Nauru Recent History
Island of Oceania, was discovered in 1798 by the German captain Fearn; it became a Germanic possession since 1888. At the end of the First World War the League of Nations entrusted it under “joint mandate” to Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand..
During the Second World War it was occupied by Japan, but in September 1945 it was reconquered from Australia. According to Abbreviationfinder, an acronym site which also features history of Nauru, the United Nations then reconfirmed the trusteeship of the three powers that had previously mandated it.
In 1964 the island rejected an attempt to annex Australia and on January 31, 1966 it achieved internal self-government with the establishment of a Legislative Council.
On January 31, 1968 he proclaimed his independence with the founding of a Presidential Republic, in the orbit of the Commonwealth.
In 1970 an important economic event took place; until then, the vast fields of phosphate, the country’s only major resource, had been exploited by the British Phosphate Commissioners. From July 1 of that year, however, the concession passed to the Nauru Phosphate Corporation.
With the export of phosphates the trade balance of Nauru was always active, ensuring a good per capita income for the Nauruans.
The depletion of these deposits, scheduled for the end of the nineties, forced the government of Nauru to have a policy of strong investments in the construction field, especially in Australia, the Mariana Islands and Honolulu.
Furthermore, a conversion plan is under consideration for which the island can be transformed into a free port; a great development of the fishing fleet, air and maritime services will be possible.
In 1968, as foreseen by the newly launched Constitution, a single-chamber Parliament was elected which held legislative power. In addition, a Council of State had been appointed, chaired by the President of the Republic, who exercised executive power. And from May 1968 the Presidency had been taken over by H. De Roburt who, except for a few short periods, maintained it until 1989.
In the country, the two opposing sides, the one that supported De Roburt and the opposition, the Democratic Party of Nauru, had become protagonists of various contrasts making the political climate rather tense and lively.
There was therefore a period of strong insecurity to arrive, in November 1995, at the election as President of L. Harris, leader of the Democratic Party which, however, in the subsequent elections of February 1997, was replaced by K. Clodumar. He, in turn, was ousted in June 1998 by B. Dowiyogo and he again, in turn, in April 1999 had to leave the position to R. Harris.
