anuary 1968 (from UN trusteeship under Australia, New Zealand, and UK);
formerly Pleasant Island
Constitution:
29 January 1968
Legal system:
own Acts of Parliament and British common law
National holiday:
Independence Day, 31 January (1968)
Executive branch:
president, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President Bernard DOWIYOGO (since 12 December 1989)
Political parties and leaders:
none
Suffrage:
universal and compulsory at age 20
Elections:
President:
last held 9 December 1989 (next to be held December 1992); results - Bernard
DOWIYOGO elected by Parliament
Parliament:
last held on 9 December 1989 (next to be held December 1992); results -
percent of vote NA; seats - (18 total) independents 18
Member of:
C (special), ESCAP, ICAO, INTERPOL, ITU, SPC, SPF, UPU
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador-designate Theodore Conrad MOSES resident in Melbourne
(Australia); there is a Nauruan Consulate in Agana (Guam)
US:
the US Ambassador to Australia is accredited to Nauru
Flag:
blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large
white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates
the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and
the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru

:Nauru Economy

Overview:
Revenues come from the export of phosphates, the reserves of which are
expected to be exhausted by the year 2000. Phosphates have given Nauruans
one of the highest per capita incomes in the Third World - $10,000 annually.
Few other resources exist, so most necessities must be imported, including
fresh water from Australia. The rehabilitation of mined land and the
replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems.
Substantial amounts of phosphate income are invested in trust funds to help
cushion the transition.
GNP:
exchange rate conversion - over $90 million, per capita $10,000; real growth
rate NA% (1989)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%
Unemployment rate:
0%
Budget:
revenues $69.7 million; expenditures $51.5 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (FY86 est.)
Exports:
$93 million (f.o.b., 1984)
commodities:
phosphates
partners: