Nauru Changes Name to Republic of Naoero

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The Pacific Island nation of Nauru has officially changed its name to the Republic of Naoero. This change aligns with the spelling and pronunciation in the national language, as announced by President David Adeang.

The country’s international code will transition from NRU to NRO. Its citizens will now be referred to as dei-Naoero instead of Nauruans. While previously pronounced as Now-roo internationally, the new name is pronounced as Now-ero. The government stated that this change honors the island’s traditional name, which adaptation for easier pronunciation by foreigners had altered.

President Adeang suggested this change in January to better reflect national heritage, language, and identity. The proposal passed two rounds of voting by lawmakers, but formal constitutional amendment status remains unconfirmed.

Nauru, with a population of 12,000, ranks as the third-smallest country globally, following Tuvalu and Vatican City. Originally colonized by Germany and later administered by Australia, Nauru became an independent republic in 1968. The island gained wealth from phosphate mining in the 1970s, but the industry’s collapse in the 1990s led to economic hardship. Climate change now places the country at risk from rising seas. In response, the government launched a paid citizenship program to support moving people and infrastructure further inland.

The name change symbolizes a renewal of national pride, as stated by President Adeang. Although a referendum was initially proposed, lawmakers decided it was unnecessary after extensive discussions. The designation Naoero already appears on the national coat of arms and is consistent with the Constitution.

This move follows a trend of countries moving away from colonial legacies by adopting historic names. For example, Eswatini changed from Swaziland in 2018, and Turkey requested to be known as Türkiye by the United Nations in 2022.

Renaming efforts will include updating the national aircraft and ships. The government is working to have other nations and international organizations acknowledge the change. The United Nations website now lists the country by its new name, following a formal request in June. Neighboring countries such as Australia and New Zealand, along with the U.S. and Chinese embassies, have also updated their records to reflect the new name.