Some countries in the world have reached the heights of development without seeing it thanks to the blessings bestowed by nature. The example of Arab countries is in front of everyone, where the land of deserts yielded oil treasures and they became the owners of immense wealth. Something similar is the case with the tiny island of Nauru in the Pacific Ocean.
‘Nauru Island’, which was included in the list of the richest countries in the world due to its phosphate deposits. But today this same island is in the grip of poverty and its golden days have become a story of the past.
Nauru, known for its stunning natural beauty, white sandy beaches, and lush coconut groves, suddenly became the center of international attention in the 1900s. British experts discovered huge deposits of phosphate here, a highly valuable raw material for making fertilizer. In 1907, the British, Australian and New Zealand governments began regular mining here, and the export of phosphate changed the fate of this small island.
After gaining independence in 1968, Nauru gained complete control of its phosphate deposits. The wealth flowed so quickly that the island soon became one of the richest countries in the world. In 1982, the New York Times reported that Nauru had a higher per capita income than any oil-rich Arab country.
The most expensive cars were parked outside every house in Nauru. Luxury cars like Lamborghini, Ferrari, Cadillac, Jeep and Land Rover were common. The people were not under any kind of economic pressure because the government had established the concept of a welfare state. Education, health, treatment, transport, and even the official newspaper were provided free of charge. Patients who could not be treated in local hospitals were sent to Australia 2500 miles away at the government’s expense.
The doors were also open to Nauruan students in the field of education. The government has taken responsibility for bearing the full cost of higher education in Australian universities.
As soon as so much wealth came into hand, a wave of wasteful spending and irresponsibility swept through Nauru. Numerous unnecessary projects were started, wealth was blown on luxuries, and no stable economic structure was built. The result was that the phosphate reserves began to run out rapidly and as the resources ran out, the flow of wealth also stopped.
The conditions in Nauru were deteriorating day by day due to mismanagement and unwise decisions. The luxury cars that were once a symbol of the royal lifestyle are now seen standing rusted and abandoned on the side of the roads.
Famous YouTuber Roohi Sanit visited Nauru in 2024 and wrote in his report that seeing the misery of this island, it is hard to believe that it was once among the richest countries in the world.
The story of Nauru is a lesson in how much destruction can be brought about by the wanton plunder of natural resources, wrong decisions, and lack of planning. Just as Arab countries stabilized their economies by using oil wealth wisely, Nauru would have been prosperous even today if it had adopted such a strategy.
Undoubtedly, a basic principle of far-sighted leadership is to assess the impact of today’s decisions and prepare for the future. The rulers of Nauru only enjoyed the wealth of the present but did not make any strategy for the coming years. That is why, as soon as difficulties arose, there was no way to manage the country.
The story of Nauru is not just the ruin of an island, but a big lesson that a few wrong decisions and wrong strategy can destroy everything.
