Nauru is dead, long live the Republic of Naoero. The president of the Pacific island country, David Adeang, said the decision had been made to realign the name with the language of the people who lived there. In a previous statement, the government said that the name Nauru, which is the third smallest country in the world and has roughly 12,000 inhabitants, was only adopted to make it easier for foreigners to say. On Thursday, it said that the new shorthand will be Naoero, while its people will now be known as dei-Naoero. “This proposed change seeks to more faithfully honor our nation’s heritage, our language and our identity,” said Adeang. He added the move was not about politics, but rather “preserving the legacy of our ancestors and strengthening the future of our children.” In its statement, the government said that “the name Naoero has never been lost, but rather waiting to be fully embraced.” “It is already the identity of the people, is on the national coat of arms, and spoken in the community; and importantly is allowed by the Constitution.” Nauru became an independent country in 1968 and was previously administered by Australia.
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