World’s Third-Smallest Nation Renames Itself Republic of Naoero
Adebayo Gbeja
Editor • Aug 4, 2026 • 2 min read
The Pacific island nation formerly known as Nauru has officially changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, adopting the spelling and pronunciation used in its indigenous language.
President David Adeang announced the change, saying it reflects the country’s cultural heritage, language and national identity.
As part of the rebranding, the country’s international code will change from NRU to NRO, while its citizens will now be referred to as dei-Naoero instead of Nauruans. The pronunciation of the country’s name will also change from the widely used “Now-roo” to “Now-ero.”
According to a government statement, the move restores the nation’s traditional name, which had been replaced internationally with “Nauru” largely because it was considered easier for foreigners to pronounce.
Speaking when he presented the proposal to Parliament in January, Adeang said the name change was intended to “faithfully honor our nation’s heritage, our language and our identity.”
The constitutional amendment backing the change has since secured the required support in two rounds of parliamentary voting, although it was not immediately clear whether the revised constitution had been formally enacted.
With a population of about 12,000, the Republic of Naoero is the world’s third-smallest country by population, behind Tuvalu and Vatican City.
The coral island in the South Pacific was formerly colonised by Germany and later administered by Australia before gaining independence in 1968. The country experienced significant economic prosperity during the 1970s following extensive phosphate mining, which generated substantial national wealth.
