Why in the news?

  • Australia announced an agreement with the Pacific nation Nauru enabling it to send hundreds of immigrants to the barren island.

Nauru

  • Location: Nauru is an island nation and a microstate in Oceania, located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
  • Capital: It has no official capital city but Yaren is the de facto capital of Nauru.
  • Fact: It is the smallest republic in the world.
  • Border: The island is about 1,300 km northeast of the Solomon Islands; its closest neighbour is the island of Banaba, in Kiribati.
  • Geography: The island is dominated by a central phosphate plateau which is surrounded by coral cliffs.