Overview: Revenues come from the export of phosphates, the reserves of which are expected to be exhausted by the year 2000. Phosphates have given Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the Third World--$10,000 annually. Few other resources exist so most necessities must be imported, including fresh water from Australia. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates constitute serious long-term problems. Substantial investment in trust funds, out of phosphate income, will help cushion the transition.

GNP: over $90 million, per capita $10,000; real growth rate NA% (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Unemployment rate: 0%

Budget: revenues $69.7 million; expenditures $51.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY86 est.)

Exports: $93 million (f.o.b., 1984); commodities--phosphates; partners--Australia, NZ

Imports: $73 million (c.i.f., 1984); commodities--food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery; partners--Australia, UK, NZ, Japan

External debt: $33.3 million

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity: 14,000 kW capacity; 50 million kWh produced, 5,430 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries: phosphate mining, financial services, coconuts

Agriculture: negligible; almost completely dependent on imports for food and water

Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries (1970-1988), $2 million

Currency: Australian dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Australian dollar ($A) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Australian dollars ($A) per US$1--1.2834 (January 1991), 1.2799 (1990), 1.2618 (1989), 1.2752 (1988), 1.4267 (1987), 1.4905 (1986), 1.4269 (1985)

Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June

NOTE: The information regarding Nauru on this page is re-published from the 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Nauru Economy 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Nauru Economy 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.