Short facts about the government of Nauru

Country name:

conventional long form:  Republic of Nauru conventional short form:  Nauru former:  Pleasant Island

Government type:

republic

Capital:

no official capital; government offices in Yaren District

Administrative divisions:

14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

Independence:

31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Constitution:

29 January 1968

Legal system:

acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law

Suffrage:

20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state:  President Bernard DOWIYOGO (since 19 April 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government:  President Bernard DOWIYOGO (since 19 April 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet:  Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of Parliament elections:  president elected by Parliament for a three-year term; election last held 8 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2003) election results:  Bernard DOWIYOGO elected president by a vote in Parliament of nine to eight note:  former President Rene HARRIS was deposed in a no-confidence vote; this is the eighth change of government in Nauru since the fall of the Lagumont HARRIS government in a no-confidence motion in early November 1996; six of the last eight governments have resulted because of parliamentary no-confidence motions

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections:  last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held NA April 2003) election results:  percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 18

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal) [Bernard DOWIYOGO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, ICAO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

Nauru does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a UN office at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, New York 10017; telephone: (212) 937-0074 consulate(s):  Hagatna (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru

Flag description:

blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru

Source: World Factbook