The Republic of Nauru. A state without a capital. Sightseeing, Recreation

The world is beautiful, mysterious and capable of surprising every day. For example, few know that in the world there is little-known public education, lost among the boundless expanses of the Pacific Ocean - the smallest in the world of the Republic of Nauru: on the map it will not find every fan of geography.

Location

For those who want to try - a tip: in the western part of Oceania. A tiny country occupies the eponymous island of the same "impressive" size - slightly more than 21 square kilometers. This is 75 (!) Times smaller than the area of London! No wonder that such a thing as the capital of Nauru does not exist - the island is simply divided into districts, and all is short.

This is a typical coral atoll, which for millions of years rose from the abyss. Discovered as a result of long searches, the Republic of Nauru on the map looks like a moderately elongated oval (4 km wide and 6 km long) with a dent on its side - this is the Anibar Bay (east coast).

The atoll is surrounded by a coral reef - at low tide it is exposed, and then one can gaze at the military equipment of the times of the first and second world, which suffered a disaster here. The area is mostly flat - the plateau is not much higher than the coast.

To date, the island of Nauru rises above the ocean level on average by 30-40 meters. If pessimistic forecasts of environmentalists about global warming will come true, most of it will be under water - on the surface there will be only the highest point of the island (according to different data, not less than 60 and not more than 71 meters).

Historical reference

By itself, the island of Nauru can be described in one capacious word: long-suffering. The history of a small state clearly demonstrates how little distance between the funny and tragic.

People began to settle here even in ancient times: about 3 thousand years ago. Scientists believe that it was an ancient ethnos, from which later Polynesians and Micronesians were formed.

At the time when the island was discovered by the captain of an English ship, D. Fearn (1798), he was inhabited by 12 tribes who had a very poor idea of statehood. The Nauruans caught fish in the surrounding waters, cultivated one of its species (hanos) in an inland body of water (there is a lake in the territory called Buada), cultivated coconuts and pandans, and somehow managed without civilization.

The Englishman Firn, not having taken an interest in the opinion of the indigenous population, called the island "Pleasant" and left for New Zealand, where he originally went. From that moment the tribes of the natives began: the future Nauru republic was subjected to "progressive" attacks almost continuously. To begin with, Europeans appeared on the island, and along with them - strong alcoholic beverages. The local population began to master the "gifts of civilization" very quickly. Part - drank, part killed each other in internecine wars, someone got acquainted with new diseases (including venereal diseases).

External management

Since a tiny country did not have the resources to protect itself, the "good white people" took it under their protection. First, the affairs of the natives were engaged in England, in 1888, the island was annexed by the restless Germans who gave it to the management of the Jaluga company.

At the same time, by and large, no one Nauru was particularly interested - palm trees and the original fishing with the participation of trained birds were not too impressed by sharks of big business.

The situation changed dramatically when rich deposits of phosphorites were discovered on the island - they had a decisive influence on its history. When it turned out that there is something to profit, the world's powerful immediately began to Nauru: a state that can not take advantage of someone's weakness will never become a world hegemon. In 1906 the nature of the island began to be systematically destroyed during the development of deposits.

The island is a veteran of two wars

When the First World, a sweet piece stuffed with minerals struck, many would like to get it, but the Australians first (not much ahead of the Japanese, who literally arrived after it, but it was too late). So the future Nauru republic took part in the global war, which resulted in the transfer of the League of Nations "under the wing" of Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand - they had to manage the island together, but mostly these functions were assumed by Australia.

Predatory mining of minerals was in full swing, with very few owners of natural resources. The natives continued to drag out a semi-civilized existence, complicated by the active extraction of phosphorites, and then again the war broke out.

At first the island was shelled by the Germans, but it was not so bad. The trouble came with the Japanese, who still carried out a long-standing dream and captured Nauru in 1942.

Indicative cruelty of the conquerors: it is not known why, but they deported 1,2 thousand local residents to the islands of Chuuk, where almost half of them died. Only in 1946 survived Nauruans could return to their homeland.

Sluggish struggle for independence

After the Second World War, in 1946, the League of Nations was ordered to live for a long time. Formed by the UN, it took all of its mandate territories under its guardianship. The countries-guardians of the island, which now is the Republic of Nauru, were appointed the same as before - and life began to flow in its turn.

The natives began to show independence in the 1950s. Formed in 1927, the Council of Leaders was transformed into a body of local self-government that had the right of an advisory vote in the colonial government. It's sparse, but "even a little, a teaspoon is good."

In 1966, the Nauruans obtained permission to form the Executive and Legislative Councils, and in 1968 - declared independence. Nobody particularly objected.

Crazy wealth

It was then that happy days began for the local population: the extraction of phosphorites was under the control of Nauru - the state quickly began to grow rich (together with its citizens). There's a funny story on the Net about how the island police chief bought Lamborghini himself to prove that he would not fit into it (apparently, even in Oceania, a self-respecting law enforcement officer should be very well-fed).

It is not known whether this bike is true, but the natives did not really manage to dispose of the treasure that fell on them. No attempts were made to diversify incomes, the government did not undertake, for which it was paid.

The collapse of hopes

The flag of Nauru is a blue cloth divided horizontally by a yellow stripe. In the lower part - something like a shining white star, which by the end of the XX century rolled. The reserves of useful phosphorites were depleted, suddenly it was discovered that the islanders had not learned anything else to earn: fisheries, agriculture, and the services sector were in a rudimentary state.

In Melbourne is a skyscraper, once belonged to the hapless island. In 2004, the flag of Nauru with its spire had to be removed - the government had to sell the building to return part of the public debt. The same fate befell many other assets (mainly - real estate). By the end of the millennium it became clear that Nauru was bankrupt.

An attempt to improve finance by creating an offshore zone failed - the world community led by the United States was not going to tolerate a local project on money laundering of dubious origin - under the pressure of such a reputable power it was necessary to abandon the idea of easy earnings.

The state of affairs

In an attempt to get money, the islanders do not disdain anything: evil tongues claim that Russia paid Nauru to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Earn money for the islanders and for political trade, balancing between China and Taiwan.

The state, which in 1986 ranked second in the world in terms of GDP per capita, "slipped" into the 160th in 2014, but worst of all, the situation continues to deteriorate.

Democratic organization of the island is represented by the parliament, consisting "as much" of 18 deputies. It is located in the Yaren district - this is the peculiar "capital of Nauru", considering that most state institutions are located nearby. Politically, citizens are very (even too much) active: three political parties for 10 thousand people - an impressive number, and in the course of the riots that accompanied the 2003 presidential elections, the islanders burnt down the residence of the head of the state and for several weeks remained without contact with the outside world.

Nauru's "Big Brother"

Today, the Republic of Nauru has a rather miserable existence, trying to earn at least somehow. The main income item is monetary injections from Australia.

First, the islanders filed for their long-term "guardian" in court - and dislodged compensation for the predatory prey of the notorious phosphorites. Now a prosperous continent pays Nauru for the accommodation of refugees seeking to find happiness under the blue Australian sky. Some sources suspect that these people are directly local people, who are paid to sit on their island and do not seek anywhere.

Communication with Australia in general is very strong - to the point that the highest court of Nauru is the Supreme Australian Court.

Perspectives of the island

Own efforts to make money have not yet been crowned with success. It would be possible to engage in fishing - the depth of the ocean is only two kilometers from the island is more than 1000 m, but only two fishing vessels are "registered" in the port of Nauru. Agriculture, by and large, is able to serve only the population of the republic. The situation with drinking water is bad - special installations with which water is desalinated, often idle because of debts for electricity.

Tourism is also in its infancy: rest in Nauru is not too popular, because in Oceania there are places much more busy, from what point of view or look. Local color for many years of "close cooperation" with Europeans lost much. Traditions were forgotten, there were no ancient settlements or monuments.

Nauru as a place for rest

Even the weather of Nauru is a serious test for a European: since the island is almost at the equator (42 km to the south), it is very humid and hot here. In the summer - a drought, in the daytime under 40 degrees of heat, at night it falls down "already" to 30 - without air conditioning here do not live at all. The activity of the sun is such that it can be burned even in water. In the rainy season, in addition to being hot, it's also damp - in general, the climate is for an amateur.

But the saddest thing is the state of the environment. For almost a century of phosphate mining, almost the whole territory of the island (up to 90%) was disfigured - it lost its soil layer and turned into the so-called. "Lunar landscape", which ecologists frighten the planet. Since no one cared about the restoration of natural resources, almost everywhere - the intricacies of mines, cliffs, heaps of waste rock - these are such impressive species. Nauru never tires of asking for money for a program to restore the ecosystem. The UN, in which the young tiny state entered in 1999, is trying in every possible way to promote. So far, however, notable success has been achieved.

In general, in Nauru, tours for which do not enjoy rabid demand for the above reasons, almost one entertainment - sea fishing with a local guide. Lovers say that it's very cool. You can dive with scuba diving - simple dives are practiced in the Gulf Anibar. From the times of the former well-being there were swimming pools and tennis courts.