Nauru's parliament passed a constitutional amendment to change the country's name to "Naoero," the local language name. It is preparing for a final referendum, aiming to revive the original identity and abolish the old foreign-influenced spelling.
On 13 May 2026 GMT+7, foreign news agencies reported that the parliament of Nauru, a small island nation in the Pacific Ocean, approved a constitutional amendment to change the country's name from "Nauru" to "Naoero," the original name in the local language.
The vote received support from all 16 attending parliament members, surpassing the two-thirds majority required by the constitution. President David Adeang proposed the name change to parliament in January, stating that although "Nauru" has been internationally recognized since independence, the change aims to truly honor the nation's heritage, language, and identity.
Next, the government will hold a nationwide referendum to complete the constitutional amendment process. If approved, the new name will be used in official documents, state symbols, and internationally including at the United Nations.
The Nauru government explained that the name "Nauru" originated from foreigners who could not correctly pronounce "Naoero" and thus simplified it for convenience, not reflecting the people's wishes. The government cited examples of other countries changing names to better reflect their culture and language, such as Eswatini, Türkiye (Turkey), and the state of Chuuk.
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade noted that Nauru is the world's smallest independent republic, with a population of about 12,000 and an area of only 21 square kilometers.
Source: AFP