WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The Pacific Island country formerly known as Nauru has officially changed its name to the Republic of Naoero. This change was announced by the nation’s president and reflects the spelling and pronunciation in the local language.
The international code for the country will be updated from NRU to NRO, and its citizens will be referred to as dei-Naoero instead of Nauruan.
The statement, which was posted on the government’s Facebook account, noted that the country was internationally recognized as Nauru because its actual name was challenging for foreigners to pronounce.
President David Adeang emphasized that this change aims to honor the nation’s heritage, language, and identity. The proposal was presented to Parliament in January and received the necessary support through two rounds of voting, although it remains unclear if the constitution has been formally amended.
Nauru is one of the world’s smallest countries, with a population of approximately 12,000. It gained independence in 1968 after being colonized by Germany and later managed by Australia.
The island has experienced significant economic fluctuations due to phosphate mining. The industry once brought substantial wealth in the 1970s but later caused economic difficulties after its collapse. The nation now faces risks from rising sea levels and is exploring investment options, including a paid citizenship program to fund relocation efforts.
President Adeang expressed that the name change marks a period of renewed national pride. Though initially planning a referendum, the government decided it was unnecessary after discussions with lawmakers.
The name Naoero already holds significant cultural value, appearing on the country’s coat of arms and within the community. The constitution allows for the name, supporting the change as aligning with Nauru’s identity.
This shift follows a trend among nations to redefine their identities by moving away from colonial-era names. Similar changes occurred when Eswatini reverted from Swaziland and Turkey advocated for the international use of Türkiye.
The name change will see updates to the country’s aircraft and ship labels. International recognition of the new name is underway, with the United Nations updating its records in June. Several foreign ministries have also adopted the designation on their websites.
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