone of human settlement. It lacks harbors, and ships must anchor to buoys beyond a reef. Nauru had the world's largest concentration of phosphate, and its economy was formerly based on its mining and processing; deposits are now depleted, and the economy is being converted to fishing and other ventures. It is a republic with one legislative house; its head of state and government is the president. Nauru was inhabited by Pacific islanders when the first British explorers arrived in 1798 and named it Pleasant Island after their friendly welcome. Annexed by Germany in 1888, it was occupied by Australia at the start of World War I, and in 1919 it was placed under a joint mandate of Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. During World War II it was occupied by the Japanese. Made a UN trust territory under Australian administration in 1947, it gained complete independence in 1968 and joined the British Commonwealth in 1969. During the mid-1990s it suffered political unrest.