Nauru has officially changed its name to Naoero, the Micronesian nation’s government has announced.
A constitutional amendment to rename the country passed parliament in May, following a proposal tabled by President David Adeang in January.
Mr Adeang said at the time that the name Nauru had been recognised internationally since the island’s independence, the proposed change sought to “more faithfully honour our nation’s heritage, our language, and our identity”.
However, a national referendum was expected to follow to complete the constitutional procedures.
“The Republic of Naoero is the new official designation for what was previously known as Nauru. The abbreviated form will be Naoero, with the code updated to NRO, and the people will be referred to as dei-Naoero,” the government said in a statement.
