Editing Demographics of Nauru (section)

== Economic indicators ==
{{Main|Economy of Nauru}}
[[File:Phosphate exports in Nauru, 1968-2001.svg|thumb|left|Phosphate exports (in millions of tonnes) in Nauru from 1968 to 2001.]]
Net monthly income in 2006 averaged [[Australian dollar|A$]]2,597 (A${{Inflation|AU|2597|2006|fmt=c}} in 2014{{Inflation-fn|AU}}). In the same year, gross monthly income averaged A$9,554 (A${{Inflation|AU|9554|2006|fmt=c}} in 2014{{Inflation-fn|AU}}). This was calculated during the mini-census of 2006, which featured 54.4% response rate of the population.<ref>{{harvnb|Nauru Bureau of Statistics|2007|pp=8–10}}</ref> The income was calculated using the following factors: first job salary, subsistence, other business income, second job salary, services to other households, benefits, house gifts consumed and received, and other income.<ref>{{harvnb|Nauru Bureau of Statistics|2007|p=8}}</ref> Compared to other countries that use the Australian dollar—Kiribati, Australia, and Tuvalu—Nauru ranks number one in terms of income.{{Ref_label|AAA}} Since 2013, Nauru does not have a [[minimum wage]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/220427.pdf | title=Nauru 2013 Human Rights Report | page=13 | publisher=[[United States Department of State]] | access-date=29 July 2014}}</ref>

Nauru's number of employed people has steadily risen and fallen. According to the 2011 census, there are 2,883 employed persons and 908 unemployed persons, making an unemployment rate of 23%.<ref name="stats" /> The Nauru Bureau of Statistics predicted the unemployment rate will decrease to 22% in FY2014/15.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.spc.int/prism/nauru/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=196&Itemid=279#lf-structure | title=Labour Force Projects 2014/15 | publisher=[[Nauru Bureau of Statistics]] | access-date=3 August 2014}}</ref> The gross domestic product of Nauru was A$69.55 million in 2009, an increase of 40% increase from 2008. The GDP is broken down into three categories: primary (18.7%—agriculture, hunting, forestry, fishing, mining, and quarrying), secondary (36.5%—manufacturing, electric, gas, water, and construction), and tertiary (44.8%—trade, hotel, restaurants, and various services) industries.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.spc.int/prism/nauru/index.php?option=com_advlisting&view=download&fileId=52&Itemid=23 | title=Table 2.1 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Economic Activity in Current Prices | publisher=[[Nauru Bureau of Statistics]] | access-date=17 July 2014}}</ref>

A majority of the population are employed in phosphate mining, public administration, education, and transportation.<ref name="factbook" /> A [[Nauru detention centre|detention centre]] was closed in 2008, which caused the unemployment rate to rise to 30%, and approximately ten percent of the population relied on working at the centre.<ref>{{Cite news | last=La Canna | first=Xavier | date=7 February 2008 | url=http://news.theage.com.au/world/nauru-hit-by-detention-centre-closure-20080207-1qs6.html | title=Nauru 'Hit' by Detention Centre Closing | newspaper=[[The Age]] | access-date=7 July 2014}}</ref> The centre reopened in 2012<ref>{{cite web | url=http://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/nauru/economy | title=Nauru: Economy | publisher=[[The Commonwealth]] | access-date=21 July 2014 | archive-date=8 August 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808121605/http://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/nauru/economy | url-status=dead }}</ref> and currently serves 1,162 prisoners, as of May 2014.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://newsroom.customs.gov.au/channels/Operation-Sovereign-Borders/releases/operational-update-23-may | title=Fact Sheet: Operational Update 23 May 2014 | publisher=[[Australian Customs and Border Protection Service]] | date=23 May 2014 | access-date=17 July 2014 | archive-date=28 May 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528005618/http://newsroom.customs.gov.au/channels/Operation-Sovereign-Borders/releases/operational-update-23-may | url-status=dead }}</ref> During the 1990s, Nauru was famous for operating offshore banks, helping with [[money laundering]]. The United States State Department's International Narcotics Control Strategy Report estimated there were 400 offshore finance centres laundering an estimated $70 billion.<ref>{{Cite news | last=Seneviratne | first=Kalinga | url=http://www.atimes.com/oceania/BF29Ah01.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010411035156/http://www.atimes.com/oceania/BF29Ah01.html | url-status=unfit | archive-date=11 April 2001 | title=Pressure on Pacific to Stop Money-Laundering | newspaper=[[Asia Times Online]] | date=29 June 2000 | access-date=21 July 2014}}</ref>

[[Phosphate mining in Nauru]] originally made Nauru the richest per capita nation in the world.<ref>{{Cite news | last=Squires | first=Nick | date=15 March 2008 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7296832.stm | title=Nauru Seeks to Regain Lost Fortunes | newspaper=[[BBC News]] | access-date=21 July 2014}}</ref> In 1968, the [[Nauru Phosphate Royalties Trust]] (NPRT) was created to invest profits from mining, so Nauru would have money after the mining was exhausted.<ref>{{Cite news | last=Seneviratne | first=Kalinga | date=26 May 1999 | url=http://www.atimes.com/oceania/AE26Ah01.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000925113247/http://atimes.com/oceania/AE26Ah01.html | url-status=unfit | archive-date=25 September 2000 | title=Nauru Turns to Dust | newspaper=[[Asia Times Online]] | access-date=21 July 2014}}</ref> The owners of the trust purchased a fleet of ships and aircraft, a brewery in the [[Solomon Islands]], hotels around the world, and real estate in Australia, the United States and Britain, which caused the trust to go bankrupt.<ref>{{Cite news | last=Robinson | first=Natasha | date=25 October 2010 | url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/investigations/resurgence-in-sight-but-nauru-remains-a-sitting-duck/story-fn6tcs23-1225942956682 | title=Resurgence in Sight but Nauru Remains 'A Sitting Duck{{'-}} | newspaper=[[The Australian]] | access-date=21 July 2014}}</ref> Phosphate exports peaked in 1973 with 2.3 million tonnes, but has decreased to 0.2 million tonnes in 2001.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hughes|2004|p=4}}</ref> In 2006, mining of a secondary layer of phosphate began.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.mfat.govt.nz/Countries/Pacific/Nauru.php | title=Nauru | publisher=New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs | date=9 December 2013 | access-date=11 August 2014}}</ref>