Nauru Officially Changes Country Name to ‘Republic of Naoero’

The island nation of Nauru in the Pacific Ocean has officially changed its country name to the ‘Republic of Naoero’. President David Adeang stated that the name change decision was made to preserve the nation’s identity, cultural heritage, and ancestral legacy. Adeang said, “This decision is not political; it is about safeguarding our identity, heritage, the legacy of our ancestors, and strengthening the future of our children.”

In May, Nauru’s parliament passed a constitutional amendment to change the country’s name. Initially, there were plans to hold a national referendum on the matter. However, President Adeang announced on social media Wednesday night that the planned referendum had been cancelled. He explained, “The decision not to hold a referendum was made after consultations because ‘Naoero’ is not a new name that the people need to accept.”

The country’s short name will now be ‘Naoero’, and its citizens will be known as ‘Dei-Naoero’. European colonialists had historically changed the native name to Nauru due to difficulties in pronunciation. With a population of around 12,000, Nauru is the third smallest country in the world, following Vatican City and Monaco. The government has formally informed international organizations and other countries of the name change. The process of implementing the new name is gaining momentum.