Nauru has the highest obesity rate in the world, with over 60% of its population classified as obese. That startling statistic is just one piece of this tiny nation's extraordinary story. At just 21 square kilometers, Nauru is the world's smallest island nation and the third-smallest country by area. This 50-question quiz explores Nauru's dramatic rise as one of the wealthiest nations per capita during its phosphate boom, its devastating economic collapse, its controversial role hosting an Australian immigration detention center, and the resilience of its 10,000 residents.
Each round presents 10 randomized multiple-choice questions drawn from a pool of 50, so every playthrough is different. You get instant feedback with explanations after each answer, plus a shareable score at the end.
Questions cover Nauru's geography (a single raised coral atoll in the central Pacific with Command Ridge at 71 meters), its colonial history under Germany, Australia, and Japan during WWII, the phosphate mining era that made it one of the richest nations per capita before devastating 80% of its surface, the mismanaged billion-dollar trust fund, the shift to offshore banking and the FATF blacklisting, the Australian detention center, the health crisis driven by processed food dependency, and Nauruan culture from the 12-district flag to Australian Rules football.
Nauru is a single raised coral atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, covering just 21 square kilometers. It formed over millions of years as coral grew on top of a volcanic seamount. Unlike archipelago nations with many islands, Nauru consists of only one small oval-shaped island, making it the world's smallest island nation and the third-smallest country by area after Vatican City and Monaco.
Nauru's phosphate deposits, formed from millennia of accumulated seabird guano, made it one of the wealthiest nations per capita in the 1970s and 1980s. However, decades of strip mining destroyed roughly 80% of the island's surface, leaving a barren moonscape of coral pinnacles. The Nauru Phosphate Royalties Trust, which once held over $1 billion, was devastated by mismanagement and failed investments — including a notorious London musical about Leonardo da Vinci. By the early 2000s, reserves were largely exhausted and the trust was nearly bankrupt.
Nauru's obesity crisis stems from a dramatic shift in diet. As phosphate wealth flooded the island, traditional fishing and agriculture were largely abandoned in favor of imported processed foods high in sugar, fat, and refined carbohydrates. With limited arable land (most of the interior was destroyed by mining) and ongoing dependence on food imports, over 60% of the population is now obese and around 40% have type 2 diabetes. Life expectancy is approximately 60 years, well below the global average.
Last updated: April 2026