C21MM-Nauru

The C21MM team will be conducting activities at IOTA OC-031 on Nauru Island from October 11th to 27th, 2024.
Team – DG2RON Ronny, DJ5IW Gerd, DJ7TO Olaf, DJ9KH Werner, DK3CG Rudolf, DK5WL Joe, DL1KWK Frank, DL2RNS Norbert, DL4SVA Georg, DL6KAC Christian, DL6KVA Axel, DL7JOM Olaf, DL7VEE Rolf, DL8LAS Andree.
Nearest DX Point C21 mm
C21MM log searchsearch They will operate on 160 – 6m, CW, SSB, digital modes.
Scheduled run frequency:

Pass QSL of DL4SVA, LOTW, ClubLog OQRS.
Direct QSL advertising:
Georg Tretow, DL4SVA, Rehnaer Str. 8, D-23936 Grevesmühlen, Germany.

About Nauru

The Republic of Nauru is an island nation located near the equator in the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the most isolated places in the world, with the nearest population center being Banaba Island, more than 300 kilometers away. Nauru is currently considered the smallest republic in the world in terms of area and population. It has an area of ​​only 21.3 square kilometers and a population of approximately 9,400 people. Its closest neighbors are the Solomon Islands to the south, the Marshall Islands to the north, the Republic of Kiribati to the east, and the Federated States of Micronesia to the west.

Tourism on the island is limited by poor air and sea transport and pollution from phosphate mining. There are two hotels on Nauru. Air Nauru is the national airline and the only airline on the island. Its flights operate between Brisbane (Australian city), Honiari (the capital of the Solomon Islands), Nadi (a city in Fiji) and Tarawa (an atoll in the Republic of Kiribati).

C21MM. Nauru DX Expedition. Logo.

Etymology of the island’s name

The origin of the word “Nauru” is unknown. The locals called their island Naoero. German Paul Hambruch, who lived here in May 1909 and September-November 1910, believed that the word Naoero was a combination of the words “a-nuau-aa-ororo”, which meant “I go to the seaside”. After spending 30 years on Nauru and studying it thoroughly, German Alois Kaiser concluded that his compatriots’ interpretation was wrong.

Historically, the island has had several names: until the late 19th century, British colonists called it Pleasant Island, meaning “pleasant” island, while German colonial rulers preferred the name “Nawodo” or “Onawero”.

History of Nauru

The islands were first settled by Micronesians and Polynesians more than 3,000 years ago. Traditionally, there were 12 clans or tribes on the islands, symbolized by the twelve-pointed star on the flag today. The tribes are Deiboe, Iamvidamit, Iamvidara, Iamvit, Iamgum, Eano, Emeo, Eoraru, Iruzi, Iruva, Iwi and Ranibok.

British captain and whaler John Fane became the first European to arrive on the island in 1798. From the mid-1830s, the Nauruans came into contact with European whalers and traders, who restocked the island with whales. The islanders traded food for palm wine and weapons, which were later used in the Ten Years’ War that began in 1878. The war reduced the island’s population from 1,400 to 900.

In 1888, Nauru was annexed by Germany and became part of the Marshall Islands Protectorate. The arrival of the Germans ended the war and the island began to be ruled by kings, most notably Wilhelm II. Also in 1888, Christian missionaries arrived from the Gilbert Islands.

Phosphates were discovered on the island in 1900 by New Zealand geologist Albert Allison, and under an agreement with Germany, the Pacific Phosphate Company began mining the site in 1906. The first minerals were exported in 1907.

In 1914, during World War I, the island was occupied by Australian troops. After the war, the League of Nations gave the territory to the British Mandate. However, in 1923, Britain agreed to share the land with Australia and New Zealand. In 1919, the governments of these countries signed the Nauru Agreement, which established the British Phosphate Commission, to which the rights to mine the mine were transferred.

On August 26, 1942, the island was occupied by Japanese troops, who deported 1,200 Nauruans to the Chuuk Islands as cheap labor. On September 13, 1945, with the arrival of the Australian warship HMAS Diamond, the Japanese army surrendered and the island was freed. In early 1946, the deported Nauruans returned home.

In 1947, the United Nations returned control of the island to the Commonwealth of Australia, Britain and New Zealand. In 1968, under the leadership of President Hamer de Robert, Nauru gained independence.

In June 1970, the Nauru Phosphate Company was established here. The export of phosphate raw materials has made Nauru one of the island countries with the highest living standards in the Pacific region and the second richest country in the world in terms of per capita income.

In 1989, the Nauru government sued the Australian government in the International Court of Justice, alleging that phosphate mining had caused environmental damage. The dispute ended in an out-of-court settlement, with both parties agreeing to restore the used areas. The decline in phosphate reserves has led to economic decline and political instability that has continued since the mid-1980s. Between 1989 and 2003 alone, the island’s government changed 17 times.

Nauru. Author – Sean Kelleher.

Geography of Nauru

The island is located in the western Pacific Ocean at 0°32’S, 166°55’E. Its exclusive economic zone covers an area of ​​308,480 square kilometers (including 570 square kilometers of territorial waters), bordering the Republic of Kiribati to the east (290 kilometers from Banaba Island), the Marshall Islands to the north (600 kilometers from Eben Atoll), Micronesia to the northwest (Kosla Island), the Solomon Islands to the southwest, Papua New Guinea to the west (Bismarck Archipelago), and Tuvalu to the southeast.

Nauru is a coral island (atoll) located on top of an extinct volcano. The corals here go down to 2,000 meters below the seafloor and the highest point is 60 meters above sea level. The highest point of the island, Iwu, is located on the east side of the island. Nauru’s lagoon is very small compared to other atolls. One kilometer from the coast, the sea water is more than 1,000 meters deep. The island has phosphates formed by seabird excrement. About 2 square kilometers of the island are covered by forest.

Nauru. Author – RatherBeRooting.

Nauru’s Climate

Due to its proximity to the equator (42 km north), Nauru has fairly uniform temperatures throughout the year, averaging 27.5 °C (27.5 °F). Daytime temperatures can range from 26 to 35 °C, and nighttime temperatures can range from 25 to 28 °C. Annual rainfall varies with El Niño, but averages about 1,900 mm.

Global warming has had a direct impact on Nauru, with sea levels rising dramatically and threatening to disappear. Because of this problem, the Nauruan government has repeatedly sought action from the United Nations, the United States and other industrialized countries.

Flora and Fauna

There are no large animals on Nauru, and apart from insects, there is only one bird species, the endemic Acrocephalus rehsei. Cats, dogs and pigs imported from abroad are often seen on the island.

The island’s flora includes coconut trees, pandanus trees, figs, hibiscus, etc. However, due to environmental degradation caused by mining, many plant species have almost disappeared.

In terms of the marine environment, especially the coral belts surrounding the islands, the area was once a rich habitat for molluscs and large arthropods. Today, the islands’ aquatic life is endangered due to urbanization and phosphate mining.

C21MM. Where is Nauru located. Map.