Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other : 100% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater; phosphate mining threatens limited remaining land resources

Environment - international agreements: party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

@Nauru:People

Population: 10,390 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Sex ratio: at birth: NA male(s)/female under 15 years : NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female total population: NA male(s)/female