The Pacific island nation of Nauru has officially restored its traditional name, becoming the Republic of Naoero.
Nauru's parliament passed a constitutional amendment in May to change the country's name. In a social media post on Wednesday (Dec 13), President David Adeang confirmed that plans for a referendum on the name change had been scrapped. He stated that the change reflects an identity that the people already hold, rather than a new name requiring approval.
“The decision not to hold a referendum was made after careful consideration that Naoero is not a new name requiring people's acceptance,” Adeang said. “This has always been the identity of the people, featured on the coat of arms, used within the community, and importantly, permitted by the constitution.”
The country's short-form name will now be “Naoero,” while its people will be referred to as “dei-Naoero.” The government has notified international organizations and other countries of the change; the transition is underway.
The name Nauru has roots in the era of European colonialism, when the indigenous name Naoero was altered due to difficulties settlers had in pronouncing it. Nauru is the world's third-smallest country after Vatican City and Monaco, with a population of about 12,000.
Adeang emphasized that the renaming is not a political move but focuses on heritage, described as an effort to preserve “the legacy of our ancestors” while strengthening “the future of our children.”
The Nauruan language, locally known as dorerin Naoero, is classified by UNESCO as “critically endangered.” Though still used within the community, it is not taught in schools. However, last year the government passed a bill to introduce the language into the curriculum in the future.
