MDG1 - Eradication Poverty and Hunger : Progress on this goal is uncertain. Nauru lacks the necessary data to monitor progress on this goal.
MDG2 - Achieve Universal Primary Education : Progress on this goal is good. Nauru is likely to achieve this.
MDG3 - Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women : Nauru is likely to meet the indicator for gender parity in education, may meet the target of the economic empowerment of women, but is off-track for the target of gender equality in high-level decision-making.
Freshwater is essential for life and for the social, cultural and economic well-being of all peoples. In Nauru, freshwater is a vital and scarce resource supporting the island’s communities and their economic growth. There are widespread community concerns about the availability and quality of freshwater, especially during Nauru’s frequent ENSO-related droughts and due to discharge from household sanitation systems to shallow groundwater. Predicted impacts of climate change add to these concerns.
This report updates Sanitation, hygiene and drinking-water in Pacific island countries: Converting commitment into action (WHO, SOPAC, 2008). This report reviews the status of sanitation, drinking-water and hygiene in Pacific island countries and the challenges faced in meeting international targets. Information sources include the WHO and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation (JMP) which produces estimates of progress based on data from national censuses and household surveys.
Nauruans’ experiences of a resource curse from mining phosphate stands, as a case study of retarded development. Nauru was much adulated in the press in the early 20th century as an example of a small island that became wealthy through mining. The high grade phosphate that covered four fifths of the island was considered by outsiders as a very lucrative resource that had to be mined, particularly as fertilizer to enhance the pastures of Australia and New Zealand.
Pacific island countries are no different from other countries in that freshwater is essential to human
existence and a major requirement in agricultural and other commercial production systems. The economic
and social well being of Pacific island countries are dependent upon the quality and quantity of their water.
However, the ability of the island countries to effectively manage the water sector is unique to Small Island
Developing States (SIDS), whereby constrained by their small size, fragility, natural vulnerability, and
This report is the result of a visit to Nauru of 21 days from 14th November to 5th Dec 2003.
In May 2003 Buada Community had been chosen as the International Waters Programme Pilot Project,
to implement a community-based waste reduction pilot project. There were two main areas of interest
for this visit: to identify the baseline situation regarding waste in Buada Community, and to determine
the current situation on Nauru with regard to the legal and institutional responsibility for dealing with
The objectives of the Nauru Water Plan are:
1. To provide safe potable water to the residents of Nauru;
2. To ensure that the water supply is sustainable in perpetuity;
3. To provide an adequate amount of water for the needs of all residents;
4. To ensure a reliable water supply even during prolonged droughts;
5. To safeguard the environment and the ecology of Nauru;
6. To ensure potable water is affordable by all residents;
7. To have efficient distribution of water;
8. To make best use of existing resources, facilities and skills;
Legislation
4-page summary from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Report - 9 pages
Report - 26 pages. Second Draft
Presentation for the Pacific Climate Change Roundtable (July, 2013)
45 pages.
12 page Executive Summary (May, 2013)
Census information. 24 pages.
31 pages. Report prepared by Ipia Gadabu, National Statistics Office
Census Report - 217 pages.
Map of the Nauru Island landuse, with country-level summary of the different landuse classes and designation.
The map shows areas of critical importance for the biodiversity and ecosystems of Nauru's terrestrial and marine environments.
Map of the Nauru Island hydrology feature, Buada Lagoon and areas of land development.