The Pacific island nation of Nauru has decided to change its name to the Republic of Naoero, as announced by its president. This change aligns with the spelling and pronunciation in the national language. With the new designation, the country’s international code will shift from NRU to NRO, and its citizens will now be known as dei-Naoero instead of Nauruan. Previously recognized globally as ‘Now-roo,’ the new pronunciation is ‘Now-ero.’.
The transition is a return to the island’s traditional name. A statement released on the government’s Facebook account highlighted that Nauru became its international name due to its easier pronunciation for foreigners, driven by convenience rather than choice.
President David Adeang, who proposed this change to Parliament in January, emphasized that it aims to more accurately reflect the nation’s heritage, language, and identity. The constitutional amendment received approval from lawmakers in the required two rounds of voting. However, it remains unclear if the document has been formally amended.
This proposed change seeks to more faithfully honor our nation’s heritage, our language, and our identity.
With a population of only 12,000, Nauru ranks as the world’s third-smallest country after Tuvalu and Vatican City. The country has a history marked by colonial rule by Germany and administration by Australia before achieving independence in 1968. Nauru once experienced significant wealth from phosphate mining during the 1970s, which collapsed in the 1990s, leading to economic difficulties.
Currently, Nauru faces significant risks due to rising sea levels linked to climate change. The government has sought investments through a paid citizenship program to finance relocating people and infrastructure away from the rising ocean.
President Adeang described the name change as a step towards renewed national pride. Although initially planning a referendum after the May vote, the government later deemed it unnecessary. The name Naoero is already apparent in the populace’s identity, featuring on the nation’s coat of arms and spoken in communities.
This shift is reminiscent of other countries distancing themselves from their colonial pasts by altering their names, such as Eswatini reverting from Swaziland in 2018 and Turkey’s rebranding to Türkiye in 2022. Nauru’s decision will lead to renaming national assets like aircraft and ships. The government is actively pursuing recognition of this change from international entities.
According to the United Nations’ website, the nation is now officially recorded under its new name after a formal request from the government in June. Australia and New Zealand’s foreign ministries, along with U.S. and Chinese embassies in the region, have also updated their records to reflect this change.
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