Nauru : Profile

Facts

• The Republic of Nauru is one of the smallest countries in the world, an eight square mile coral island, lying just south of the equator, west of Kiribati.

• A stark island with little vegetation, but once a very wealthy state due to its phosphate resources. Now, with the mine nearing exhaustion, the country's future is very uncetain. In 2008 Australia ended its policy of housing refugees on the island.

• Nauru is hardly an enticing destination for anyone cruising the South Pacific. Nevertheless, the island can be a useful stop, especially in an emergency, for boats bound for the Solomons or Papua New Guinea.

• There is only an open roadstead in the lee of the island, very deep for anchoring, where some mooring buoys have been laid for ships loading phosphate. If there is not too much surge and there is space available, it may be preferable, if draft permits, to try and enter the small boat basin.

Weather

The climate is equatorial, 81°F (27°C) being the average temperature. The island is not affected by tropical cyclones.

Main Ports

Aiwo *

*Indicates a port of entry.

Related Reports

Pacific - List of Radio Nets (02 Jun 2010)

Tide Information In South Pacific (17 Oct 2007)

25th Anniversary of Moon Handbooks South Pacific (24 Jun 2004)