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. - The name **Nauru** was a colonial-era alteration of the indigenous name **Naoero**, adopted by European colonizers who found the original pronunciation difficult. ### Why is this significant? - The native language, **dorerin Naoero**, is classified as **"severely endangered"** by UNESCO. - A bill passed in 2025 officially incorporates the language into the national school curriculum, highlighting efforts to preserve cultural identity. - 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**. ### Exam Connect **Nauru → Naoero** → Reclaiming indigenous name through constitutional amendment **dorerin Naoero** → Severely endangered language, now part of school curriculum