Nauru Travel Guide

The world’s smallest island nation, the Micronesian Republic of Nauru can be covered on foot in a day. Colonized by Germany in the 19th century and later handed around between Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom before being occupied by the Japanese in WWII, the now independent nation has plundered its phosphate rock reserves and resorted to desperate money-making measures. A brief period as a tax haven and centre for money laundering attracted Russian mafia, and while the island has now relinquished its no-questions-asked policy, it is instead boosting its economy with payment from Australia to house an off-shore detention centre for asylum seekers. It’s possibly no surprise that the island doesn’t have much of a tourist industry, especially as it only has one commercial aircraft and two hotels.