The Pacific island nation of Nauru has formally changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, adopting a form aligned with local pronunciation and spelling.
President David Adeang said the country’s international identifiers and codes would also change. People previously described as Nauruan would now be called Naoero, he said.
The government said the change restored the country’s traditional name. Nauru had been used internationally for easier foreign pronunciation, while local people had always called the country Naoero.
Adeang introduced the proposal in Parliament in January, saying it would more properly honor the country’s heritage, language and national identity. Lawmakers approved it in the two required votes.
Naoero has about 12 thousand residents and is the world’s third-smallest country by population, after Tuvalu and Vatican City. It was once a German colony and was later administered by Australia before gaining independence in 1968.
Phosphate mining made Naoero exceptionally wealthy during the 1970s, but the collapse of that industry pushed the country into a severe economic crisis in the 1990s.
Naoero is now among the countries most threatened by rising sea levels caused by climate change. The government plans to attract foreign investment through a citizenship program and use the proceeds to move people and essential infrastructure to safer areas.
Adeang said the name change would mark a new beginning for national pride. Although a referendum was initially planned, the government decided after extended discussions that one was unnecessary.
The government said the name Naoero had never disappeared and had long been used in the local language, national symbols and people’s identity. The Constitution also recognizes it.
Naoero joins countries that have adopted traditional names in place of those associated with a colonial past. Swaziland became Eswatini in 2018, while Turkey began using Türkiye internationally in 2022.
The country’s national aircraft and ships will also be renamed. The government has asked other countries and international organizations to recognize the new name. Official websites of the United Nations, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and China have already begun referring to the country as Naoero.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report