Picture: XWellington, New Zealand: The Pacific island nation of Nauru has officially changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, aligning the country's international identity with the spelling and pronunciation used in its national language. Under the move, the country's international code will change from NRU to NRO, while its citizens will be known as dei-Naoero instead of Nauruans. According to the government, the country became internationally known as Nauru largely because its local name was difficult for foreigners to pronounce. With a population of around 12,000, Naoero is the world's third-smallest country by population, behind Tuvalu and Vatican City. The island nation, located in the South Pacific, was previously colonised by Germany and later administered by Australia before gaining independence in 1968.