Dahl Web Site
ISLAND DIRECTORY
Islands of Nauru
Nauru [1203]
Group:
Country: Nauru Region: Oceania 11
Lat: 0.41º S Long : 167.29º E
Area: 20.7 sq. km Altitude: 70 m
Shoreline: 17.3 km (scale 1:40000) Coastal Index: 0.8357
Depth to nearest land: 4000 m
Nearest island: 300 km group: 700 km
Nearest continent: Australia Distance: 2800 km Isolation Index: 97
ISLAND TYPE: raised coral Natural Protection Indicator: 0
GEOLOGY/SOILS:
Raised coral platform with low surrounding terrace
CLIMATE: seasonal tropical
CATASTROPHIC THREATS: drought
Threat Indicator: 1
ECOSYSTEMS: Number of Ecosystems - Terrestrial: 4 Marine: 1
Remnants of limestone forest with Calophyllum on plateau;
scrub; mangroves (2 ha); fringing reef
| SPECIES NUMBERS: |
Total |
Endemic |
Threatened (EVRI) |
| Plants |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Butterflies |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land snails |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Rept/Amphib |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land birds |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Mammals |
0 |
0 |
0 |
SPECIES OF CONSERVATION INTEREST:
Plants:
4 native ferns
35 native and 52 introduced dicotyledon taxa, 1 endemic
Phyllanthus n. sp., endemic
Insects:
no butterflies reported
Birds:
Acrocephalus rehsei (Finsch's Reed-warbler) reportedly endangered
SPECIES RICHNESS:
Species Richness Indicator - Terrestrial: 1 Marine: 0
poor
ENDEMISM: Terrestrial: Terrestrial Endemism Indicator - Island: 1 Group: 1
one plant
Marine endemic species: 0
Marine Endemism Indicator - Island: 0 Group: 0
SPECIAL FEATURES : Special Features Indicator - Terrestrial: 1 Marine: 0
small lake (Buada lagoon)
HUMAN OCCUPATION: Inhabited, mostly disturbed
Population: 8100 (1981) Density: 391.3 persons/sq. km
Growth Rate: 2.4%/yr Increasing
Major Human Activities: phosphate mining
HUMAN IMPACTS:
Most of central plateau is being strip mined for phosphates; phosphate
processing plant; high per capita income; urban development on lower
coastal
terrace
Accessibility: port, airport
Percent population in agr/mining/fishing: 69% Human Threat Indicator: 2
Gross Domestic Product: $ 10000 per capita Economic Pressure Indicator: 5
DATA RELIABILITY: partial Data Rel. Indicator: 2
HUMAN IMPACT INDEX HI: 23
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE INDEX CI-Terrestrial: 7 Moderate
CI-Marine: 2 Low
REFERENCES:
Manner, H., Thaman, R., and Hassell, D. 1984. Phosphate mining induced
vegetation changes on Nauru Island. Ecology 66(5):
Last updated: 07/12/88
Return to Island Directory Home Page
NOTE: For an explanation of each field, click on the colon (:)
Page last updated: 09/05/10