5 Things You Didn’t Know About Nauru, The Tiny Island You’ve Never Heard Of

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Just when you thought you knew all the noteworthy white-sand beaches in the world, we’re here to (politely) correct you. Chances are you don’t know squat about Nauru, formally called the Republic of Nauru, which is a tiny island country just north of Australia. Despite its size, the country is big on beauty and is home to some of the prettiest beaches you’ll ever see. Here are five other things you didn’t know:

1. Nauru is the third-smallest country in the world.

Behind Monaco and Vatican City, Nauru ranks as the third-smallest country in the world by area. You can explore a whopping 8.1 square miles that only has 10,084 residents.

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2. The Nauruan language and history can’t be confirmed.

Because the country’s language is vastly different from other Micronesian languages and from those of neighboring countries, no one can pin down exactly where the language, and much of Nauru’s history, originated.

3. Over 80 percent of the island has been mined for phosphate.

As of 2002, 167,000 tons of phosphate were mined from the tiny island, making the recovery of its natural wonders extremely slow. After all the phosphate was mined, the majority of the population moved into one urbanized area.

4. Nauru holds the title of fattest nation in the world.

Despite the country’s small size, the average Body Mass Index among its inhabitants is between 34 and 35, which is 70 percent higher than that of many countries in Southeast Asia. The population has long been recorded as heavy-set, but correlating health conditions like heart disease and diabetes were not recorded as an issue until the 20th century when Nauru gained access to refined foods and sugars.

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5. The island is the least visited country on earth.

At best, Nauru only sees 160 tourists every year on average. This is partly because the island is fairly difficult to get to (the closest island is 200 miles away) and because the island has zero resorts.