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.
National product:
GNP - exchange rate conversion - $90 million (1989 est.)
National product real growth rate:
NA%
National product per capita:
$10,000 (1989 est.)
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:
Australia, NZ
Imports:
$73 million (c.i.f., 1984)
commodities:
food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery
partners:
Australia, UK, NZ, Japan
External debt:
$33.3 million
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
14,000 kW capacity; 50 million kWh produced, 5,430 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries:
phosphate mining, financial services, coconut products
Agriculture:
coconuts; other agricultural activity negligible; almost completely
dependent on imports for food and water
Economic aid:
Western (non-US) countries (1970-89), $2 million
Currency:
1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
Australian dollars ($A) per US$1 - 1.4837 (January 1993), 1.3600 (1992),
1.2834 (1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June

*Nauru, Communications

Railroads:
3.9 km; used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing
facilities on the southwest coast
Highways:
about 27 km total; 21 km paved, 6 km improved earth
Ports:
Nauru
Merchant marine:
1 bulk ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,426 GRT/5,750 DWT
Airports:
total:
1
useable:
1
with permanent-surface runways:
1
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m: