Why in News?
The Pacific island nation of Nauru officially reclaimed its traditional name, becoming the Republic of Naoero, on July 31, 2026.
Key Details
The country's short-form name is now Naoero, and its citizens are referred to as dei-Naoero. The change was formalized through a constitutional amendment passed by parliament in May 2026.
The name Nauru was a colonial-era alteration of the indigenous name Naoero, adopted by European colonizers who found the original pronunciation difficult.
Exam Connect
The native language, dorerin Naoero, is classified as "severely endangered" by UNESCO.
Naoero remains the world's third-smallest country by land area, after Vatican City and Monaco.
It is a single coral island in the Central Pacific with a population of about 12,000, and is a member of the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations.
