World's Third-Smallest Nation Officially Renames Itself Republic of Naoero

The Pacific island nation formerly known as Nauru has officially adopted the name Republic of Naoero, aligning its international identity with the spelling and pronunciation used in its native language.

President David Adeang announced that the country's international code will change from NRU to NRO, while its citizens will now be referred to as dei-Naoero instead of Nauruans. The country's pronunciation has also been updated from the commonly used "Now-roo" to "Now-ero."

According to the government, the name change restores the nation's traditional identity, which had previously been altered for the convenience of foreign pronunciation.

Speaking earlier during the proposal in Parliament, President Adeang said the move was intended to preserve the country's heritage, language, and cultural identity. Lawmakers reportedly approved the constitutional amendment through the required voting process.

With a population of about 12,000, the Republic of Naoero remains the world's third-smallest country by population, behind Tuvalu and Vatican City.

The island nation, located in the South Pacific, was once a German colony before later being administered by Australia. It gained independence in 1968 and experienced significant economic prosperity during the 1970s due to phosphate mining.

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