GEOSCIENCE DIVISION
Map Cook Islands Federated Sates of Micronesia Fiji Kiribati Nauru Niue Papua New Guinea Republic of Marshall Islands Republic of Palau Samoa Solomon Islands Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu
Country
Population
Land Area
Climate
Water resource
Water consumption
Country Cook Islands Cook Islands
Population 21,750 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 236.7 km2
Climate
Water resource
Water consumption
Country Federated Sates of Micronesia Federated Sates of Micronesia
Population 107,862 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 702 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 4,928 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Fiji Fiji
Population 918 675 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 18,270 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 2000 - 3000 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Kiribati Kiribati
Population 107,817 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 811 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: South of the equator: 1,300 mm Tarawa: 2,000 mm Northernmost islands: over 3,200mm Eastern Line Islands: less than 1,000 mm
Water consumption
Country Nauru Nauru
Population 11,528 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 21 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 2,090 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Niue Niue
Population 1,625m(GoN statistics 2006)
Land Area 260 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 2,180 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea
Population 5,795,887 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 462,840 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall:1000-80000 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Republic of Marshall Islands Republic of Marshall Islands
Population 20,842
Land Area 458 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 3,700 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Republic of Palau Republic of Palau
Population 61,815(July 2007 est.)
Land Area 11,854.3 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: Southern attols: 4,000mm Northern attols:2,000 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Samoa Samoa
Population 214,265
Land Area 2,944 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 3,000 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Solomon Islands Solomon Islands
Population 566,842
Land Area 28,450 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall:1500-5000 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Tonga Tonga
Population 116,921
Land Area 748 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: Varies from north and south of tonga with an estimated average of 2500 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Tuvalu Tuvalu
Population 11.992 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 26 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 3000mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Vanuatu Vanuatu
Population 211,971 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 12,200 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 2000 - 4000 mm per annum
Water consumption
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Nauru
Geography
Total Area 21 km2
Land 21 km2
Water 0 km2
Highest Elevation  61m

Land Use
Arable 0%
Perm. Crop 0%
Other 100% (2005)

People
Population 11,528 (July 2007 est.)
Population Growth Rate 1.781% (2007 est.)

Economy
GDP per capita (PPP) $5,000 (2005 est.)

Water Statistics
2,090 mm per annum
Nauru


Status of Water Resources
Sources of freshwater for Nauru’s island communities are restricted to:
  • Rainwater
  • Imported water
  • Shallow unconfined groundwater (generally within less than 2 m of the surface)
  • Desalination (one large evaporative desalination plant and four small RO desalination plants).
Problems with Water Resources and Associated Environment Issues

The major issues and concerns are as follows:
  • There is not a secure supply of drinking water available to maintain health and wellbeing;
  • High energy input is required for the desalination plants
  • There may already be over-extraction of groundwater around the Bottom side
  • There is some contamination of the groundwater occurring now, even though it is the best source of future water supply
  • The sustainable yield of the groundwater has not been determined (but a study is planned for the near future)
  • There is a need to control the discharge of wastewater adjacent to wells used to extract non-potable water and to upgrade local sanitation practices to composting-type toilets or similar arrangements
  • There is very little monitoring or information collection on water quantity and quality, and hence no strong base for future planning
  • There has been very little investigation of the environmental implications of the changes in land use and water use on the island
  • Droughts have a major effect on the supply of water – particularly for roof water catchments
  • There is a need for improved water governance and local skills
  • Land and water ownership are still to be resolved for groundwater extraction.

Diagnostic Report

Demonstration Proposal
Hot Spot Analysis

Information on this page obtained from Integrated Water Resources Management programme's Diagnostic Reports (SOPAC 2007)