Nauru, the world's 3rd-smallest country, changes its name to Naoero
The Pacific island nation of Nauru is officially changing its name to the Republic of Naoero to better reflect its indigenous language and heritage. The move, supported by the government, aims to restore national identity while the country faces significant challenges from climate change and economic instability.
Why it matters
This reflects a growing global trend of post-colonial nations reclaiming indigenous names to assert cultural sovereignty and national pride.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The Pacific Island country of Nauru has changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, its president said, matching the spelling and pronunciation in the national language.
The country's international code will change from NRU to NRO and its people will be known as dei-Naoero instead of Nauruan. Commonly known abroad by the pronunciation of Now-roo, the new name is spoken as Now-ero.
The move would return the remote South Pacific island nation to its traditional name, a statement posted Thursday to the government's Facebook account said. The country became known internationally as Nauru only because its local name was difficult for foreigners to pronounce and was a matter of convenience rather than one of choice, according to an earlier government statement.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in