Part 586

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $64 million (FY95/96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.1% (FY95/96)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: quadripoint with Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is in disagreement; dispute with Botswana over uninhabited Kasikili (Sidudu) Island in Linyanti (Chobe) River remained unresolved in December 1995, and the parties agreed to refer the matter to the ICJ ______________________________________________________________________

NAURU

@Nauru:Geography

Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands

Geographic coordinates: 0 32 S, 166 55 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 21 sq km land: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 30 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone : 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February)

Terrain: sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center

Elevation extremes: lowest point : Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Natural resources: phosphates

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other : 100% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater; phosphate mining threatens limited remaining land resources

Environment - international agreements: party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

@Nauru:People

Population: 10,390 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Sex ratio: at birth: NA male(s)/female under 15 years : NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female total population: NA male(s)/female