WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The Pacific Island country of Nauru has changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, its president said, matching the spelling and pronunciation in the national language. With 12,000 residents, Nauru is the world’s third-smallest country by population size, after Tuvalu and Vatican City. The move makes the country the latest to signal a shift away from a colonial past by changing its name. The website of the United Nations records the country by its new name, noting the government had requested it be changed in June. Australia and New Zealand’s foreign ministries as well as the U.S. and Chinese embassies in the region also designate the country as Naoero on their websites.