Nauru Renamed Republic of Naoero

# Nauru Renamed Republic of Naoero ### Why in News? The Pacific island nation of Nauru officially reclaimed its traditional name, becoming the **Republic of Naoero**, on July 31, 2026. ### What does the name change involve? 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. President **David Adeang** confirmed that a proposed national referendum was cancelled, as the name is already embedded in the national coat of arms and identity. The name **Nauru** was a colonial-era alteration of the indigenous name **Naoero**, adopted by European colonizers who found the original pronunciation difficult. This change is a step toward reclaiming the nation's pre-colonial identity. ### Why is this significant for exams? Naoero is 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**. The nation is a member of the **United Nations** and the **Commonwealth of Nations**. The native language, **dorerin Naoero**, is classified as **"severely endangered"** by UNESCO. A bill passed in 2025 officially incorporated the language into the national school curriculum, highlighting efforts to preserve indigenous culture. ### Exam Connect **Republic of Naoero** → Formerly **Nauru**, third-smallest country by area **dorerin Naoero** → Indigenous language, UNESCO "severely endangered"