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Why is Nauru in the news? -

The tiny island nation of Nauru has launched a new program selling citizenship.

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Paying the price -

The price of escaping to this remote South Pacific outpost, the world's smallest independent republic, starts at US$105,000.

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Funding climate action -

The "golden passport" initiative hopes to raise money to fund climate action. As a low-lying atoll, Nauru faces an existential threat from rising sea levels, storm surges, and coastal erosion as the planet warms.

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Seeking the high life -

The idea behind the ambitious scheme is to finance relocating 90% of the country's 12,500 residents to higher ground inland and to build an entirely new community, a project far beyond the nation's financial means.

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Financing climate resilience -

Money raised will also fund climate resilience projects like solar energy installation, water security, and affordable green housing.

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Where is Nauru? -

Nauru is located in the Oceania region of the Central Pacific. Its nearest neighbor is Kiribati, about 190 miles (300 km) to the east.

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Colonization by Germany -

First settled by Micronesians around 1000 BCE, Nauru was annexed and claimed as a colony by the German Empire in the late 19th century.

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Nauruan Civil War -

In 1888, Germany intervened in the Nauruan Civil War, bringing to an end a 10-year conflict and establishing a lasting ceasefire.

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Discovery of phosphate -

The Germans ruled Nauru for almost three decades. In 1900, Australian prospectors discovered phosphate on the island.

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First World War -

Under a joint agreement, Australia and Germany began to exploit these reserves until the outbreak of the First World War, when Australian troops captured the island. In 1919, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand provided for the administration of the island and extraction of the phosphate deposits.

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Second World War -

Japanese troops occupied Nauru from August 1942 to September 1945. Throughout this period, 1,200 Nauruans were deported to work as laborers in the Chuuk Islands, which was also occupied by Japan.

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Nauru retaken -

Nauru was the target of numerous bombing raids conducted by the Americans until the island was finally retaken by Australian armed forces after the Japanese surrender.

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Post-war years -

Post-war, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand were reinstated as the joint administering authority. Islanders are shown here with a tame frigate bird used for catching fish.

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Resumption of mining -

By the late 1940s, phosphate mining had resumed. Revenues from operations were substantial, but little of this was being returned to the Nauruans.

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Sharing the profits -

In 1960, future president Hammer DeRoburt successfully negotiated a greater share of royalties from profit to the Nauruans.

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Independence -

Nauru became self-governing in January 1966 and fully independent in 1968. The people of Nauru took control of the phosphate mines, the income of which boosted the economy of the republic.

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No more deposits -

After nearly a century of strip mining, phosphate deposits by the late 1990s were near depleted.

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Decimated environment -

Gouged by miners, the center of the island was left a barren landscape of jagged, limestone pinnacles. Today, 80% of Nauru is practically uninhabitable. 

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The tide turns -

The Nauruans, once the second wealthiest people per capita on Earth, now live in relative poverty, clustered along the island's coastlines.

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Sea levels rising faster than average -

The ocean long ago claimed the island's abandoned phosphate harbor, and sea level rise has been increasing at a faster rate here than the global average, according to a report published by the World Bank Group.

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Detention center -

Once the phosphate ran out, Nauru began looking for new revenue sources. It achieved this by serving as an offshore detention site for refugees and migrants attempting to settle in Australia.

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Refugee crisis -

From 2001 to 2007, the Nauru detention center provided a significant source of income for the country. But the program was scaled back after reports of detainee deaths and widespread protests in Australian cities.

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Climate and ecology -

Nauru's climate is hot and very humid year-round because of its proximity to the equator and the ocean.

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Limited natural resources -

It has no streams and rivers, and there is no inflow or outflow from the freshwater Buada Lagoon (pictured), the largest body of water on the island. 

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Impact on wildlife -

Fauna on Nauru is sparce. The lack of vegetation is a direct result of phosphate mining. Many indigenous birds have disappeared, and there are no native land mammals. Fortunately, there remains a diversity of reef marine life.

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Offer of citizenship -

The idea of offering Nauru citizenship to foreigners was voiced by Asterio Appi, Minister of Climate Change and National Resilience, during the Nauru Economic and Climate Resilience Citizenship Program at the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference.

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The cost of a golden visa -

The US$105,000, along with fees of $25,000 for the application, $10,000 for due diligence, and $500 for the passport itself, totals $140,500 for one applicant, which is still significantly cheaper than Europe's popular golden visas.

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How powerful is the Nauruan passport? -

According to VisaIndex.com, securing a Nauruan passport allows holders visa-free access to 87 destinations, including the UK, Ireland, the UAE, and Singapore. As a result, the Nauru passport ranks #62 in the world.

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Raising capital -

By acquiring a Nauruan passport, holders are helping to channel capital into the nation's sustainable development program, reminds Henley & Partners, the investment firm mandated by the island's government to design and implement the program. 

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Investing in the future of the planet -

"By choosing Nauru's citizenship program, investors aren't merely securing their own future—they're investing in the future of our planet," echoed Asterio Appi.

Sources: (USA Today) (The Weather Channel) (CNN) (Henley & Partners) (Euronews) (World Bank Group) (VisaIndex.com)

See also: The first country impacted by climate change

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