Nauru Officially Changes Name to Republic of Naoero and Opens Embassy in Jerusalem

The Pacific island nation of Nauru has officially changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, aligning with the local pronunciation and spelling of its name. This decision follows an agreement between Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Nauru's Foreign Minister, which also included Nauru's announcement to open an embassy in Jerusalem. President David Adeang described the name change as a return to the country's traditional name and a symbol of renewed national pride. The international country code will change from NRU to NRO, and citizens will now be called "di Naoero" instead of "Nauruans."

The government explained that the previous name "Nauru" was adopted internationally mainly because foreigners found the local name difficult to pronounce. The change aims to better reflect the nation's heritage, language, and identity. President Adeang presented the proposal to parliament in January, where it was approved in two voting rounds, although it remains unclear if the constitutional amendment process is fully complete. Initially, a referendum was considered but later deemed unnecessary by parliament. The government emphasized that the name "Naoero" has always been part of the national identity, appearing on the state emblem and used within the community.

Nauru, now Naoero, has about 12,000 residents, making it the third smallest country by population after Tuvalu and Vatican City. The island, composed mainly of limestone and coral, was a German colony before Australian administration and gained independence in 1968. Once wealthy due to phosphate mining in the 1970s, the country faced severe economic challenges after the industry's collapse in the 1990s. It is also highly vulnerable to rising sea levels, prompting the government to promote a paid citizenship program to attract investment for relocating residents and infrastructure.

The name change will require updates to the names of national aircraft and ships. The government is actively seeking international recognition of the new name. The United Nations website has already adopted "Naoero" following a request in June, and foreign ministries of Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and China have begun using the new name. Naoero joins other nations distancing themselves from colonial-era names, such as Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) in 2018 and Turkey's 2022 request to be recognized as "Türkiye."