Editing Geography of Nauru (section)

==Geology of Nauru==
{{main|Geology of Nauru}}
[[Image:Nauru satellite.jpg|left|thumb|An aerial image of Nauru in 2002 from the U.S. Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program. Regenerated vegetation covers 63% of land that was mined.<ref name = "climate">Republic of Nauru. 1999. [http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/naunc1.pdf Climate Change Response Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change] URL Accessed 2006-05-03</ref>]]
Nauru is a [[raised coral atoll]] positioned in the Nauru Basin of the Pacific Ocean, on a part of the [[Pacific Plate]] that formed at a [[mid oceanic ridge|mid-oceanic ridge]] at 132 [[mega-annum|Ma]]. From mid-[[Eocene]] (35mya) to [[Oligocene]] times, a submarine [[volcano]] built up over a [[Hotspot (geology)|hotspot]] and formed a [[seamount]]    composed of [[basalt]]. The seamount is over 4300 metres high. This hotspot was simultaneous with a major Pacific Plate reorganisation. The volcano was eroded to sea level and a [[coral]] [[atoll]] grew on top to a thickness of about 500 metres. Coral near the surface has been dated from 5 Mya to 0.3 Mya. The original limestone has been [[dolomitised]] by [[magnesium]] from [[sea water|seawater]]. The coral was raised above sea level about 30 metres and is now a dolomite limestone outcrop which was eroded in classic [[karst]] style into [[Pinnacle (geology)|pinnacle]]s up to 20 metres high. To at least a depth of 55 metres below sea level, the limestone has been dissolved forming cavities, sinkholes, and caves. Holes on the topside of the island were filled up by a [[phosphate]] layer up to several metres thick.

[[Anibare Bay]] was formed by the underwater collapse of the east side of the volcano.
[[Buada Lagoon]] was formed by solution of the limestone when the sea level was lower, followed by collapse.

Nauru is moving at {{convert|104|mm|abbr=on}} per year to the northwest along with the Pacific Plate.

Freshwater can be found in Buada lagoon, and also in some brackish ponds at the escarpment base in [[Ijuw District|Ijuw]] and [[Anabar District|Anabar]] in the northeast. There is an underground lake in Moqua Cave in the southeast of the island. Since there are no streams or rivers on Nauru, water must be gathered from roof catchment systems. Water is also brought to Nauru as ballast on ships returning for loads of phosphate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Yaren|title=Yaren {{!}} district, Nauru|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en|access-date=2019-09-02}}</ref>