Nauru, the world's 3rd-smallest country, changes its name to Naoero

World Nauru, the world's 3rd-smallest country, changes its name to Naoero August 4, 20262:59 AM ET By  The Associated Press FILE - Nauru President David Adeang speaks at the opening ceremony of Boao Forum of Asia, in Boao in southern China's Hainan province on Thursday, March 28, 2024. Tian Macleod Ji/AP hide caption toggle caption Tian Macleod Ji/AP 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. Sponsor Message "This proposed change seeks to more faithfully honor our nation's heritage, our language, and our identity," President David Adeang said when he proposed the move to Parliament in January. The suggested constitutional amendment has been endorsed by lawmakers in the requisite two rounds of voting, though it wasn't immediately clear if the document had been formally amended. With 12,000 residents, Nauru is the world's third-smallest country by population size, after Tuvalu and Vatican City. The tiny coral limestone atoll was colonized by Germany and later administered by Australia before becoming an independent republic in 1968. It has faced tumultuous circumstances, with phosphate mining creating huge wealth on the island in the 1970s before the industry collapsed, bringing Nauru to the brink of economic ruin in the 1990s....