Nauru, one of the world's least-populated countries, has changed its name

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. The country’s international code will change from NRU to NRO and its people will be known as dei-Naoero instead of Nauruan. With 12,000 residents, Nauru is the world’s third-smallest country by population size, after Tuvalu and Vatican City. The government was already seeking to have other countries and international institutions recognize the shift, its statement said. The website of the United Nations records the country by its new name, noting the government had requested it be changed in June.