The smallest independent republic in the world is a tiny South Pacific island known as Nauru. It’s only about 21 square kilometres in size with about 14,000 people. It used to be called Pleasant Island.
It has a rich history for a small place as it is a former colony of the German Empire. It was then occupied in World War 1 by Australian soldiers and by the Japanese during World War II. In 1968, it became an independent territory, but uses the Australian dollar as its currency.
Nauru is close to the equator and this means it gets excellent weather throughout the year due to its tropical climate. There are several wonderful sandy beaches for relaxing on as well as some fantastic coral reefs. Options of exploring the beautiful island are by foot, bike and car and there’s a bust that whizzes around Nauru every day to take in the scenery.
There are some great little small restaurants to eat which serve fresh fruits, coconuts and seafood as well as Chinese dishes. There are a few hotels and a bar on the island if you’re in the mood for a stiffer drink.
The culture’s basically Micronesian and Polynesian and you can witness this in the old customs and traditional crafts, music, fishing, and arts. The people love to stay active by playing Australian Rules football, softball, cricket, golf, sailing, tennis, and rugby.
There’s a lot of history here, due to the wars, and Nauru is an ideal spot to relax while enjoying swimming, deep sea fishing, walking, cycling, shopping, and scuba diving. The weather and scenery are superb with the people very friendly.
