The country that decided to change its name
The Pacific island nation of Nauru, a great friend of Israel, is trying to shed its colonial past and has officially changed its name. What will you call it from now on?
Trivia and geography game enthusiasts, take note: the Pacific island nation of Nauru, a great friend of Israel, is trying to shed its colonial past and has officially changed its name. From now on, it will be called the "Republic of Naoero," ensuring the name matches the spelling and pronunciation in the country's official language. With this change, the country's international code will shift from NRU to NRO, and its people will be known as "dei-Naoero" instead of Nauruans.
In a statement published on its Facebook page, the government explained that the move returns the remote South Pacific island nation to its traditional name. It noted that the country was previously known internationally as Nauru only because the local name was difficult for foreigners to pronounce, making it a matter of convenience rather than choice.
"This change seeks to pay more faithful homage to our nation's heritage, our language, and our identity," said President David Adeang when proposing the move in parliament in January. The constitutional amendment was approved by lawmakers in the two required rounds of voting.
Naoero is the third smallest country in the world by population, with 12,000 residents. Located on a rocky island surrounded by a coral reef, it was occupied by Germany and later administered by Australia before becoming an independent republic in 1968.
Today, Naoero is among the countries most at risk from rising sea levels due to climate change. The government is seeking to attract foreign investment, including by offering citizenship for a fee, to fund the relocation of infrastructure and homes away from the ocean.
Naoero joins a series of nations that have rejected their colonial past by changing their names, such as Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and Türkiye (formerly Turkey). The decision will lead to the renaming of national airlines and shipping companies. The UN website already displays the country under its new name, and the foreign ministries of Australia, New Zealand, the US, and China have updated their records accordingly.
Naoero is a great friend of Israel; just a week ago, it officially announced the opening of an embassy in Jerusalem. The decision followed a meeting in Fiji between Naoero's Vice President and Foreign Minister, Lionel Aingimea, and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar. The embassy is expected to open in the coming months.
