1. With an area of 8.1 square miles, Nauru is the world’s third smallest independent nation behind Monaco and Vatican City.
2. The origin of the name Nauru is unclear. One theory is that it came from a word meaning “I shall go to the beach” in a local language.
3. According to the WHO, Nauru is the world’s fattest country with an average BMI of 32.5.
4. The first European to see Nauru was UK whaler John Fearn in 1798 who called it Pleasant Island.
5. Phosphate mining is the main industry of Nauru followed by offshore banking and coconuts.
6. Nauru has competed at every Summer Olympics since 1996. All but one of their competitors have been weightlifters. The other one entered the judo.
7. Nauru has won no Olympic medals but has 10 gold, 10 silver and 9 bronze at the Commonwealth Games, all for weightlifting.
8. The flag of Nauru shows a 12-pointed star beneath a yellow band on a blue background.
9. The yellow band is the equator; blue is the sea; the star represents 12 original tribes of the island.
10. Leonardo The Musical about Da Vinci was financed by Nauru in 1993. It was a disaster.