Nauru
Sydnee Dreher
Climate and Landforms
- There are three main sight-seeing landforms in Nauru: Buada Lagoon, Anibare Bay, and Yaren.
- The climate of this island is a typically warm, tropical climate with two distinct seasons.
Land Use
- Phosphate-processing facilities are mainly located in the southwest corner of the island.
- The airport runway takes up much valuable flat land.
- Virtually, no land is used for agriculture.
Plants and Animals
- A huge portion of the country is covered with scrub and creeper.
- Coconut and Tamanu trees as well as Hibiscus and Frangipani flowers can be found here.
- Some species of birds like noddies, terns, frigate, and so on are found in great numbers on the island.
- There are also plenty of fish found in the surrounding seas of Nauru.
Natural Resources
- Nauru's natural resources consist of phosphates and fish.
- Fish are the island's main dish.
- Most of Nauru's phosphates are used for fertilizer.
People and Languages
- Nauru consists of several different ethnic groups such as such as Chinese, Filipinos, Kiribati, Tuvalu, and Fijians.
- The people of this country speak both Nauruan and English.
History
About 3,000 years ago, Nauru was first inhabited by Polynesian and Micronesian people. John Fearn (British naval captain and a whale hunter) was the first westerner to visit Nauru in 1798. The country traded with Europeans starting around 1830. They traded freshwater and food, for wine and firearms. The firearms were used in the Nauruan Tribal War that lasted ten years (1878-1888). After the war, Nauru's population decreased from 1,400 to 900 people.
Current Issues and Challenges
- Drought is a major issue in Nauru.
- They are currently trying to rebuild the island because it was destroyed by mining.