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Main article: Economy of Nauru Town of Denigomodu in perspective from north. In the back are the laborer settlements. Revenues of Nauru have come from exports of phosphates, but reserves are now almost exhausted. Phosphate production has declined since 1989, as demand has fallen in traditional markets and as the marginal cost of extracting the remaining phosphate increases, making it less internationally competitive. While phosphates used to give Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the Third World, few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, including fresh water from Australia. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. The government has been borrowing heavily to finance fiscal deficits.
Another source of revenue was office rents from Nauru House , one of the tallest buildings in Melbourne, built on the profits from phosphates. Unfortunately, in the 1990s mismanagement and corruption ruined the once substantial savings of the island government, and in recent years the island went broke. The huge earnings from the phosphates mining have been wasted, and now Nauru faces a very uncertain future.
Main article: Demographics of Nauru
The official language is Nauruan. English is widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes.
The main religion is Christianity (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic).
See also: Special distinctions of Nauru
Community of Aiwo, from east Main article: Culture of Nauru
The island's traditional culture is all but vanished: Nauru is considered to be one of the most Westernized of the Pacific islands.
The national sport is Australian Rules Football, but Nauru has had international success in weightlifting. Marcus Stephen has been the most successful lifter to date, winning several Commonwealth Games medals. He was elected to Parliament in 2003. There's a stadium under construction in the district Meneng.
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