By Damian Arugo Jr. | National News

The Pacific island nation formerly known as Nauru has officially changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, marking a significant step toward restoring its indigenous identity and cultural heritage.

President David Adeang announced that the new name reflects the country’s traditional spelling and pronunciation in the local language. As part of the transition, the country’s international code will change from NRU to NRO, while its citizens will now be referred to as dei-Naoero instead of Nauruans.

The pronunciation, commonly rendered internationally as “Now-roo,” will also be replaced with the native pronunciation, “Now-ero.”

According to the government, the decision is aimed at restoring the country’s original identity, noting that the name “Nauru” became widely used mainly because it was easier for foreigners to pronounce than the traditional name.

When presenting the proposal to Parliament earlier this year, President Adeang said the move was intended to honour the nation’s heritage, language and identity.

Lawmakers reportedly approved the constitutional amendment required for the name change through the necessary rounds of voting, although official confirmation that the constitution has been formally amended is still awaited.

With a population of about 12,000, the Republic of Naoero remains the world’s third-smallest country by population, behind Tuvalu and Vatican City.

The tiny coral island in the South Pacific was once colonised by Germany before later coming under Australian administration. It gained independence in 1968.

Naoero experienced enormous wealth during the 1970s from phosphate mining, although the country has since faced significant economic and environmental challenges.